We begin Michaelmas Term this year by celebrating the life and work of Albert Schweitzer, scholar of the organ, revolutionary theologian and doctor to the Third World. In our discussion, Reid Hamilton and I were inspired by Schweitzer's philosophy of "reverence for life", as well as by his view of Jesus in relation to eschatological trends in Jewish society in the 1st century. Our postlude for this week is Wayne Shorter's "Armageddon".
In my research, I found that Rachel Carson dedicated her 1962 book "Silent Spring" to Schweitzer. I instantly recalled Carla Bley's composition "Silent Spring", which was commissioned from her by Steve Swallow in 1966. I could not find absolute proof of a link (like an interview where Bley said "Oh yeah, Silent Spring was written about Carson's book") but the similar time periods, and Bley's predilection for socially-conscious composition projects, I figured it was a safe assumption that the two were related. We do Bley's "Silent Spring" as our prelude.
Service Outline
Prelude - "Silent Spring" Carla Bley
Invocation - "Heaven Shall Not Wait" John Bell
Psalm Tone - "Praise" Stephen Rush [Psalm 150]
Gospel Hymn - "Break Forth, O Beauteous Heavenly Light" - J. S. Bach
Prayer Response - "The Kingdom of God" Taizé
Offertory - "He Came Down" trad. (Cameroon)
Sanctus - "Holy, Holy, Holy Lord" Franz Schubert
Lord's Prayer - "The Lord's Prayer" Taizé
Communion Hymn - "O Poverty" Taizé
Closing Hymn - "I Want to be Ready" trad. (Spiritual)
Postlude - "Armageddon" Wayne Shorter
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