Good Friday (29th March 2024)
This year’s Act of Worship for Good Friday was held in St Cuthbert’s, Hoddesdon. Approx 34 singers gathered for the act of worship based on the 1989 RSCM publication “Lift High The Cross”. The service was held at St Cuthbert’s Church, Whitley Road, Rye Park, Hoddesdon EN11 0PU. We were very glad to see that the congregation was almost the same size as the choir. Our thanks to Rev Nick Sharp (Vicar) for welcoming us to St Cuthbert’s – and also for singing tenor in the choir! Especial thanks also to our Secretary, Dorothy Ayre, for co-ordinating everything and everybody at St Cuthbert’s and to all those who helped her. We were treated to a typically splendid EHCCA tea after the rehearsal!
The prior rehearsal (with around 20 singers) was at Holy Trinity, Bengeo on Saturday 16th (9.30-11.30). We are very grateful to Rev Robert Thompson (Vicar) for making us welcome there (and manning the coffee station when we arrived). Our thanks also to members of the congregation for supplying with tea, coffee and biscuits in the rehearsal break. On Good Friday, the rehearsal was 4.30 – 6.30; and the service was at 7.30.
The RSCM publication “Lift High The Cross” was chosen in part because it avoided photocopying (and copies were readily available among EHCCA member churches). It is a very appropriate set of hymns, choir music, prayers and readings (the full music list is below). It did present some challenges because some of the music is not in church’s regular repertoire; perhaps the most memorable was Here O my Lord by Percy Whitlock.
Lift High The Cross music list (except for the the one anthem and three hymns that were omitted): Hymn: The royal banners forward go (Gonfalon Royal) … Benedictus (Sumsion) … Hymn: Ride on, ride on (Winchester New not St Drostane as printed in the book) … Responsorial: A new commandment … Here O my Lord I see thee face to face (Whitlock) … O Saviour of the world (Somervell) … Hymn: Lift High The Cross (Crucifer) … Agnus Dei (Harwood) … Hymn: Praise to the Holiest (Somervell) … Were you there (Arr Westbrook)
The service and rehearsals were conducted by Derek Harrison with organist, Edward Dodge accompanying.