From Music Director and Organist, Anthony Rafaniello

 

For quite a while I’ve been wanting to host a hymn festival.  I’ve enjoyed attending hymn festivals and hymn sings over the years, and I’ve experienced how much fun it is to sing some of our favorite hymns out together.  Our hymnal is full of beautiful poetic texts and tunes in praise of and in prayer to God, and our Episcopal tradition prides itself on its rich tradition and treasury of hymnody.  The Hymnal 1982 contains works that span the past two millennia and range from introspective and devotional, to vigorous and regal. I’m excited that we will explore some of them together in an Easter Hymn Festival on May 19th at 4PM.  

This is a fun musical event for everyone to participate in singing some of our favorite hymns and enjoy making music together.  I’ve asked that this fundraiser benefit both Trinity Episcopal Church and the James Lenney Memorial Choral Scholarship, which is awarded to a Cranford High School senior each year.  As many of you know, Jim Lenney was our Choirmaster and Organist for 30 years, as well as the Choral Director at Cranford High School.  

 

There are two ways to participate in the Easter Hymn Festival and donate:

 

• Beforehand, you can sponsor an entire hymn for the Easter Hymn Festival.  Any hymn from The Hymnal 1982 can be requested at the cost of its hymn number.  For example, hymn #460 (Hyfrydol) can be sponsored for $460 and all verses will be sung, with a short improvisation at the introduction or conclusion.  (I ask that you choose only hymns from #174 onward, as this is an Easter Hymn Festival…we don’t need any Christmas Carols this time around!)  If you, your family, or a group of parishioners would like to join together and sponsor an entire hymn, please email the church office at trinitycranford@gmail.com to let us know.  These sponsored selections will be due by Sunday, May 5th.  For your reference, a digital copy of The Hymnal 1982 can be found here.

 

• Entrance to the Easter Hymn Festival is a suggested donation of $15 and tickets will go on sale beginning Sunday, April 21st.  Each ticket will include a slip to request a hymn from The Hymnal 1982.  These hymns will be pulled at random during the hymn festival. Whatever hymn is listed on the slip that is drawn will be sung.  However, only the first and last verses of these hymns will be sung, so that we can get to as many of the hymns as time will allow.

 

A light reception will follow the Easter Hymn Festival.  I know this will be an enjoyable event for those who enjoy hymn singing, so invite your friends to join us.  Please email the parish office if you’d like to sponsor a full hymn, and reach out to me if you have any questions or would like to assist with the hymn festival.  I hope you’ll join us on May 19th at 4PM, as we raise our voices together in song.