2017

Lord, have mercy. Christ, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.

Give them eternal rest, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine on them. A hymn befits you, God, in Zion, and to thee shall be returned a prayer in Jerusalem: all flesh returns to you. Lord have mercy. Christ have mercy. Lord have mercy.

A day of wrath, that day, dissolves the world into embers, as attested by David with the prophetess. What trembling will there be, when the Judge is come, to examine everything in strict justice! The trumpet’s wondrous call sounding abroad, in tombs throughout the world, shall compel all before the throne. Death and nature stand amazed, when creation rises again, to answer the Judge. A written book will be brought forth, in which everything is contained, from which the world shall be judged. So when the Judge is seated, whatever is hidden will be made known, nothing at all will remain. What shall I, a wretch, say at that time? What advocate shall I entreat, when scarcely the righteous shall be safe?

King of awesome majesty, those who are saved you save freely, save me, O fount of mercy. Remember, dear Jesus, that I am the reason for your journey: do not cast me away on that day. Seeking me, you sat down weary; you redeemed through the cross’s suffering; such labor be not in vain. Just Judge of vengeance, grant the gift of pardon before the day of reckoning. I groan like one accused; guilt reddens my face; spare the supplicant, O God. [You] who did absolve Mary, and heard the robber, have given me hope as well. My prayers are not worthy; but you, of your goodness, deal generously, that I burn not in unceasing flame. Grant me a place among the sheep, and separate me from the goats, setting me on your right hand. When the accursed have been confounded, and consigned to bitter flames, call me along with the blessed.

I pray, humble I pray, humble and kneeling, heart contrite like ash, care for me at my end. Tearful [shall be] that day, on which rises again from the embers to be judged the guilty man. This one therefore spare, O God. Merciful Lord Jesus, grant them rest. Amen.

Offerings and prayers to you, O Lord, we offer with praise. O receive them for the souls of those who today we commemorate. Make them, O Lord, to pass from death to life, as you promised Abraham and his seed.

Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of Hosts. Heaven and earth are full of your glory. Hosanna in the highest.

Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord.

Lamb of God, [you] who take away the sins of the world, grant them eternal rest. Let perpetual light shine upon them, with your saints forever, for you are merciful.

Mild the mist upon the hill telling not of storms tomorrow; no, the day has wept its fill, spent its store of silent sorrow. I watch this cloudy evening fall after a day of rain; blue mists, sweet mists of summer pall the horizon’s mountain chain. The damp stands on the long green grass as thick as morning’s tears, and dreamy scents of fragrance pass that breathe of other years. O, I’m gone back to the days of youth, I am a child once more. Mild the mist upon the hill telling not of storms.

The new moon hangs in the wintry tree, the spring rains march by the door, the summer comes and the roses blow, the mellow woods of autumn glow, and love is more and more. The seasons pass, the strong winds die, the sunlight steals from the wall, the glittering planets wheel and sink, the tides return to the ocean’s brink, and love is all in all.

Surely, it is God who saves me; I will trust in God and not be afraid. For the Lord is my stronghold and my sure defense, and God will be my Savior. Therefore you shall draw water with rejoicing from the springs of salvation. And on that day you shall say, Give thanks to the Lord and call upon his Name; Make God’s deeds known among the peoples; see that they remember that God’s Name is exalted. Sing the praises of the Lord, for he has done great things, and this is known in all the world. Cry aloud, inhabitants of Zion, ring out your joy, for the great one in the midst of you is the Holy One of Israel.

Seek the Lord while he wills to be found; call upon him when he draws near. Let the wicked forsake their ways and the evil ones their thoughts; And let them turn to the Lord, and he will have compassion, and to our God, for he will richly pardon. For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor your ways my ways, says the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. For as rain and snow fall from the heavens and return not again, but water the earth, Bringing forth life and giving growth, seed for sowing and bread for eating, So is my word that goes forth from my mouth; it will not return to me empty; But it will accomplish that which I have purposed, and prosper in that for which I sent it.

Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has dawned upon you. For behold, darkness covers the land; deep gloom enshrouds the peoples. But over you the Lord will rise, and his glory will appear upon you. Nations will stream to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawning. Your gates will always be open; by day or night they will never be shut. They will call you, The City of the Lord, The Zion of the Holy One of Israel. Violence will no more be heard in your land, ruin or destruction within your borders. You will call your walls, Salvation, and all your portals, Praise. The sun will no more be your light by day; by night you will not need the brightness of the moon. The Lord will be your everlasting light, and your God will be your glory. Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.

Elijah Rock. Come on sister help me to pray tell me my Lord don’t pass this way. Satan nothin’ but a snake in the grass. He’s a conjur, he’s a liar. Hallelujah Lord. If I could I surely would stand on the rock where Moses stood. I’m comin’ up Lord.

Consort Chorale consists of selected choral singers from the San Francisco Bay Area who are dedicated to the choral art form. Every summer, for the past twenty-four years, the group has auditioned in May, then gathered for almost-weekly rehearsals and an intensive week of nightly rehearsals, culminating in a crowd-pleasing concert. The unique “intensive” format comes with certain limitations, but provides an opportunity for singers to share in their love of choral music through the ages. We are indebted to our associate conductors, David Irvine, RuthE Wells, and Sanford Dole, whose assistance in preparation is immeasurable. Consort Chorale has toured Eastern Europe three times, and performed at Carnegie Hall. They have just returned from a concert tour in Argentina..

Allan Robert Petker, founder-director of Consort Chorale, is an internationally known choral conductor, clinician and prolific composer with many published works. He is the Vice President of Publications for the Fred Bock Music Companies and President of Pavane Publishing. He is the Artistic Director and Conductor of the Santa Clarita Master Chorale and the Los Cancioneros Master Chorale in the Los Angeles area. For the past 18 years he has served as Dean for two music conferences at Lake Tahoe.

Special thanks to the First Presbyterian Church of San Anselmo; Bob Friestad, Consort’s unflappable Dean; Lily O’Brien and The Madison Company Realtors for their assistance with our publicity; Jon Curtis for managing our web site; Barbara McElroy for rehearsal accompaniment assistance; Alexandra Amati-Camperi and Martin Hillyer for program assistance; Kimberly Ayers Petker, Allan McAllister, Kris Irvine, Terry Scott, Gregory Curatolo, Will Toft and Tim Proctor, Reception; Cinematiks LLC, Videography; Good Shepherd Lutheran Church for rehearsal space, and Stephen McKersie for his invaluable assistance.