Newspaper Page Text
PAGE 2 — The Georgia Bulletin, July 4, 1985
Resurrection Choir Fills Role At St. John The Evangelist
BY RITA McINERNEY
During the last week in
June the Resurrection
Choir at St. John the
Evangelist Church in
Hapeville sang for funerals
on both Monday and Tues
day, their trained voices
adding to the beauty and
hope of the liturgy for
grieving families and
friends.
The musical group, most
of whose members are
retired and available to
sing at weekday funeral
Masses on two days’ notice
was organized March 20,
1984 by Ed Bridges, direc
tor of music for the parish.
“They have been very
active,” says Father
Michael A. Woods, pastor.
Their participation, he
says, is a message to the
surviving family: “We
care about you, we are giv
ing this to you.” Their car
ing springs from their own
experiences of loss — of a
spouse, of children, he
feels.
Bridges says the choir
had its first experience of
singing two funeral Masses
in one day in June, with one
Mass at 10 a.m. and the se
cond at 1 p.m. The choirs’
forte is singing funeral
Masses but they did sing
the 11 o’clock Mass on
Easter Sunday, substi
tuting for the Sanctuary
Choir which has sung at the
Easter Vigil the night
before. A September ap
pearance on the Sunday
morning televised Mass
will be another departure
from their usual duty.
As music director at St.
John’s for almost six years,
Bridges thought such a
choir would give senior
parishioners a way of serv
ing the parish, would add
more beauty to the funeral
Mass, and would offer con
solation to the family of the
bereaved.
He approached the
parish priests and the
parish council but didn’t
meet with much en
thusiasm until he talked to
the T & T Club, the parish’s
active seniors group. Club
members were enthu
siastic.
Once Bridges’ idea was
approved and willing
singers recruited, about
three quarters of them
from the seniors group, and
a few young housewives,
Bridges held the first
rehearsal on March 20,
1984. The first appearance
at a funeral Mass was May
7. In the beginning
members rehearsed once a
week, on Monday afternoon
at 1:30 p.m. Now, with ex
perience and confidence
gained during a year of
Director Ed Bridges Leads Resurrection Choir Members Through Rehearsal.
singing together, the group
rehearses once a month.
Socials are held after
rehearsals. When the choir
sings a funeral Mass, the
members meet an hour
beforehand to go over the
hymns. Afterwards, they
usually go out for coffee.
“When I call around
after Father tells me there
will be a funeral, they men
tion that they have a doc
tor’s or hairdresser’s ap
pointment but they show up
ft
Enrichment Cruise
A Family Affair
From $290 per person
August 19th - 23rd
We invite you to join us in strengthening our family
relationships and making new friends with other Catholic
families in our area who are participating in this first
Enrichment Cruise.
This cruise represents the first step in an Active Family
Ministry of communications, problem prevention and en
richment of the quality of life. We are planning special daily
programs in sharing, loving and growing which should
serve us all well.
We sail from Miami on August 19, 1985, for five days on
the beautiful and luxurious S.S. Emerald Seas. Special
activities are in the program daily, including a Beach Party
with barbecue and swimming. Nightly there is live enter
tainment, food prepared by dedicated master chefs, danc
ing to good music and special children’s activities, all in
cluded with the price of the cruise. Also included are these
Special Programs:
“The Family Affairs”
• The Family Affairs
• Family Assets, Liabilities & Resources
• Crisis Prevention
• Family Planning for Enrichment
(with workshops)
Limited Space Available,
Payment is Required Immediately!
Call 296-0400 to sign-up your family!
Ken Misiak or Brenda Champagne
at rehearsals. They make
adjustments in their per
sonal schedules to do this. I
am very much impressed
with their devotion,” the
choir director remarks.
He says most of the 21
women and seven men on
the choir roster have
previously sung in choirs or
groups with just a few only
experienced in singing
from the pews. One choir
member, Ila Davis, was a
soloist at the Cathedral of
Christ the King. Housewife
Carol Martin, with young
children at home, prefers
to sing with the Resurrec
tion Choir. She formerly
sang with St. John’s Sanc
tuary Choir and folk group.
Mary Alice Truttier, co -
organist at the church, is
available to play for the
Resurrection Choir.
When singing a funeral
Mass, the choir presents a
dignified appearance; the
women in white blouses
and black skirts, the men in
dark business suits and
white shirts.
Bridges, who earned a
doctorate in music from
the University of Georgia,
directed Air Force bands
for 20 years, and taught at
both the university and
Georgia Tech, believes the
Resurrection Choir is ap
preciated. Verbal and writ
ten messages of gratitude
are being received from
parishioners. And just the
other day, Father Woods
told him that, although op
posed to the idea when it
first came up, “now I think
it’s one of the best
ministries serving the
parish.”
CALC Assembly Set For Atlanta
Clergy and Laity Con
cerned will hold its 20th an
niversary national assem
bly in Atlanta from July 11
through 14 at the In
terdenominational
Theological Center and the
Martin Luther King, Jr.
Center for Nonviolent
Social Change. The Atlanta
Participation, Develop
ment, Peace.”
CALC was started in 1965
by Dr. King and other
Christian and Jewish
leaders concerned about
the Vietnam conflict. To
day there are 45 chapters
and action groups in 31
states concerned with
Isn’t now really the best time?
T he purchase of a Memorial
Estate probably isn’t going to
be the easiest thing you’ll ever do.
It requires recognizing one’s own
mortality—just as in the purchase
of insurance or making of a will.
But it carries the same sort of wis
dom. Securing the future through
sensible advance planning.
The serenity of Arlington’s gently
rolling hills, graceful swans and
carefully manicured natural beauty
may not make it a pleasant day...
but they will help you to know
you’ve done the right thing.
In response to your inquiry,
you will receive a free
family portfolio.
ington^^
^cmorialpaH^
For more information call
255-0750
201 Mt. Vernon Dr. N.W.
Atlanta, Ga. 30328