Brother James’ Airs

Lighting a torch in the darkness

07Jul

Celebration of the Word for the 7th Sunday after Pentecost 2024

  1. Prelude: “America the beautiful”, by the U.S. Army Band, in the public domain at Archive.org.
  2. Opening Acclamation: Psalm 51.
  3. First Lesson: Ezekiel 2:1-5.
  4. Hymn: Amazing Grace, for Trombone Choir. Public domain at Archive.org.
  5. Psalm 123, King James Version.
  6. Gloria Patri, instrumental (piano), uploaded to YouTube by Christina Iqupen, used in accordance with Creative Commons license.
  7. Second Reading: 2 Corinthians 12:2-10, World English Bible.
  8. Hymn: “Take, O Take Me As I AM”, sung by Immanuel Congregational Church, 2013. In the public domain at Archive.org.
  9. Gospel: Mark 6:1-13, World English Bible.
  10. The Lord’s Prayer: Earl Killian. Used in accordance with Creative Commons License.
  11. Blessing: 2 Corinthians 13.
  12. Choral amen. Public domain at Archive.org.
  13. Postlude: “America the beautiful”, performed on guitar, uploaded to Archive.org by Rick Zerndt; In the public domain.  

Bible passages were recorded by Librivox, and are in the public domain. Readings correspond the the Revised Common Lectionary.

30Jun

Celebration of the Word for the 6th Sunday of Pentecost

  1. Opening Acclamation: Psalm 51.
  2. Organ Prelude: Alexandre Guilmant (1837-1911), Prelude from Third Sonata for Organ. Performed at Immanuel Congregational Church, Harford in Nov 2012, in the Public domain at Archive.org.
  3. First Reading: Lamentations 3:22-33, King James Bible.
  4. Psalm: Heinrich Schütz (1615–1672) “Ihr Heiligen, lobsinget dem Herren” SWV 288. Singers: Paulina Bielarczyk and Sylwia Ziółkowska; Organ: Wacław Golonka, used in Accordance with Creative Commons License. Translation (Psalm 30:4-6): “You holy ones, sing praise to the Lord, be grateful and praise his glory, Because his anger lasts but a moment, and he has joy in life. During the night the weeping endures, but in the morning comes joy.”
  5. Second Reading: 2 Corinthians 8: 7-15, World English Bible.
  6. Organ sequence: Starling Goodwin – Interlude 2, on the organ of the church of St Mary, Bermondsey, uploaded to YouTube by chordis & organo, used in accordance with Creative Commons license.
  7. Gospel: Mark 5:21-43, World English Bible.
  8. The Lord’s Prayer: Matthew 6.
  9. Blessing: 2 Corinthians 13.
  10. Amen: JS Bach (1685-1750), “Amen” BWV 1083 by Ensemble Imero. Used in accordance with Creative Commons license.

Bible passages were recorded by Librivox, and are in the public domain.

23Jun

Celebration of the Word for the Fifth Sunday after Pentecost

  1. Opening Acclamation: from Psalm 118
  2. Prelude: “Eternal Father Strong To Save” (Instrumental), by U.S. Navy Band; Public Domain.
  3. First Reading: Job 38: 1-11, King James Bible.
  4. Hymn: “Eternal Father Strong To Save” (Navy Hymn), sung by U.S. Navy Band; Public Domain.
  5. Psalm 107: 1-3, 23-32, King James Version.
  6. Gloria Patri: From a live service at the First Presbyterian Church of Wolcott. Used in accordance with Creative Commons license.
  7. Second Reading: 2 Corinthians 6: 1-13, World English Bible.
  8. Hymn: “Be Still My Soul” from the Joy of Music with Diane Bish, Program 9803-“Hymns and Sacred Songs”, used in accordance with Creative Commons License.
  9. Gospel: Mark 4:35-41 World English Bible.
  10. Lord’s Prayer by Malotte: Sung by Kathleen Battle with harp by Nancy Allen, live for the visit of Pope Benedict to the U.S. 2009, uploated to youtube by “kinddude”, used in accordance with Creative Commons license.
  11. Praise to God: from 1 Timothy 1:17.
  12. Postlude: Sweelink “Mein junges leben hat ein end” performed by Jarle Fagerheim at Skien parish church in 2011. Used in accordance with Creative Commons license.

The Bible passages were recorded by Librivox, and are in the public domain. Readings correspond to the Revised Common Lectionary.  The two versions of the Navy Hymn can be found at The Internet Archive.

