Music
St Francis has a vibrant and energetic music ministry!
Music at worship
At the heart of every Christian community is worship, and St Francis is no exception. Through the worship of God, we are drawn once again into the mystery of our faith by the sharing of Christ’s body and blood, and gathered into community with one another and the created world around us. There are two Eucharist services on Sundays. The first, at 07h30, is a said Eucharist, and is a time for reflection and preparation for the week ahead. Hymns are drawn from Hymns Ancient and Modern, and are led by four gifted organists – Jonathan van Rensburg, Claire Armstrong, James Ridley and Judith Kinnaird.
Our second service is at 09h30 and is an exuberant celebration of our faith, with a sung Eucharist. The young people of Rock ‘n Roll join us for the first hymn and Gloria, after which they leave to enjoy the various activities that have been carefully planned by the youth team for their enjoyment and worship. They rejoin their parents and caregivers in the service for the Eucharist, making it a joyful family celebration.
Our music for this service is drawn from a rich variety of sources, and includes traditional hymnody, choruses, modern hymns, and Taize and African songs. The music is chosen and led by St Francis’ Music Director, Ruth Coggin, ably assisted by Mike Montgomery on trumpet, Andre Cloete on drums, and, from time to time, Francesca Conradie on flute and Louise Frahm-Arp on violin.
The St Francis Singers
The St Francis Singers, a vibrant and growing group of enthusiastic singers, meet weekly on Wednesdays from 18h00 to 19h00 to prepare to lead special services during the year, such as during Holy Week, Pentecost, and Christmas. Led by Music Director Ruth Coggin, the St Francis Singers also presents special programmes during the year which are well publicised and draw many newcomers to the Parish. In 2014, these have been “A walk through the seasons of our faith” in March, and “Touch the earth lightly: in celebration of our natural world” in July.
Newcomers are always welcome to join the St Francis Singers. The emphasis is on the fun of fellowship and the enjoyment of music whilst, at the same time, striving to achieve a high standard of performance.
Anyone interested in joining the group should contact Ruth on ruth@quo-vadis.co.za or on 082-903-5819.
Andre Cloete, Sharon Botha, Yvette Wilson, Anthea Jeffery and Patience Dlamini get ready for a performance by the St Francis Singers.
Choral evensongs
Once a quarter, on a second Sunday evening, organist Kevin Kraak invites a group of singers to present a sung Evensong. This beautiful service of worship, which includes a sung Magnificat and Nunc Dimitis, is becoming increasingly popular among a growing group of devotees.
Youth band
Families are a special focus when there is a fifth Sunday in a month through the family service at 09h30. Specifically aimed at children and parents, the music at this service is at times led by the recently formed youth band. Songs are chosen to appeal to children and offer opportunities for participation.
St Francis as a centre of music excellence
St Francis parish is committed to the furthering of music excellence through regular concerts by leading South African musicians. Performances are presented in the beautiful sanctuary three or four times a year. Well-known personalities who have performed at St Francis include South Africa’s leading marimba player, Magda de Vries, and the Johannesburg Youth Orchestra. The latter provided the musical entertainment at a highly successful picnic in the gardens of the church.