Thanks to all who participated in the Festival of Advent Lessons and Carols. This was a great event for the people of St. Paul’s to share together and reach out to the community. Thank you to our gifted readers: Riley Cavaleri, youth chorister; Betty-Ann Taylor, Coordinator of Greeters; Katherine Bellows, Junior Warden, The Rev. Deacon Patrick J. Greene, Assistant to the Rector, and The Rev. W. David Dobbins, Interim Rector. The hospitality team outdid themselves again with a splendid array of treats! The very talented choir alum Marc Donnelly returned to St. Paul’s as a guest soloist for Gibbon’s “This is the record of John,” and Carter’s “Angelus ad Virginum.” We were also blessed to have the very gifted Korine Barlas choreograph and dance to the anthem “Angelus ad Virginum.” Mr. Jesse-Ray Leich worked his magic on various percussion instruments for this event and also Christmas Eve. Kudos to St. Paul’s instrumentalists who gave of their time and talents during the Advent season: Pat Petersen, viola and violin and the quartet who accompanied the Mozart Mass Christmas eve; Richard Whaley, trombone; and Samantha Sutton, clarinet. Thank you Joe and Bonnie Smith, Buddy Cavaleri, Kevin O’Connor and the other musicians who led music for the Christmas pageant and Christmas Day. A big thank you also to Gail Cyr for designing the beautiful posters announcing our Advent and Christmas music programs.

Bravissimo to the dedicated members of St. Paul's Parish Choir for continually giving of their time, talents, and service: Ellen Abell, David Brown, Sophie Brown, Sarah Cavaleri, Walter Burrows, Tina Butler, Susan Cerullo, Jill Clement, Gail Cyr, Camilla de Rochambeau, Rozanne Fuller, Marianne Goodrich, Mary B. Hall, Diane Hoffman, Norman Poulin, Eleanor Ricci, Nancy Shanahan, Diane Slader, June Spink, Tom Spink, and Dora Wunner. December is especially busy for our choir librarian and publicity chair Tina Butler and our hospitality chair Eleanor Ricci. Thank you for your generosity in spirit and action. We appreciate you!!

Bravo to Youth Choir members: Riley Cavaleri, Zacharey Champlin, Pauline Chang, Sophia Chang, Lauren Greiner, Sydney Greiner, Ben Haberman, Sophia Moretti, Sian Morgan, and Kristine Szrom. These choristers will be participating in the annual RSCM youth choir Evensong at St. Michael’s Church, Bristol, Sunday April 29 at 5 p.m. We will join forces with choristers from St. Michael’s and the other RI RSCM choirs for a midwinter rehearsal Saturday January 21, 1-3 pm. to begin preparations. Thank you choir parents for your dedication and commitment to your chorister’s participation in the St. Paul’s choral program. They are learning invaluable skills of teamwork, discipline, commitment, all while learning to read music and bringing us awestruck moments of beauty at St. Paul’s. Choral Intern Bridget Nixon has been an incredible boost to the music program of St. Paul’s. I know the youth and I enjoy working with her immensely! Please see her or me to have your 3rd grader or older participate in this great program.

I am grateful to St. Paul’s Parish and leadership for providing the opportunity for me to take a mini-sabbatical in January. I plan to use the sabbatical to write program notes for a CD I recorded of music of Viennese composer Anton Heiller, learn new repertoire, and travel. The very able Laura Brion will take over the reins of organist/choirmaster during my absence.

Everyone is invited to St. Paul’s annual Epiphany Evensong January 8 at 7pm at St. Paul’s Church. The Parish Choir will offer music of Josef Rheinberger and Thomas Morley. Following Evensong, the hospitality team will host a reception, which promises to be splendid! Thank you to the Parish of St. Paul’s for your pledges and gifts which make the music ministry at St. Paul’s possible!