16Jun

Celebration for the Fourth Sunday After Pentecost

  1. Opening Acclamation from Ephesians 1.
  2. Organ Prelude: Johann Gottfried Walther (1684-1748) “Lobe Den Herren”, Ian Dollins playing the 1997 Klais Organ in Haileybury College Chapel, Hertfordshire, UK. Public domain at MusOpen.org.
  3. First Reading: Ezekiel 17:22-24, World English Bible.
  4. Hymn: “For the Beauty of the Earth”, Public Domain.
  5. Psalm 92:1-4, 12-15, King James Version.
  6. Gloria Patri, from a service of compline, Trinity Church 2016, available at Wikimedia Commons, and used in accordance with Creative Commons License.
  7. Second Reading: 2 Corinthians 5:6-17, World English Bible.
  8. Anthem: Koinoikion “Praise the Lord”, 2012 from OrthodoxMusicOnline, used in accordance with Creative Commons license.
  9. Gospel: Mark 4:26-34, World English Bible.
  10. The Lord’s Prayer from Matthew 6.
  11. Benediction from Romans.
  12. Organ Postlude: Buxtehude (1637-1707) “Ciaconna e-moll”, BuxWV 160, From “ririkuku”; Available at Wikimedia Commons, used in accordance with Creative Commons license.

Bible passages were recorded by Librivox, and are in the public domain.

25May

Celebration of the Word for Trinity Sunday 2024

May this brief service of word and music, dedicated to the glory of God, be a blessing to you this day.

Trinity Sunday, Year B
  1. Opening Acclamation and Prelude: “Holy Holy Holy” by Diane Bish, organist, used in accordance with Creative Commons License.
  2. Lesson 1: Isaiah 6:1-8, King James Bible.
  3. Psalm 29, King James Bible.
  4. Gloria Patri: From “Adoremus in aeternum and psalm” uploaded to YouTube by “UKOrdinariate”, used in accordance with Creative Commons license.
  5. Lesson 2: Romans 8:12-17, World English Bible.
  6. Hymn: “All Creatures of Our God and King”, Verse 1. Sung by Notre Dame Liturgical Choir, 2017, uploaded to YouTube by “ad te levavi”, used in accordance with Creative Commons License.
  7. Gospel: John 3:1-17, World English Bible.
  8. The Lord’s Prayer: From Matthew 6, King James Version.
  9. Closing blessing
  10. Amen: From the Magnificat by Orlando Gibbons, excerpted from a live service sung by the Choir of St. Thomas Fifth Avenue in May 2011. (Fair use).
  11. Brass postlude: Canzona “La Foresta”
18May

Celebration of the Day of Pentecost

Pentecost Sunday, Year B
  1. Opening acclamation, Psalm 51:15.
  2. Hymn: “O Spirit of the Living God”, sung at Immanuel Congregational Church in 2013, in the public domain at Archive.org.
  3. Lesson 1: Acts 2:1-21 World English Bible.
  4. Music: Thomas Tallis (1505-1585): “Loquebantur, Varii Linguis.”  Performed by the Tudor Consort, available in Public Domain.  Translation: “The Apostles spoke in many languages of the great works of God, as the Holy Spirit gave them the gift of speech, alleluia. They were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak.”
  5. Psalm 104:24-34, 35b.
  6. Lesson 2: Romans 8:22-27, World English Bible.
  7. Hymn: “Spirit of the Living God”, sung by the congregation of Faith United Methodist Church in South Burlington, Vermont on Pentecost Sunday 2014, used in accordance with Creative Commons License
  8. Gospel: John 15:26-27; 16:4b-15, World English Bible.
  9. The Lord’s Prayer, and Benediction: From the Book of Common Prayer, 1662.
  10. Organ postlude: “Veni Creator Spiritus” by Rien van Binnendijk at Esztergom, used in accordance with Creative Commons license.
12May

