The Palm Sunday Liturgy begins with the organ sounding forth Bach’s Fantasia on All glory, laud and honour. The Choir sings Thomas Weelkes’ (1576-1623) six-part anthem, Hosanna to the Son of David. The Palms are blessed, the Gospel account of the Triumphal Entry is read, and the Processional Hymn, All glory, laud and honor is sung by all. Clergy, Acolytes, Choir and Church School Students circle the Nave of the Church, carrying their palm branches as they sing.

Our attention then moves to the coming events of Holy Week, with the reading of the Prayer Book’s Propers of the Day (pp. 134-137). The Gospel lesson, the Passion of our Lord According to St. Matthew, is read responsively by clergy and people. At the Offertory, the Choir sings Kenneth Leighton’s (1929-1988) deeply moving anthem, Solus ad victimam, the 11 century text of which is a meditation on the journey upon which the Saviour is about to embark, “alone to sacrifice thou goest, Lord, giving thyself to death, whom thou hast slain….”

As the assembled worshippers receive Holy Communion, the Choir sings a motet by Felice Anerio (1560-1614), a setting of a portion of the Epistle of the Day, “Christ…humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the Cross….” The service concludes with the singing of the hymn, Ride on, ride on in majesty, and the organ plays the first movement of Vierne’s First Symphony, a fittingly somber prelude to the continued contemplations of the events of Holy Week.

On Maundy Thursday, before and after the Liturgy which commemorates the Institution of the Holy Communion, the organ plays chorale preludes by Bach and Brahms, based upon the Eucharistic hymn, Deck thy self, my soul, with gladness, Hymnal no. 210. A member of the choir sings settings of poetic meditations on the Lord’s sacrifice. The Epistle of the Day recalls the Lord’s Institution of the Sacrament, and the Gospel recounts his assuming the role of the Servant in the Washing of the Disciples’ Feet.

The Three Hour Service on Good Friday is a truly moving “waiting and watching with our Lord” during the time he hung and suffered on the Cross. At the stroke of Noon, the Choir chants Psalm 51, “Have mercy upon me, O God, after thy great goodness….” Prayers are said before the bare Altar, and the Seven Last Words of our Saviour are recounted and Psalms are read in the light of those Words. Hymns interspersed with the readings include In the Cross of Christ I glory, There is a green hill far away, and The King of Love my Shepherd is. The Choir sings Antonio Lotti’s (1667-1740) 8-part setting of the phrase from the Creed, “He was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate; He suffered and was buried.” Further prayers conclude this portion of the service.

The ancient form of disciplined meditation known as the Stations of the Cross follows . The hymn, When I survey the wondrous cross, is followed by the ancient plainsong hymn, Stabat mater. Choir, Clergy and Acolytes make the journey to each station, led by the Crucifix veiled in black. Prayers, scripture quotations, brief meditations and a sung response, “Holy God….have mercy upon us,” take place at each of the Fourteen Stations which surround the Nave. After the Seventh Station, the hymn, Ah, Holy Jesus is sung (Hymnal no. 71). After the Fourteenth Station, the ancient Act of Contrition is recited, and the Choir sings words from the Book of Common Prayer, “O Saviour of the world, who by thy Cross and precious Blood hast redeemed us; Save us, and help us, we humbly beseech thee, O Lord,” to music which I composed in 1991 for this service. The hymn, We sing the praise of him who died, concludes this portion of the service.

The organ sounds forth Bach’s Chorale Prelude on O Sacred Head, sore wounded, and the Good Friday Communion Liturgy follows. For the Epistle, a passage from the prophet Isaiah is read, in which the suffering of the Saviour is foretold. The Choir sings Tomas Victoria’s (1548-1611) beautiful setting of words from the book of Lamentations, “Is it nothing to you, all you who pass by? Behold and see if there by any sorrow like unto my sorrow.” The Passion of our Lord according to St. J ohn is read responsively by clergy and people. The hymn, Were you there when they crucified my Lord, is sung as the Cross is brought into the Sanctuary and displayed near the Altar. The Choir sings the ancient Reproaches, (“O my people, what have I done unto you?”) as the clergy and people venerate the Cross, culminating in the singing of the plainsong hymn, Sing, my tongue, the glorious battle.

The Prayer for the Whole State of Christ’s church follows, and the Confession is followed by the Absolution, as in all services of Holy Communion. According to ancient tradition, the sacred Bread and Wine are from the Reserved Sacrament, thus the Consecration is omitted on Good Friday. As the people receive the Sacrament at the altar rails, the Choir sings Leighton’s setting of Phineas Fletcher’s 1633 hymn, Drop, drop, slow tears.

