To wrap up Black History Month, Sunday’s organ prelude will be by Betty Jackson King (1928-1994), who taught at Dillard University in New Orleans and in New Jersey public schools. King was part of Chicago’s Black Renaissance and was especially known for her vocal works, but this prelude was from her only organ suite.
The profound statement from Ephesians 2:19-22 emphasizes the unity and inclusion within the Christian community, transcending ethnic, cultural, and social boundaries. It reflects the transformative power of the Gospel, which brings people together in the body of Christ.
For this season after the Epiphany, and in recognition of Black History Month, we have programmed the works of several prominent African American composers. Our service music that remains the same each week for a season includes the Gloria or Song of Praise, the Sanctus (“Holy, holy, holy”), and the Fraction (the sung moment at which the bread is broken).
The music program at St. Michael & All Angels presents our yearly fundraiser on the evenings of Friday, February 28, and Saturday, March 1 (a little early this year due to where Easter falls). Buy tickets in person on Sunday mornings or at the doors each night, starting at 6:30 pm.
For Week 2, we’re directing your attention to the Oregon Black Pioneers website and, specifically, to their History Maps tool. Please take some time to explore History Maps, following your interests and curiosity wherever they take you. You’ll be glad you did! Because of our work on the St. Michael’s land story, we clicked on the map point closest to St. Michael’s and followed the thread as far as we could (within reason) not knowing what more we might learn about our neighbors and neighborhood history.
Thanks to all the kids who made the Souper Bowl of Caring announcement on February 2nd – you were terrific! So far, we’ve raised over $1,700 for the Northeast Emergency Food Program.
Your Reckoning with Racism team will be including brief notes in each weekly newsletter this month to highlight Black History. We begin with an opportunity to learn, explore, and follow your curiosity wherever it may take you. The theme for 2025 is “African Americans and Labor,” focusing on the various and profound ways that work and working of all kinds–free and unfree–has shaped history from 1619 to the present.
It’s Black History Month, and one way we are honoring and celebrating the achievements of the African diaspora is through our music choices. This Sunday, February 9, at 9:00 am, the St. Michael’s Singers will offer an arrangement of the African-American spiritual “Children, Go Where I Send Thee” by Dr. André J. Thomas.
Sunday Worship Schedule
7:30 – Spoken Traditional language (Rite 2 with no music)
9:00 – Traditional Service with Choir
11:00 – Inclusive Language with Choir
1:00 pm – Misa en Español
© 2025 St. Michael & All Angels
