Three of Trinity’s professional singers — Cynthia McCorkindale, Gordon Jones, and Michael Doran — will also sing William Billings’ anthem I am the Rose of Sharon, along with assistance from Trinity’s Music Minister Fiona Smith Sutherland.

The practice of singing evening prayers is as old as Trinity Church itself. The Anglican service of Evening Prayer was the result of the joining of two of the ancient monastic offices — Vespers and Compline —into one service by Thomas Cranmer, the first Anglican Archbishop of Canterbury. When the prayers are set to music and sung, either by the congregation or on the behalf of the congregation by the choir, it is called “Evening Song” or “Evensong” in Elizabethan English.

Composers from Cranmer’s time to the present have given themselves to the composition of such settings, and these have been part of the church’s daily offering of prayers ever since. The settings range from the very simple, such as the Sarum Rite responses that will be used this weekend, needing minimal or no choir, to the more challenging, like the canticles also to be presented Sunday afternoon, composed by Herbert Brewer.

The intent is in no way to replace or make superfluous the part of the congregation, but to take the very best Trinity has of its gifts and talents and to offer prayers and praises in as excellent a way possible. Keeping in mind the great benefit of meditation and reflection to the development of one’s spirituality, it is the hope of the choirs that the congregation will join wholeheartedly in the hymns of the service and the spirit of the service, so that prayers may be offered on behalf of all those present.

An anonymous cornet solo and an organ work by Josef Rheinberger, to be played on Trinity’s magnificent Austin organ, will also be part of the special service.

Trinity Church is located at the flagpole, 36 Main Street. Call 426-9070 for additional information or send email to Ms Sutherland at MusicMinister@TrinityNewtownCT.org.