After the Communion, Psalm 22 is read in unison; the first verse of this Psalm was quoted by Christ from the Cross, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? The Prayer of Thanksgiving after Communion is recited by all. The Passion Chorale, O sacred head, sore wounded, is sung by all, including a powerful stanza expressing gratitude to Christ for His dying sorrow, pledging our undying love as our grateful response to his Great Gift. Concluding prayers are recited in unison, and the service concludes as it began, with the words of Psalm 51, set to music by William Byrd (1543-1623). As the worshippers remain to meditate and pray in silence, the Bell tolls 33 times, concluding at exactly Three O’clock.

On Easter Day, the Liturgy celebrating our Lord’s Resurrection opens with Buxtehude’s jubilant Prelude, Fugue and Chaconne. The great Easter Hymn, Jesus Christ is risen today, is sung in procession, with a festive descant on the final stanza. Before the reading of Gospel account of the Resurrection from St. John’s 20th chapter, the great hymn of Christ’s triumph over death, Jesus lives! Thy terrors now Can no more O death enthrall us, is sung, again with a rousing descant. After the Creed is recited, an ancient response is proclaimed by the Choir, “Alleluia! The Lord is Risen. He is risen indeed, Alleluia!”

At the Offertory, the Choir sings Samuel Sebastian Wesley’s (1810-1876) extended setting of words from St. Peter’s First Epistle: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy, hath begotten us again unto a lively hope, by the Resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.”

After the Consecration of the sacred Elements of the Communion, the Choir chants selected verses from St. Paul’s Epistles collectively known as The Easter Anthems: “Christ, our Passover, is sacrificed for us: therefore let us keep the Feast….” As the congregation receives the Sacrament, the Choir sings John Taverner’s (1490-1545) setting of words from St. Mark’s account of the Resurrection, Dum transisset Sabbatum, with its thrice-repeated Alleluia! Hallelujah, from Handel’s Messiah, follows the Prayer of Thanksgiving, and Arthur Sullivan’s great hymn-tune for “Welcome, happy morning” is our collective joyous response to the Easter Liturgy. The justly famous Toccata from Widor’s Fifth Symphony, with its joyous bell-like cascading arpeggios, is played on the Organ as we go out to spread the joyful news of the Lord’s triumph to the world so very much in need of this saving Word.

We have reached the Passiontide of Jesus’ final leg of our Lenten observances. Now we reflect where we have been and what lies ahead. Are we properly prepared to finish this spiritual journey and own what is to come?

Lent has been a time of reflection in our daily lives and in our worship. I have sensed the Spirit of God in my encounters with all people of our parish family and I thank God that he has blessed us in our journey together. Last Sunday was Passion Sunday and all who were there noticed that the crosses and Mary altar carving were veiled in purple, the liturgical color of Lent. The veils are reflective of the Gospel Lesson of John chapter 8 beginning at verse 46 and continuing where Jesus “hid himself” from the people.

I consider this stage of our liturgical year a very sacred time as Lent comes to an end. This Sunday is Palm Sunday. We will bless and distribute palms and there will be a reflective presentation of the drama of Christ’s passion leading to the cross of Golgotha, as it was recorded. This is a major focus as many people will not be able to attend Good Friday worship due to work or other conflicts so this Sunday may be their only opportunity to hear and connect with the Passion story.

This may seem strange to some but I am mindful that there are three distinct events that are the basis of our belief in Christ and why we come together. The first is Maundy Thursday. This event began with the Passover meal of deliverance initiated the night before Moses led the Jews out of bondage in Egypt, across the Red Sea, into the desert – free at last, an answer to their prayers. It was at that meal some two thousand ten years ago that Jesus, after the dinner provided a new meal of deliverance. He took bread and broke it and they ate and then he blessed the cup of wine and they shared it. This was the first meal of the Eucharist; the body and blood of Christ that is to be conducted in remembrance of the sacrifice of Christ and as often as they would do it.

The disciples where present yet they knew not what he said nor did they have understanding what was to come. In addition to the meal the importance of that night was made manifest when Jesus and his select disciples went to the Garden of Gethsemane for a time of separation and intense prayer where Jesus struggled with the burden that he knew was to come. He wrestled in his humanness and rose from the cold hard stone of loneliness accepting what was needed in his birth right as the Son of God.

