We will observe Candlemas on 5 February 2012 at 4 p.m. with a service of Solemn Evensong, Procession, and Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament.

The chancel will be packed with choirboys, for the Choir of All Saints' Church, Worcester, will be joining the Ashmont Choir of Men & Boys to sing this special service. Ashmont traveled to Worcester two months ago to sing an evensong on All Saints' Sunday. We are delighted that next month our friends from Worcester will come to Ashmont to return the favor.

The preacher will be the Rev'd Mark Delcuze, rector of St. John's Church, Beverly Farms. Fr. Delcuze is in his second year as rector of St. John's. He holds a B.A. (with Distinction) from the University of Virginia and an M. Div. from the Episcopal Divinity School, Cambridge, MA. Over his twenty-six years as a priest, Fr. Delcuze has served parishes in the Dioceses of West Virginia, Virginia, Southern Virginia, and Connecticut. A three-time Clergy Deputy to the General Convention of the Episcopal Church, he has also served two dioceses as Ecumenical and Interreligious Officer. He and his wife Mimi have two grown daughters and a grand dog!

Fear not! There will be plenty of time to adore Our Lord in the most blessed sacrament of the altar, to share in the Hospitality Committee's fabulous reception, and to return home to attend to the civic religion of Super Bowl XLVI.

The Presentation of Christ in the Temple
commonly called
The Purification of Saint Mary the Virgin
Sunday, 5 February 2011, at 4 p.m.

Responses: Thomas Tomkins
Psalm 84 (Parry)
Magnificat and Nunc dimittis 'Collegium Regale' - Herbert Howells
Ave Maria - Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy

Past Events

Lee Ridgway on the organ bench

We offer many thanks to Lee Ridgway, Ashmont resident and longtime friend of the parish, for his invaluable assistance at the organ during this past Christmas season.

Preacher for Epiphany

The preacher for the Feast of the Epiphany 2012 was Megan Holding, a student at the Berkeley Divinity School at Yale and a postulant for Holy Orders in the Diocese of Massachusetts.

Mrs. Holding lives in Needham and is a member of Trinity Church, Copley Square, where she has served on many parish committees. She graduated magna cum laude from Amherst College in 1993 and received her Doctor of Jurisprudence degree from Georgetown University Law Center. She served as clerk for Boyce Martin, Chief Judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals (Sixth Circuit), and then as a lawyer specializing in health care at the law firm of Choate, Hall & Stewart here in Boston. She is married to Christopher Holding, a lawyer, and is the mother of two daughters, Katherine, 9, and Claire, 8. She is currently studying for her M.Div. at the Berkeley Divinity School at Yale, and is a postulant for Holy Orders in the Diocese of Massachusetts.

Lessons & Carols at Ashmont

On the evening of the fourth Sunday in Advent, 18 December 2011, the full Choir of Men and Boys sang A Festival of Nine Lessons & Carols. This service is a part of the advent preparation for Christmas and is beloved by both the Ashmont parish family and the surrounding community. The church was full again this year.

Begun in 1918, one month after the Armistice that brought World War I to an end, Lessons & Carols has been sung at King's College, Cambridge ever since. All Saints' follows the form of the service used at King's.

After an organ voluntary is played on the C.B. Fisk organ, the congregation stood and a single boy's voice sang out the first verse of the carol Once in royal David's city.

There followed just over an hour of lessons and carols and congregational hymns. The lessons were read from the traditional Authorized, or King James version, of the bible. The carols sung by the choir were a mix of familiar and new. The hymns sung by the choir and congregation were the old favorites that have stood the test of time.

Together, these lessons, the carols, and the hymns proclaim the great arc of the human story from the mystery of the Fall to the greater mystery of the incarnation of the child Jesus, sheltered in a stable shed in Bethlehem.

Plan ahead to next year to make this beautiful service a continuing part of your Christmas tradition.

Lessons & Carols in Winthrop

On Saturday, 17 December 2011, the All Saints Choir of Men & Boys sang the service of Lessons and Carol at the parish of St. John the Evangelist, Winthrop. The parish will put on a spaghetti and meatball dinner immediately after the service.

St. John the Evangelist has hosted the All Saints Choir for the last decade as annually these two parishes have joined in preparation for the Nativity of Our Lord and Savior in the prayerful offering of this service. It is a treasured favorite of the people of St. John's as much as it is for the folk at Ashmont.

Advent Preaching 2011

The folk at Ashmont were delighted by a special preaching series for Advent 2011: New voices in the church. Four seminary students—from Yale Divinity, Westcott House, Berkeley Divinity, and Nashotah House—graced our pulpit, bringing to us the insight and fervor of the coming generation of the church's leaders.

Stephen D. Blackmer
Berkeley Divinity School at Yale, Diocese of New Hampshire

Andrew Sheranian at Night Song

To celebrate the Feast of Christ the King, the Night Song mixed ensemble Canticum Vespertinum sang works of Gibbons and Phillips on Sunday evening, 20 November 2011.

The Guest Conductor was Andrew Sheranian, the Ashmont Organist and Master of Choristers.

