Voices Found

                                                                                    March 20, 2023, Equinox and Feast of St. Joseph    Annunciation March 25, in the midst of Lent is a lovely reminder that there is joy and hope within Lenten preparation. This year it comes after the Feast of St. Joseph, today, March 20 and the Equinox.   Usually we sing about Mary and Joseph during Advent, but Annunciation comes in the Spring, with the Equinox. Voices Found offers many songs of Mary but this one great for a Spring celebration of the Holy Family.  "Mary, when the Angel's voice,"is sung to the tune   Tempus adest floridum. Mary, when the angel’s voice called you highly favored, Dread and joy in your...

  March 8, 2023 As the hymnal committees continued to search and evaluate materials for the new hymnal, more voices  emerged.  We needed to record again.  Church Publishing sponsored  a second Lady Chapel Singer recording to highlighted the richness and diversity of women's voices. The album entitled  " Magdalene and the Other Mary," includes songs of Holy Women  named and unnamed.  Innovation and equality for gender equity is the theme for the 2023 International Women's Day. On this day I thank Church Publishing and the Episcopal Church leadership for funding innovative recording technology that made it possible to use the best equipment and engineering available to make an professional recording of "Songs of Holy Women. "  Future postings will highlight the breadth of this exciting collection, but now I am focusing on the words of Julian of Norwich, "Mothering God." Dame Julian of Norwich (1343-c.1416) an English anchoress and mystic, whose...

2000 Our First Recording, a new millennium  We found many voices!   It was time to record and share.  With characteristic generosity the Diocese of Pennsylvania provided several empowering grants that funded  performances and a high quality professional recording  music by women. Selections on this recording reflect the rich variety of musical and spiritual experience past and present that we had found.  Hildegard's ancient chants (12th Century)  come to life along with voices of the Las Heulgas Codex (13th Century)  and a cantata of Elizabeth Jacquet de la Guerre (17 th Century).  African American spirituals are included with arrangements by Marylou India Jackson and Henrietta Morgan as well as a song from the liturgy of South Ghana, Media Sida , arranged by the  Sr. Gertrude Denkabe, Society of the Holy Child Jesus in Ghana.  There are also hymns by Sharon Marion Hershey, Deborah Lutz, and Sr. Elise, Community of the Holy Sp...