As he rose to return to his friends, his betrayer was to come and give him a kiss. A kiss, the most intimate expression available to man was used to place Jesus in the hands of his ultimate executioners. Not long after, the big fisherman who said he would never leave Jesus side denied his friend and his Lord three times. It was during that betrayal that the gift of God made flesh became truly alone at the hands of evil men…

As I write this I pray longingly in my heart that you can experience the events as they unfold. It is a recreation in emotion of the time when Christ gave all that He was for you. I desire with all my heart that you will be present to discover the meaning that comes with Holy Week – culminating with the scenes of Good Friday. However I know that many have to work and others are unable to be present. To address that need we will experience the drama of Christ’s journey even on Palm Sunday. Then we will again go through each step illustrated when we focus on the Stations of the Cross during our three hour vigil on Good Friday.

Beloved in Christ you need to know what I have experienced over the last thirty years. If we do not experience the complete journey of our Lord to the cross and beyond, we cannot know true joy, the tangible elation of the empty tomb. You have a role to play! Come and give all that you have so that the body of Christ lives through us and becomes stronger through our trust and understanding of the risen Lord.

Friends I look forward to seeing you and experiencing the new life of creation in the resurrection.
Blessings now and always,

Fr. Paul+
Acting Rector
Mariners’ Church of Detroit

Holy Communion, 12:10 p.m.
Recital, 12:35 p.m.

1 March: KENNETH J. SWEETMAN
ORGAN MUSIC OF BACH, VAUGHAN WILLIAMS & HOWELLS

8 March: KENNETH J. SWEETMAN
ORGAN MUSIC OF COUPERIN, BACH & LANGLAIS

15 March: KEVIN J. BYLSMA
ORGAN MUSIC OF BACH, WIDOR, DEMESSIEUX & DRAGT

22 March: EMILY E. BENNER, JANE S. RODGERS
KEVIN J. BYLSMA,
SACRED MUSIC FOR SOPRANOS

29 March: LORNA YOUNG HILDEBRANDT, SOPRANO
KIRI TOLLAKSEN, CORNETTO
SHIN-AE CHUN, ORGAN
O dulcis Jesu
16TH & 17TH CENTURY MUSIC CELEBRATING THE LIFE OF CHRIST

Organ by D. F. Pilzecker & Company, 2007

Free Parking in the Ford Underground Garage
Contact us for further information

A printable copy of this schedule is also available.

Holy Communion, 12:10 p.m.
Recital, 12:35 p.m.

1 December: KENNETH J. SWEETMAN
ORGAN MUSIC OF BÖHM, BACH, COUPERIN & DRAGT

8 December: KEVIN J. BYLSMA
ORGAN MUSIC OF BACH, GUILMANT, VIERNE & DUPRÉ

15 December: IOANA GALU, VIOLIN
KEVIN J. BYLSMA, PIANO
KENNETH J. SWEETMAN, ORGAN MUSIC OF BACH & BRAHMS

Organ by D. F. Pilzecker & Company, 2007

Regular worshippers and visitors are welcome to come to the services and to stay and listen to some of the great traditional repertoire in the beauty of this Historic Church.

Free Parking in the Ford Underground Garage.

Telephone 313.259.2206 for further information.

November 27, 2011, 11:00 o’clock

Organ Music for Advent by Bach, Brahms & Demessieux

Nine Scripture Lessons, beginning with Old Testament Prophecies, and culminating with the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Advent Plainsong, Motets, Anthems and Carols,

Hymns:
Come, thou Redeemer of the Earth
Come, thou long-expected Jesus
Hark! the glad sound! the Saviour comes
Thy kingdom come, O God
I know a Rose-tree, springing
On Jordan’s bank, the Baptist’s cry
Wake, awake, for night is flying
Lo! he comes, with clouds descending

Join us in beginning the season of Advent with Music and Holy Scriptures which aid us in preparing our hearts and minds for the celebration of the Birth of Jesus Christ.

The Service will be followed by a Special Social Hour hosted by our Church Sunday School.

Please note that the church office will be closed this Thursday and Friday, and that there will be no 12:10 pm service on Thursday.

Innes, a lifelong Anglican who grew up in Windsor and has recently received his working Visa for the U.S., graduated from Ashland Theological Seminary where he received a Master of Divinity degree in 2004. During his seminary training, Father Innes was a manager at K-Scrap Resources. He served his community as an elected official, as well as a volunteer with citizens groups and the Chamber of Commerce. In addition, Fr. Paul was very active in his parish church, Christ Church, in Colchester Ontario, Canada, as well as at the Diocesan level with the Diocese of Huron. Fr. Paul was trained as a facilitator in parish strategic planning, curriculum, development, and support groups for the Diocese at the Renison Institute of Ministry, Waterloo. He has been a licensed Lay Reader and Lay Administrator for over 20 years and has worked as a lay pastoral visitor in his parish for more than 15 years.