Night Song is hosted by the First Church in Cambridge, 11 Garden Street. First Church is a short five-minute walk from the Harvard Square Red Line station. Easy parking on Sunday nights is usually to be had on Brattle Street, west of the Episcopal Divinity School near Longfellow Park.

Joan Lippincott on the Ashmont Fisk

Lippincott's program on the extraordinary Fisk included J. S. Bach's Passacaglia in C Minor and Schmücke dich, o liebe Seele, Mozart's Fantasia in F Minor, and Fanfare and Fugue by American composer Ned Rorem. In addition she commemorated two composer birth anniversaries: the 200th of Franz Liszt with his ever-popular Präludium und Fuge über B.A.C.H., and the 100th anniversary of French composer Jehan Alain, with his expressive and evocative Trois Danses.

50 Years Later: Jane Jacobs

The panel discussion featured former Massachusetts Governor Michael Dukakis, Glenna Lang, author of Genius of Common Sense, a book for young people about the life and work of Jane Jacobs, and architect David Lee, of Boston-based architectural firm Stull and Lee.

For more information about future Dorchester Speakers Forum events contact Joyce Linehan, 617-282-2510 x1, joyce@ashmontmedia.com.

Festive Buffet Luncheon

A number of guests joined with our parish family for a Festive Buffet Luncheon in Peabody Hall on Sunday, 6 November following the Solemn Mass. There was food and fellowship aplenty.

Evensong for All Saints Sunday in Worcester

On Sunday, 6 November 2011, the Ashmont Choir of Men and Boys traveled to All Saints' Church, Worcester to offer a service of Choral Evensong for the Feast of All Saints joining with the Choir of All Saints' Worcester. Music was by Harwood, Bairstow and Victoria. This was a particularly auspicious event, as the two "All Saints" choirs came together for a commemoration of their patronal feast.

Praxis Quartet Concert in Peabody Hall

On Sunday evening, 6 November 2011, in All Saints' Peabody Hall, Ashmont Hill Chamber Music presented the Praxis Quartet in a program that included works by David T. Little, Lisa Bielawa, Steve Reich, Keeril Makan, and Antonin Dvorak. A reception followed the concert.

Sung Requiem for All Souls

A Sung Requiem with incense and choir was celebrated on the feast of All Souls, Wednesday, 2 November 2011, at 7 p.m. This is the day when we remember all our fathers, mothers, brothers and sisters, the faithful departed, who have fallen asleep in the Lord. We gather at the catafalque, we hear the lessons, we pray the parish necrology, and we celebrate the Eucharist.

A thirteen-voice choir sang Gabriel Fauré's Requiem in d minor and the Kievan Kontakion for the Dead. Lee Ridgway graciously assisted at the organ bench.

This service is one of the great under-appreciated gems of the catholic church year.

All we go down to the dust; yet even at the grave we make our song:
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.

Bp Love at All Saints'

Our guest preacher and celebrant for the Feast of All Saints was the Rt. Rev'd William H. Love, Bishop of Albany.

The celebration opened with a procession to a station at the shrine of Our Lady of Dorchester and continued back to the high altar for a Solemn Pontifical Mass. The Litany of Saints was chanted for the prayers of the people. The parish family and many guests then gathered in the Peabody Hall for a simple reception.

Bishop Love is the bishop of the Diocese of Albany. He attended Southwest Texas State University and received the bachelor's degree from SUNY Plattsburgh. He earned the master of divinity from Nashotah House in 1991. Ordained deacon that year and priest the next, Bp. Love first served as curate at the Cathedral of All Saints before he was named rector at St. Mary's Church in Lake Luzerne, New York, where he served for 14 years before being elected as bishop coadjutor of the Diocese of Albany in 2006. Upon Bishop Daniel Herzog's retirement, Bp. Love became the diocesan bishop of Albany.

O Almighty God, who hast knit together thine elect in one communion and fellowship in the mystical body of thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord: Grant us grace so to follow thy blessed saints in all virtuous and godly living, that we may come to those ineffable joys which thou hast prepared for those who unfeignedly love thee; through the same Jesus Christ our lord, who with thee and the Holy Spirit liveth and reigneth, one God, in glory everlasting.
Collect of the Day

Institution of Fr. Connelly, 21 October 2011

A dear son of the parish, Fr. Walter Connelly, was instituted as Rector of St. John's Episcopal Church, Winthrop, Friday, 21 October 2011, at a special pontifical eucharist at 7 p.m. After the eucharist, St. John's hosted a wonderful reception in the parish house across the street from the church. A small band of Ashmonters made their way to Winthrop to join Fr. Walter and his parish for this wonderful occasion.

Jack Melvin at All Saints'

Mr. Jack Melvin, AIA, made a special address on Sunday, 16 October 2011, in place of the sermon at the 10 o'clock Sung Mass. After the mass in the lower Peabody Hall, Mr. Melvin made a another presentation with pictures from Honduras describing his work.

Mr. Melvin has a mission to build affordable, quality housing for qualified low-income Honduran families. Having visited Honduras in 2010 to provide construction consultation to the Episcopal Diocese of Honduras, Mr. Melvin has been approved as a missionary by Society of Anglican Missionaries and Senders-USA and is currently seeking funds to continue his work there. He lives under a Franciscan rule of prayer and service and is a postulant in the Anglican Order of Secular Franciscans.

