The musicians of St John’s Episcopal Church, Dallas, music ministry strive to glorify the Triune God as revealed in Holy Scripture, so that His people might be edified through music. With nearly 70 years’ tradition of sacred music, St John’s music ministry continues to learn, promote, and offer the highest quality liturgical and sacred music. Concerts and other special events are musical features of this music ministry. If you wish to participate through playing an instrument or singing, contact Benjamin Kolodziej, Organist and Choirmaster (bkolodziej@stjohnsepiscopal.org).
My Song is Love Unknown
This famous hymn text was written by Samuel Crossman (1624-1683), an Anglican priest. The Anglican Church at this time sang only psalms, so it is most likely that Crossman intended his text to be read as poetry, not to be sung as a hymn. Crossman ministered successfully in the town of Sudbury, England until 1662. […]
Continue readingFelix Mendelssohn
Felix Mendelssohn was born into a Jewish family in the Hanseatic and musically-rich city of Hamburg in 1809. His father, a banker, renounced his Jewish faith and took the surname “Bartholdy,” later saying “There can no more be a Christian Mendelssohn than there can be a Jewish Confucious.” Likely this decision was as much as […]
Continue readingIn Thee is Gladness
This quintessential Easter hymn encompasses the joy of Easter morning, a joy which continues this Second Sunday of Easter, just as we celebrate the risen Christ every Sunday morning. We reiterate Easter joy by singing, “Since He is ours, we fear no powers, not of earth nor sin nor death.” The text is replete with […]
Continue readingHoly Week and Liturgical Anamnesis
Despite what contemporary “enlightened” theologizers might suggest, the church year was not developed overnight by some bored hermit in the Egyptian desert with nothing else to do but ponder the locusts and honey in his cave. The church year developed soon after Jesus’ own ministry, when His disciples and followers wished to reenact, and therefore […]
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