The Abundant Table: Taking the Next Step
One of Trinity Cathedral’s greatest gifts is our capacity to worship with a variety of hymn styles, soundscapes and instruments. Though we often divide ourselves into the services where we’re most likely spotted (“Tim is an 8 o’clocker,” etc.) I think a more typical profile of a faithful Trinity member is someone who is most at home at one service – say, the 9 a.m. Abundant Table – but who is just as likely to show up at the 5 p.m. Solemn Eucharist, because we tend to see the presence of the sacred in a great variety of places.
The 9 a.m. service has gone through an important transition over the past nine months as we’ve sought to lay foundations for a liturgy that can grow steadily over time. Just as a long-serving rector or dean would need an interim to prepare space for the next chapter in the life of a church, this service continues to benefit from the leadership of Morgan Mecaskey, our artist-in-residence. We’ve learned a lot in this season: we’ve learned more about how to support congregational song, we’ve tried things that worked (and things that didn’t), we’ve learned what we want to explore as well as what we miss, and we’ve discovered some technical challenges (sound system) that we’re working to address.
We have now begun a formal search for a Music Director for the Abundant Table service. You can read the description here and I hope you’ll share it with musicians who might be a good fit. As we search, we will be guided not by an image of the right person but rather by our vision for the service itself, with an eye towards how a lead musician can help us build on this vision that:
- joyfully expands the tradition while remaining rooted in it, seeking creative ways to connect ancient faith to contemporary experience
- welcomes children, teenagers and adults of all ages and teaches the love of Jesus
- brings people at all stages of the journey of faith into mutual celebration
- breaks bread at the altar of God’s banquet
- moves with a strong rhythm, a full sound and robust congregational singing
As we search, Morgan will continue to lead the music at the service. I’m excited about this process and pleased to see how our Abundant Table has been coming together in recent months. I hope you’ll participate in this search process by joining us regularly for worship at 9 a.m.: there’s no better way to build momentum than to show up, and to worship with your body and your spirit. Feedback is of course helpful, and the clearest picture of what works and what doesn’t comes when we gather together as the Body of Christ in a spirit of openness, discernment, and hope.