Category Archives: CME

Music Changes at St. John

With the recent departure of Chris Holownia, we are left with a vacancy at both the Sunday 9:00am Family Mass as well as the Sunday 5:00pm Mass.  In the short-term we will have Larry Carson, St. John Music Director, play at the Sunday 9am Mass on September 3.  Anne Mears will play all other Sunday 9am Masses until October. Anne will also play at the Sunday 5pm Masses when they begin in the September. Anne Mears is a member of our Collaborative and has been directing and playing liturgical music for  many years in the UK and here in Wellesley for the last 17 years, working with the High School Music Group at St. Paul Parish and formerly with St. Paul School. She looks forward to working and worshiping with the   St. John community while also continuing her work with the High School Music Group at St. Paul Parish.

From the St. John Parish Music Director…

Christmas ChoirSt. John’s Music during Christmas 2016 was effulgent with its glowing joy. Those of you who were present at our Christmas liturgies knew immediately that this great Feast of the Nativity is remarkable, glorious. A couple of weeks before Christmas a parishioner put fear in my heart as she was so filled with anticipation of being with her family, as well as her church family, and stressed how she just knew the music would exceed her expectations. I thought quietly to myself – it had better!

What is amazing is how it takes so many dedicated individuals to make that “beyond expectation music” happen – to them an avalanche of gratitude should be shown. It’s the children, the teens, the young adults, “young thinking” adults – those who sing, play an instrument, parents who patiently wait for their children attending rehearsals, the children who permit a parent to attend rehearsal, the loving spouse/partner who is temporarily left alone while the other attends rehearsal. Special accolades to Family Mass Music Directors who work diligently as they are outnumbered by the surrounding children, the cantors who do their part at extra Masses.

Christmas 2016 was my twentieth Christmas here at St. John’s. With each passing year the excitement, the beauty of the music reaches a new height. In a huge way that reach for the height, the stars – particularly the bright Star over Bethlehem happens because of you – St. John parishioners – you are the church, you are the church choir. Thank you for your love and support. If at anytime you would like to experience and know what it’s like being part of one of our music groups at St. John’s – know that you will be warmly welcomed. Come, get into the “sing” of things!

Gratefully yours, Laurence Carson

Calling All Teens – Help Us Celebrate the Sunday 5:00pm Mass!

Contemporary MusicWe are looking for more teen volunteers to help us celebrate the 5:00pm Sunday Teen Masses.  If you are a confirmed teen interested in joining us as a Lector or Eucharistic Minister please contact Ronda Dew  or Linda Messore so we can schedule you for training.

Calling All Teens – Help Us Celebrate the Sunday 5:00pm Mass!

Contemporary Music We are very excited to share that St. John’s Sunday 5:00 p.m. Mass will feature contemporary music appealing to teens and young adults and their families, and will include teen participation in the various ministries of the Mass. We are looking for more teens to help us celebrate the Mass. Please contact Ronda Dew if you are interested in participating. We will be holding training sessions for Eucharistic Ministers and Lectors and would love to have more confirmed High School students join in that capacity, but also are in need of teen musicians, singers, gift bearers and basket passers. Please join us! All are welcome!

Calling All Teens! Sunday 5:00pm Mass

Contemporary MusicWe are very excited to share that starting this Sunday, September 11, the St. John Sunday 5:00pm Mass will feature contemporary music appealing to teens and young adults and their families, and will include teen participation in the various ministries of the Mass. We will be seeking additional teen volunteers in the coming months, so please stay tuned!  All are welcome!

St. John Parish Christmas Concert
Sunday, December 13 at 2pm

Christmas ChoirThis coming Sunday, December 13 at 2:00pm is our Annual Parish Christmas Concert Each of the music groups which support our liturgies throughout the year will be performing seasonal music for you to enjoy.  The Family Mass Musicians, the Christmas Youth Choir, the Parish Choir and the newly formed Teen Choir will be sharing some of the music they’ve been practicing these past weeks – now you can hear them! Joining us for the third year in a row will be the Puppet Nativity.  They are coming to us from Rochester, NY.  Their participation in our concert is truly a welcome addition. Please come – admission is free – all are welcome! Parking is available in the school lot on Ledyard Street and the Church is wheelchair accessible.

Family Mass Music and Contemporary Music Ensemble

FamilyMassMusicI grew up at St. John Parish – got confirmed, lectored, taught CCD — and I am lucky to say that this is now my 9th year serving as a music minister here. Our program has grown exponentially over the past few years, as you might have noticed judging by the hoards of children singing each Sunday morning. If you are interested in joining the Family Mass Musicians at 9:00 a.m. or the Contemporary Music Ensemble at 5:00 p.m., please email me or contact me at 617-513-0823. We rehearse every Sunday at 8:00 a.m. downstairs in the music office as well as certain Sundays at 3:30 p.m., and there is no experience necessary – only the desire and willingness to sing. I ask only that children be in first grade, but there is no age limitation on the other end! If you play an instrument, you are also welcome to inquire. Finally, there is no need to make a firm commitment; if you can’t make it every Sunday morning, we’d still love to have you join us whenever possible. I look forward to speaking with you!
Contemporary Music~ Chris Holownia, Music Director for the Family Mass and 5pm Mass on Sundays

Music Survey Results

2014 Music Ministry Survey Overview_Page_1_NEWBack in November, parishioners were asked to complete a Music Survey, which was available both online and in paper form in the bulletin. The goal of the survey was to help us take stock of our current music ministry as a whole, in an effort to review, with your help, what we do well and to discover areas of potential change and/or improvement. More than 180 parishioners responded to the survey, which is the highest response to any survey we have undertaken here at St. John. Many thanks to all who participated and who took the time to provide such detailed feedback. The overall data results have been tabulated and is available in this week’s bulletin or online HERE.

Our next step is to study and analyze all the thoughtful and thorough answers provided in the comment sections of the survey to see what trends and conclusions can be drawn, and we’ll be publishing more information in the coming weeks.

Thank You for Completing the Music Survey!

survey graphicMore than 180 parishioners responded to our recent Music Survey, which is the highest response to any survey we’ve undertaken. The results are being tabulated now and will be published in the bulletin and on the website after Christmas  so stayed tuned!

St. John Parish Christmas Concert
Sunday, December 14 at 2pm

Please join us on Sunday, December 14 at 2pm in the Church for traditional and contemporary Christmas music performed by St. John’s adult and youth choirs, instruments, and soloists.  Featuring the “Puppet Nativity” from the First Baptist Church in Jamaica Plain, sharing a wonderful telling of the Christmas story.  Admission is free.  Parking is available in the school lot on Ledyard Street and the Church is wheelchair accessible.