Wednesday, May 27, 2020

Parish organists and pianists

A moment of personal privilege here, please. Next Sunday (June 7) is the day I return to the world as the parish organist. This Sunday (May 31) is my last Sunday as the parish pianist. In June 2019, we vacated the nave for construction and refurbishment. The balcony was sealed off with huge sheets of thick plastic. Later a wooden frame with plastic was constructed directly in front of the organ façade, and the organ console was encased in thick plastic. All Sunday worship moved... Read More
Posted by Dr. David Ouzts at Wednesday, May 27, 2020
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Wednesday, May 20, 2020

Jesus' full-circle moment

Ascension Day is on Thursday this week. As Easter Day is always a Sunday, Ascension Day is always a Thursday, 40 days later. Pentecost is also always a Sunday, 50 days after Easter Day, hence the prefix pente. All good biblical numbers. The Seventh Sunday of Easter, which occurs between Ascension Day and the Day of Pentecost, is always subtitled the Sunday after Ascension Day. Indeed, the propers for this Sunday also reflect the Ascension images. Episcopalians, yours truly in... Read More
Posted by Dr. David Ouzts at Wednesday, May 20, 2020
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Wednesday, May 13, 2020

These virtual times

Everything has changed. And I mean everything. Directing a socially distanced parish music program from home is not the easiest thing I have ever done. While many do not, I still have a salary, food, and paper products on hand, I truly have nothing about which to complain. However, directing church music from home, with two laptop computers, a mobile phone, and an out-of-tune Yamaha piano, is something that I never envisioned. In assigned shifts, the Holy Communion parish staff is... Read More
Posted by Dr. David Ouzts at Wednesday, May 13, 2020
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Wednesday, May 6, 2020

Virtual Bread of Heaven

Trying to stay on a work schedule at home is quite difficult, and I have not yet found the groove. There are too many distractions: laundry, television, dishwasher, Facebook, commanding Alexa to play my favorite music. Though we are using Facebook to a great advantage to stay in touch as a parish, I am always caught by the temptation to take the incessant quizzes found there. And you know organists: we speak in our own language, which to the natural world can sound like speaking Klingon... Read More
Posted by Dr. David Ouzts at Wednesday, May 6, 2020
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