Celebration for the Seventh Sunday of Easter

Easter 7th Sunday, Year B
  1. Prelude: Girolamo Frescobaldi, Canzon quarta, F 8.05c (for Trumpet and Organ), Performed by Michel Rondeau – Aline Letendre, available at MusOpen, used in accordance with Creative Commons license.
  2. Opening acclamation: Ephesians 1.
  3. Lesson 1: Acts 1:15-17, 21-26 from the World English Bible.
  4. Psalm: Sergei Rachmaninov (1873-1943): “Blazhen Muzh” from Vespers, Op 37; Performed by the University of Warsaw Choir, and used in accordance with the Creative Commons license. Translation in English: “Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked. Alleluia. The Lord knows the way of the righteous, and the way of the wicked will perish. Alleluia. Serve the Lord with fear and rejoice in Him with trembling. Alleluia. Blessed is he who puts his trust in Him. Alleluia. Arise, Lord, save me, my God. Alleluia. The Lord is the savior of the people of His blessing. Alleluia. Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever and forever more. Amen. Alleluia. Glory to You, God.“
  5. Lesson 2: 1 John 5:9-13, World English Bible.
  6. Hymn: “Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence.” Uploaded to YouTube by
    Christina Igupen, used in accordance with Creative Commons license.
  7. Gospel: John 17:1-11, World English Bible.
  8. Response: “Lord Have Mercy”, from “Wednesday Vespers – Sanctified 2018 Tacoma”, uploaded to YouTube by Pacific Lutheran University, and used in accordance with Creative Commons License.
  9. The Lord’s Prayer: From Luke.
  10. Benediction from Romans 16:24.
  11. Organ postlude: Johann Christian Heinrich Rinck (1770-1846): “Präludium G-Dur”, Performed on the Oberlinger-Orgel der Martin-Luther-Kirche Oberlar by Jens Engel, Used in accordance with the Creative Commons license.

The Bible passages were recorded by LibriVox, and are in the public domain. Readings correspond to the Revised Common Lectionary. All audio files are given with attribution where known.

05May

Celebration for the Sixth Sunday of Easter

Easter 6th Sunday, Year B
  1. Opening acclamation: Psalm 51:15Hymn: “Amazing Grace”
    for flute, Angela Brown, and organ, Diane Bish, from a program entitled
    “Hymns and Sacred Songs”, used in accordance with Creative Commons
    license.
  2. Lesson 1: Acts 10:44-48, World English Bible.
  3. Psalm 98, from the King James Bible.
  4. Music: J. S. Bach: Cantata No. 207a: “O Praise the Lord Most Holy”, from a
    program by Diane Bish entitled “The Many Moods of Bach”, used in
    accordance with Creative Commons License.
  5. Lesson 2: 1 John 5:1-6, World English Bible.
  6. Music:
    John Stainer (1840-1901) “God so Loved the World”, performed by the
    Immanuel Congregational Church, Hartford CT (with the lovely bonus sound
    of the siren of an unknown first responder toward the end of the
    piece), available in the public domain.
  7. Gospel: John 15:9-17, World English Bible.
  8. The Lord’s Prayer, from Matthew.
  9. Benediction and Amen, Public domain.
  10. Organ postlude: J.S. Bach, “In Herr Jesu Christ dich zu uns wend, BWV 632”, performed by Aldo Locatelli, in the public domain.
28Apr

A Celebration for the Fifth Sunday of Easter

These readings correspond to those recommended in the Revised Common Lectionary. I offer this effort to God’s glory and for your enjoyment.

Easter 5th Sunday
  1. Opening acclamation from Psalm 118.
  2. Hymn: “Crown him with many crowns” by unknown singers. Public Domain.  From Internet Archive.
  3. First Reading: Acts 8:26-40(World English Bible).
  4. Psalm 22: 25-31 (King James Version).
  5. Gloria Patri: Excerpted from an audio cassette of a choir festival in Evanston, IL, circa 1993.
  6. Second Reading:  1 John 4:7-12 (World English Bible).
  7. Organ sequence: “Christ Ist Erstanden” performed by Jens Engel on the organ of Kreuzkirche Sieglar, used in accordance with Creative Commons license. English Hymn text: “Christ the Lord is risen again; Christ has broken every chain! Hark, the angels shout for joy, Singing evermore on high: Alleluia.”
  8. Gospel: John 15: 1-8.
  9. The Lord’s Prayer: Chanted by unknown congregation, uploaded to YouTube by “LabourerFaith”, and used in accordance with Creative Commons License.
  10. Blessing: The Aaronic Blessing from Numbers 6 (King James Version).
  11. Musical postlude: Charles-Marie Widor, Organ Symphony no. 5, Op. 42 no. 1, performer Paul Pittman, in the public domain.  At MusOpen.

I have put this audio file together from sources that are mostly in the public domain, including LibriVox (for bible readings), MusOpen (for royalty Free Music) and the Community Audio section of the Internet Archives.