Good Afternoon!
The Mass was actually sort of fun. Well, fun for me at least. First of all, the turnout seemed kind of small, we almost thought we had the wrong time since there weren't that many cars in the parking lot when we got there. -We also passed by some other churches on the way, and they all had empty parking lots. I guess Richmonders have started to prefer going to church on Christmas Eve rather than Christmas Day. In any case...
Today's music was provided by a female cantor, a women at the piano who also sang "back-up" every now and then, an organist, a cello player and someone on handbells. It was fun watching the handbell ringer decide which note, which bell to come in on during the melody lines. I could just tell she was wishing that Santa had brought her a couple of extra sets of hands. For the Order of the Mass, they used a very Stephen-Schartz-like setting. The pianist was actually sort of rocking out on it, while the organist played along. -I think the cellist just played melody when she could.
Then came Communion: "OK. Please join us in singing "Silent Night". We're going to sing verses one, two, and three. But after verse three, you all keep humming "Silent Night" because we're going to sing something else that goes along with it."
<the piano plays the intro>
Silent Night, Holy Night<the organist comes in... in the wrong key>
All is calm, All is bright
Round yon Virgin<the organist comes in again... in the wrong key>
....
2nd verse<the organist comes in again.... and again in the wrong key>
...
3rd verse<the organist comes in... Hallelujah! The right key this time!>
During the first two verses, I started looking around the church to see if anyone else was noticing that something was not right. Well, I didn't have to look around too much. Some of the lay people on the altar were looking at each, and slightly giggling. Even one of the priests kept looking over at the organist to see what was going on. Well...
<finish the 3rd verse>
"OK - remember keep humming "Silent Night" while we do our thing."
Well, the cantor and the pianist started doing their own thing. And the organist started doing her own thing as well. And never did the twain ever meet. Three counter-melodies later...
"OK. We're done, now let's all sing the first verse again."
Silent Night...At least they all ended together, and that's what counts.
