Music

Music is an important and integral part of our worship within our ancient space. With its wonderful acoustic, St Mary’s Amersham is frequently used as a place for community music making within a wide variety of genres. Music at services plays the role of helping people to pray. By allowing people time and space to reflect upon their lives and the words that are sung, it helps us get beyond those words to communicate the mystery of God in a way that is beyond our knowing.

The choir of St Mary’s helps to lead and support the worship of the Church through music at the 10.30am Sunday service, Choral Evensong held monthly, on Feast days and on other special occasions. The St Mary’s choir is mixed voice choir, who sing a wide range of repertoire from across the centuries. We are very fortunate to have a comprehensive, evolving library, allowing the weekly anthem at the Sunday Eucharist service to reflect the time of the church’s year.

Our Choir Practice is held on Wednesday evenings in the church from 7.30 – 8.30pm, where we enjoy high standards of music making within a friendly, welcoming atmosphere. Children are encouraged to work towards the RSCM Voice for Life Chorister Award scheme, under the guidance of the Director of Music. Young choristers will find singing in the choir offers an opportunity to build friendships, take on responsibilities, as well as developing their overall musicianship.

New Members to the Choir are made very welcome within this very friendly group. If you interested in joining the choir please speak to the Director of Music, Edward McCall who can be contacted after the Sunday service or through the Parish Office.

DECEMBER MUSIC LIST

Date	Hymns	Psalm	Setting	Anthem	Voluntary	Organist
Sunday 1^st	39 Wake, O Wake 28 Hark, what a Sound 31 Lo, He Comes 35 People Look East	N/A	Thorne	The Angel Gabriel	Chorale Prelude, Wachet Auf, BWV 645 (Bach)	Edward McCall
Sunday 1^st Advent Carols	See Service Sheet	N/A	N/A	Service Sheet	Den dir Hirten Lobten Sehre (Walcha)	Edward McCall
Sunday 8^th	24 Come, Thou Long Expected 34 On Jordon’s Bank 357 Lond of Lords 58 Long Ago, Prophets Knew	N/A	Thorne	Lo, How a Rose (Praetorius)	Nun Komm, der Heiden Heiland BWV 659 (Bach)	Edward McCall
Sunday 15^th	165 Christ is the King 26 Hark a Thrilling Voice 34 On Jordon’s Bank 32 O Come, O Come	N/A	Thorne	Lord, We Beseech Thee (Batten)	Improvisation	Edward McCall
Sunday 22^nd	41 A Great and Mighty Wonder 686 The Angel Gabriel 362 Tell Out, My Soul 29 Hills of the North	N/A		The Truth from Above (Vaughan Williams)	Choral Prelude on ‘Von Himmel Hoch’ (Pachelbel)
Sunday 22^nd Lessons	Service Sheet	N/A		Service Sheet	Toccata (Dubois)	Edward McCall
Sunday 24^th Midnight Mass	61 O Come, All Ye Faithful 65 Of the Father’s Love Begotten 69 Silent Night 53 Hark the Herald	N/A	N/A	O Little One Sweet (Bach) The Angel Gabriel	Le Verbe et Les Enfants De Dieu ‘La Nativite Du Seigneur’ (Messiaen) Recessional: Dieu Parmi Nous (Messiaen)	Edward McCall
Monday 25^th Christmas Day	66 Once in Royal 68 O little Town 73 Unto Us a Boy is Born 53 Hark the Herald	N/A	Thorne	Anthem TBC	Finale, 1^st Symphonie (Vierne)	Edward McCall

Safeguarding

This parish is committed to the safeguarding, care and nurture of the children, young people and adults in our church community. The parish Safeguarding Policy can be seen here. Further information and contact details are on our Safeguarding page.