Honduras is the third poorest country in the Americas. The lack of quality housing substantially increases the risks of many physical illnesses, such as lung problems, hook worm, dengue fever, and other tropical diseases.

Epiphany School Supper Volunteers

For many years, once a month, a small band of volunteers from All Saints' has prepared and served supper to the students of the Epiphany School in Dorchester. Epiphany School is "an independent, tuition-free middle school for children of economically disadvantaged families from Boston neighborhoods." As a "full-service school," Epiphany provides three meals per day for its students through partnership with a number of small groups of volunteers.

If you would like to help with this important ministry, come to mass on Sunday and ask around afterward at coffee hour to be put in contact with this committed band of volunteers. They guarantee you'll have a good time: "It's always fun!"

Contact the Epiphany School if you would like to participate in one of its other volunteer programs.

Cradles to Crayons

All Saints' supported the efforts of Cradles to Crayons again this year by collecting new and gently used clothing for those in need. Contributions, gathered in on 9 October 2011, included clothing in children's sizes 0-18/20 and adult sizes S, M, and L.

Michael & all the Angels in Providence

On Sunday, 2 October 2011, the Ashmont Choir of Men and Boys traveled to S. Stephen's Church in Providence to sing the services of Solemn Evensong & Benediction for the Feast of St. Michael and All Angels.

The music was:
       Preces & Responses, Thomas Tompkins
       Magnificat & Nunc Dimittis (St. Paul's), Herbert Howells
       Duo seraphim, Jacob Handl

The Rector of All Saints', Ashmont, Fr. Michael Godderz, was the preacher. The choir was under the direction of Mr. Andrew Sheranian.

Michaelmas at the Advent

The Feast of Michael and All Angels was Thursday this year, 29 September. It is our long-standing custom to share the celebration of this feast with the Church of the Advent. A Procession & Solemn Mass was offered at 6:30 p.m. and there were a number of familiar Ashmont faces present at the mass and at the reception afterward. The superb preacher was the Rev'd Beth Maynard, Chaplain at the Mill Street House Community in Beverly.

Parish Potluck

The parish potluck followed the Solemn Mass on Sunday, 18 September 2011. The parish and guests enjoyed food and the fellowship as the All Saints' fall program kicked off with the start of the Church School and the first Sunday of the Choir Term.

Solemn Requiem, 11 September 2011

The Requiem Masses on 11 September at 8 & 10 a.m. were offered for the repose of the souls of those who died ten years ago in the attacks on our nation at the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and in Pennsylvannia–as well as for all those who have died in the subsequent hostilities.

The symbol that appears on the black frontal for the high altar is of ancient Christian origin. Around a plain cross is the inscription, IC XC NIKA, the Greek abbreviation for "Jesus Christ" (IC XC) together with the word "conquer" (NIKA). The cross proclaims the good news of the Christian faith: "Jesus Christ conquers!"

Voluntary Requiem, Opus 182, no. 4 Charles V. Stanford
Missa de Sancta Maria Magdalena Healey Willan
Motet Pie Jesu (from Requiem in d minor, Opus 48) Gabriel Fauré
Pie Jesu Domine, dona eis requiem, sempiternam requiem.
Merciful Lord Jesus, grant them rest, everlasting rest.
Voluntary Adagio for Strings Samuel Barber

Ashmont tower bell tolls in memory

Together with other churches in Boston, Ashmont tolled the large bell in its tower chime for five minutes at 1 p.m., Sunday, 11 September.

The inscription on this, the second largest bell proclaims about the tower chime:

To the glory of
God, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost,
we are hung in this tower
by Christian people to declare the glories of the Catholic religion,
to call the faithful, to comfort the sick and afflicted,
to turn and soften the wicked,
to rouse the careless,
to awaken the penitent,
to warn the lapsed.

The inscription on the eleventh and smallest bell of the chime offers this prayer:

May the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercies of God, rest in peace.

Mr. Sheranian in Methuen, 24 August

On Wednesday, 24 August 2011, our own Andrew Sheranian offered an organ recital at the Methuen Memorial Music Hall as part of the 2011 Recital Series. Works were by Bach, Duruflé, Maroney, and Rheinberger.

The Boys return briefly on 14 August

We welcomed the boys of the choir back to the chancel for our celebration of the Feast of the Assumption on Sunday, 14 August.

Seven of our choirboys attended the Montréal Boys' Choir Course, a program of the Royal School of Church Music, held at Bishop's College School in Lennoxville, Quebec.

A week of music making and fun activities was concluded with a magnificent Choral Evensong at Christ Church Cathedral, Montreal, which featured The Great Service by William Byrd, as well as music by Thomas Tomkins, Adrian Batten, and William Boyce. (Find the order of service for the 7 August 2011 service here.)

The full choir of Men and Boys will resume singing services on Sunday, 18 September 2011.

If you know of a musically-inclined boy entering the 3rd to 5th grade, please contact the Choirmaster, Andrew Sheranian.

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Candlemas, Sunday, 5 February

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