CHORAL SERVICES AND TAIZÉ

In addition to our Sunday morning services of Holy Communion at 9:00 and 11:15 a.m., the Choirs of All Saints' Church offer a wide variety of meditative opportunities to worship amid the sacred sounds of the great choral music of all ages, from ancient plainchant to classic masterpieces to premieres of modern works.

First Fridays

Opportunities to experience the beauty of holiness within the context of choral worship on the first Friday of the month at 7:30 pm.

Missa Mystica

Meditative opportunities to experience the mystery of God's presence in the Holy Eucharist amid the sacred sounds of some of the Christian tradition's most mystical mass settings.

Meditation and Prayer in the Style of Taizé

Amid the glow of a candlelit sanctuary, these quiet, occasional Friday evening services are a popular, peace-filled way to relax into the weekend.

This worship tradition began many years ago in the ecumenical French monastic community called Taizé. Held at All Saints' in the darkened, richly resonant space of our beautiful Church, where candle light and the parish icon of Christ create a warm and intimate resting place, our Taizé services provide an uncomplicated framework for quiet meditation, reflection, readings and music.

There is no sermon, and no celebration of the Lord's Supper during a Taizé service. The experience finds its true meaning in the active participation of all assembled by focusing and deepening our faith through the power of prayer. Therefore, all are encouraged to participate as the Spirit moves them, whether that be in song, prayer, or quiet meditation.

Many of our modern efforts to satisfy personal needs involve seeking an endless array of entertainments. We have "busy" souls. The liturgy that has developed around the Taizé community is primarily for the worship of God, but it is also meant to quiet the soul. This quietness does not happen at once, but gradually during the worship. There is repetition in the words of the music, there are periods of silence, and the readings are read slowly - all so that a deep quiet may grow in our hearts. Then we may be still and be at peace in the Presence of God.