Sigh ...

I wish the lectures would be able to write themselves. The syllabus is completed ... the lab safety orientation sheet is completed ... the overhaul of my Blackboard space is completed for the moment ... now all I have to do is complete at least 2.5 hours worth of lecture for tonight's class.

Yesterday's funeral of Barbara McMullan was just simply ... beautiful ... the choir certainly outdid themselves, but then again, she was family, having been married to one of the tenors. I didn't know Barbara personally, but she made a huge impact on the parish. The kneeler pads with the exquisite needlepoint/cross stitch that she designed for use in the Antebellum Chapel were brought into the church and used at the Communion Rail during Communion. Much was made of Barbara's talents, especially with her yarn and fabric work, and her idea of the arrangement of the poinsettias behind the altar, influenced very strongly by the Basque carol, The Infant King, which the choir sang during Communion.

The burial in the church grounds was just as poignant, and emotional. Many of those who packed the church stayed for the burial of the ashes, and then continued into the parish hall for a reception.

Here was the Order of Worship for her funeral. It went according to Rite I in the Book of Common Prayer.

Voluntaries
J. S. Bach:
Wir glauben all an einen Gott, Schöpfe
Wir glauben all an einen Gott, Vater

J. Brahms: Chorale Preludes, Op. 122
Herzlich tut mich erfreuen
Schmücke dich, O liebe Seele
O wir selig seid ihr doch
O Welt, ich muss dich lassen

Hymn
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia! The strife is o'er ... (VICTORY)

Sequence Hymn
For the beauty of the earth (DIX)

Motet
Never weather-beaten sail (C. H. Parry)

Sanctus (Willan)

Communion Hymn
How lovely is the dwelling place (Brother James' Air)

Carol during Communion
The Infant King (Basque Carol, arr. David Willcocks)

Hymn after The Dismissal
Love divine, all loves excelling (HYFRYDOL)

Voluntary
Fugue in E-flat Major ("Saint Anne" - J. S. Bach)

Sigh. Back to the lecture. I'm working on Chapters 1 and 2 out of the Snyder text, The Extraordinary Chemistry of Ordinary Things, 4th Edition. I like this text so far; it's just a shame there will be no more updates to it.