More Claim to Fame

 The link to this week's live-streamed service is here.

Dr. Erik Routley

Last week's post was about the writer of the text for "Work for the Night is Coming." This week we delve into the life and SPPC connection of composer and arranger, Dr. Erik Routley.

The maiden name of our Clerk of Session was Routley, and her mother maintained that they were related to the hymn writer. Although he has not been definitively placed on the family tree, we'll opt for "Mom said," and claim him as a connection of SPPC.

Dr. Erik Routley was a famous British Congregational minister, composer, and scholar of church music. We know him best at SPPC as the man who harmonized "Slane," the Irish tune we use for  "Be Thou My Vision," a perennial favourite with Presbyterians in Canada. 

Slane is an old Irish folk tune that became a hymn tune when it was arranged by David Evans, and used in the Church Hymnary published in 1927. The tune is named for a hill in County Meath, Ireland, where St. Patrick lit an Easter fire, in defiance of the fifth century pagan king, Leogaire. Following this act of faithful witness, St. Patrick received unlimited freedom to preach the gospel in Ireland. Four hundred years later, the name of the hill, Slane, became a beloved hymn tune in a Protestant church.

If Dr. Routley had written nothing else, he would have had a place on our "famous relatives" chart as SPPC, but his body of work is immense. He was the leading hymnologist of the 20th century. He produced more than forty books on the history, theology and music of hymns and carols. He wrote more than a hundred hymn tunes, numerous texts and edited or co-edited fifteen hymnals. In our Book of Praise, his name appears beside eight hymns either as composer or arranger.

He was a prominent player in the Dunblane consultations, credited with setting off the "hymn explosion" of the 1960's. He also edited the Bulletin of the Hymn Society of Great Britain and Northern Ireland for 27 years. 

Born in Brighton, England, where his father was mayor, Routley delighted in the significance of his Hallowe'en birthdate in 1917. It was exactly 400 years (give or take given adjustments to the calendar) to the day from when Martin Luther nailed his 40 theses to the church door at Wittenburg. Despite his many degrees and honours, Routley was most proud of that connection to the Reformation. 

He credited his parents, Nonconformists, for sending him to Anglican boarding schools where liturgy took precedence over sermons. He wrote that he enjoyed "the kind of worship in which youngsters could really participate, and by the age of fourteen I had become an Anglican snob. I was enjoying the aesthetics of the church more than its dogma. The Anglicans were winning.”

Despite his affinity for Anglican liturgy and his dislike of the long, Nonconformist sermons of his youth, -- particularly the "peculiar sounds" the ministers made when praying in public. “They had one voice for talking to God and another for talking to me. I was thankful that I wasn’t God” -- he became a leading member in the Congregational Church in England and Wales.

He moved to Princeton, New Jersey in 1975 as Professor of Church Music, carrying on with the work he had begun so many years before in England. One of his biographers credits him with "halting the dreary practice of singing "Amen" at the end of each hymn sung in American Churches."

Dr. Routley died in 1982 but his work and influence remain significant factors in church music today. He loved his work and he loved the Lord. The opening line of his 1972 hymn provides a fitting epitaph. "new songs of celebration render to him who has great wonders done."

Thanks to Janet for sharing her connection to Dr. Routley with SPPC.

Seize the Day

 The link for this week's live-streamed service is here

Today's post was written by our clerk of session. 

Sieze the day!
Stop feeling sorry for yourself.
Make the best of it.
Inspired!
What title shall I give this blog? I had no idea but started writing anyway.
This really was written on the spur of the moment while sitting on the waterfront in Sidney.
It was Tuesday morning and I was out  enjoying a lovely walk, so how is this important? It’s not really but for some reason, something in my head said, write a post for the SPPC blog.

I was enjoying the warmth of the sun, the seagulls squawking and gliding over the sparkling ocean, the blossoms in the gardens and on the trees even the sound of a number of lawn mowers, all busily tidying up the grounds. It was just beautiful.

 I actually had 3 appointments booked for that morning but had caught a cold and was feeling pretty awful, achy, snuffly, runny nose and runny eyes and just felt blah and of course I was infectious too and so I cancelled all my appointments!
Any how, I still had to go out and so off I went to drop off a package and then I decided to go via Tim’s on the way home for a London Fog to take home and enjoy.

Instead, after getting my drink, I went and sat on the waterfront, did my daily puzzles and soaked up the sun. How warm it was, in fact too warm sitting in the car and so I went for a walk, what a beautiful experience it was.
At times like these, hymns come to mind and today was no different, the one that came to me on this occasion was:

  

I sing the mighty pow’r of God, that made the mountains rise,            That spread the flowing seas abroad, and built the lofty skies               I sing the wisdom that ordained  the sun to rule the day.                      The moon shines full at His command, and all the stars obey.

