Music to End the Day Sunday, 6 September 2020

Good evening friends. Those of you who have been part of Cornerstone for a number of years will remember Canon Denys Ruddy who collaborated with our choir in many special choral services before moving to a clergy retirement home near Cheltenham. As well as being a fine scholar and teacher, Denys could also turn his hand to composing, and wrote this simple and beautiful setting of George Herbert’s ‘Come, my way, my truth, my life’. We included the choral version is a special service to mark the 400th Anniversary of Herbert’s birth.

Come, my Way, my Truth, my Life:
Such a Way, as gives us breath:
Such a Truth, as ends all strife:
Such a Life, as killeth death.

Come, my Light, my Feast, my Strength:
Such a Light, as shows a feast:
Such a Feast, as mends in length:
Such a Strength, as makes his guest.

Come, my Joy, my Love, my Heart:
Such a Joy, as none can move:
Such a Love, as none can part:
Such a Heart, as joyes in love.

The ecumenical monastic order at Taiz né, in the Bergundy region of France, is composed of more than one hundred brothers,
from Protestant and Catholic traditions, who originate from nearly thirty countries across the world. It was founded by Brother
Roger Schütz, who came to Taizé from Geneva. The music of Taizé emphasises simple phrases, usually lines from the psalms or
other pieces of scripture, or from the liturgy, both Western and Eastern Orthodox, repeated many times over. ‘Bless the Lord
my Soul’ is based on Psalm 104.

Bless the Lord, My Soul
Bless the Lord, my soul,
and bless God’s holy name.
Bless the Lord, my soul,
who leads me into life.

We end our musical sequence with the beautiful intermezzo from Cavalleria Rusticana. In the opera, it is played as the village
square empties, and people enter the church to worship. Perhaps tonight we can use the music to pray for all those who
worshipped in Cornerstone this morning for the first time in 6 months, and all those who have worshipped on line, that
as evening comes we may all be drawn together under God’s loving care and protection.

Goodnight everyone

Adrian Boynton