After entering seminary, Father Innes served at Epiphany, Kingsville, and at St. Mary’s, Walkerville, in Windsor, Ontario.

Father Innes heard the bells of Mariners’ Church ringing across the Detroit River and has attended the church full-time as a member for the past three years. He served a variety of positions in the church, until his ordination as a Deacon on October 25, 2009. He was ordained to the Priesthood in May 2010.

“God called me from the wilderness of my secular existence in Canada to follow His Holy Spirit,” said Father Innes. “A friend had invited me to join Mariners where I found peace in my spirit because I felt so at home. Now the Holy Spirit keeps me at Mariners as a servant to all.”

Innes and his wife, Lynn, live in Colchester, Ontario, and have two grown children.

June 13, 2011

Fr. Richard W. Ingalls, Jr., Rector
Fr. Paul Innes, Assisting Priest
MARINERS’ Church
170 E. Jefferson Avenue
Detroit, Michigan 48226

Dear Fr. Ingalls and Fr. Innes:

Thank you for your kind letter for support and encouragement. Your recognition of our challenges and opportunities means a lot to me and this team.

Your willingness to embrace the city and this administration, and uplift us in prayer is also greatly appreciated. We are, indeed, in trying times that become manageable with spiritual intervention.

Please feel free to contact my office if we can ever be of assistance, and thank you again for your unwavering support and prayers.

Sincerely,

Dave Bing
Mayor

The Honorable Dave Bing
Mayor of the City of Detroit
Coleman A. Young Municipal Center
2 Woodward Ave., Ste. 1126
Detroit, MI  48226

Re:  Lifting Up Detroit in Prayer

Dear Mayor Bing,

It has been several months since you met Fr. Paul Innes at the Jefferson Avenue Presbyterian Church Men’s Breakfast.  At that time, he informed you that we at Mariners’ Church were praying for you and the Council to restore Detroit to its former greatness.  We have prayed fervently that divine guidance will be provided to inspire that restoration.With that in mind, we look to scripture for inspiration:  Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty (2 Corinthians 3:17).

This verse is emblazoned on the Great Symbol Wall behind the statue of The Spirit of Detroit and it illustrates the intent and symbolism of the art commissioned in 1955 during the great renewal of Detroit.  This was from a time when men did not speak only what is politically correct or expedient for public approval. This was a time when men recognized the need for moral decency, integrity, honesty, and a relationship with God.

There is a unique link and bond between The Spirit of Detroit and Mariners’ Church.  When the statue was commissioned, in 1955, it was also a year of significant change for Mariners’ Church.  Rather than impede Detroit’s Civic Center renewal, Mariners’ was lifted and moved to make way for the construction of the Veterans Memorial Building and Hart Plaza. When all other structures in the vicinity were razed, Mariners’ was saved from the wrecking ball by a community of believers, a family led by the Spirit of God; that same Spirit symbolized by The Spirit of Detroit.

Mayor Bing, we at Mariners’ recognize the crisis you and the Council face and it was through prayerful reflection we determined that there is a need for confirming action that demonstrates our commitment to God’s intervention and support of your office and the Council. Therefore, it is in the spirit of hope and grace that a daily prayer vigil will be undertaken throughout June 2011 at the City County Building. There will be a priest of Mariners’ praying at The Spirit of Detroit at some point every day this month.

We mourn the loss of financial freedom and the City’s decline which was triggered by corruption and evil intent.  It is our desire that the Spirit of God will bind up and remove any forces of evil that remain.  We look with hope to the future, entrusting all things to God, and praying for our elected leaders.

Following this month-long daily vigil, our congregation will process, on July 3rd following our 11a.m. worship service, to the plaza in front of The Spirit of Detroit and offer prayers and hymns to the Glory of God as an offering reclaiming Detroit.  It is also the beginning of a year-long prayer devotion that will be offered for the City and its elected officials each week during our regular Sunday worship.  We will also be partnering with other Detroit churches as they publicly lift up Detroit in prayer.  For example, we will be joining Pastor Edward Branch’s congregation, from Third New Hope Baptist Church, as they worship on Hart Plaza on Sunday, August 7, 2011.

Mayor Bing, the days of deceit, immorality and corruption are over, and we support you and your Council’s new agenda, but you cannot do it alone. We are partnering with the City, petitioning God for the Lord’s intervention and support of your work in achieving the promise of prosperity and a better future for Detroit.

Sincerely,

Fr. Richard W. Ingalls, Jr., Rector of Mariners’ Church
Fr. Paul A. Innes, Assisting Priest