 I sing the goodness of the Lord, who filled the earth with food,
Who formed the creatures through the Word, and then pronounced them good.
Lord, how Thy wonders are displayed, where’er I turn my eye,
If I survey the ground I tread, or gaze upon the sky.   

There’s not a plant or flow’r below, but makes Thy glories known,
And clouds arise, and tempests blow, by order from Thy throne;
While all that borrows life from Thee is ever in Thy care;                     And everywhere that we can be, Thou, God, art present there.

 

Maybe that, something that came into my head, was God talking to me and inspiring me to share this experience with you. Praise God for His awesome creation. 

I came home almost 3 hours later feeling considerably refreshed in many ways and was actually breathing better. God is so good!

Ed. Note: Thank you, Janet, for sharing your soul-lifting experience. "Whatsoever things are lovely" 

Farewell to Hal

The link for this week's streamed service is here

If you were unable to attend the memorial for Joan Larsen, the link for the streamed service is here

by Janet Smith

 On Tuesday, 24^th August in the afternoon heaven gained a wonderful new resident by the name of Hal Rogers. He moved from Saanich Peninsula Hospital to his permanent home, especially prepared for him with his Lord and Saviour in heaven.

Hal, for many years kept the bass section of our choir going hopefully he has joined the

heavenly choir and is enjoying singing once again. 

He was an elder at SPPC and the Clerk of Session from 2004 to 2010 according to the Session Minutes. Hal was the Clerk of Session when Rev. Irwin arrived at SPPC in 2007 and he did a lot to make the Cunningham Family feel very welcome here.

Hal was a real gentleman in every sense of the word, always calm and gentle with his wonderful Irish brogue!

[ed. note] When we first came to SPPC, Hal was our elder. He fulfilled his role conscientiously, visiting us in our home before every communion service and encouraging us to talk about anything in our church life that was troublesome or wonderful. When my Dad died he wrote me a heart warming letter that I have treasured ever since. 

Hal was also a gardener. When I complained that my tomatoes didn't like the cool nights of Vancouver Island, he gave me seeds for a Siberian tomato, guaranteed to withstand a N. Saanich evening.]

Hal, in recent years had been in extended care at SPH. With the COVID-19 virus, Ann and their daughters have visited as much as possible but there were restrictions.  On their 61^st wedding anniversary, one of the nurses took a photo of them together, Ann outside and Hal inside both against the window but I’m sure that is a special memory for Ann.

Hal and Ann have three daughters, Emily, Elizabeth and Julia, we extend our love and prayers to the family at this time.

A memorial service will be held at 2:00 pm. on Saturday 18^th September, here at SPPC.

Well done, thou good and faithful servant

New Clerk of Session

September is a month of beginnings, so it seems only appropriate that our five new elders were inducted on a September Sunday. 

 As well as nearly doubling the size of the session, we also welcomed our new clerk of session, Jean Strong. 

Of course, I had to interview her. <g>
Q.  What is the role of clerk of Session
A.  The clerk records minutes of all meetings and maintains the
       official binder for presbytery.  Answers all correspondence . 
       Makes sure there is a written record of decisions and actions
       so that everyone knows what was said and done. Tracks and
       records changes to "The Book of Forms."  Every elder is 
       given a "Book of Forms" when they come onto the session
       but it is constantly being updated.
       
Q.  What are your goals for your term as clerk?
A.   I hope the session is active.  Presbyterians have a reputation
       for sitting in committee and talking about things but not doing.
       I hope that we can make decisions and then act on them.
       I also hope that the lines of communication will be open.  I
       urge congregants to take up any concerns with their elders, or
       with me or with the minister.  Nothing is too small or unimport-
       ant.  If something matters to you, it matters to session.

Q.  How long have you been at SPPC?
A.  About twenty years.  I've been on session for twelve and in the
      choir for about the same length of time.  I've served on the
      worship committee, the stewardship committee, the Garden of
       Remembrance committee and the Leading with Care program.

Q.  What prompted you to accept the role of Clerk of Session?
A.  I'd been thinking about it for some time, the role has been
      filled on an interim basis lately, but it was Irwin's sermon on
      saying yes to God that helped me make the decision. 

Q.  Anything else?
A.  I'm really looking forward to the job.  I'll study hard to be up
      to speed on church governance and to facilitating the work of
      Session, but I won't be at the church 24/7.  It is important for
      volunteers to nurture their own spirits and for that I need time
      for myself, too.  Then I can come to the work refreshed and
       ready.

Jean has been married to Jim for 58 years.  They have two children and three grandchildren.  She loves to spend time in the garden, hosting dinner parties and decorating her home.