Christ Church Rochester

141 East Avenue Rochester, NY 14604 - Pentecost 2026

Our cover is a large stained glass window created by the Tiffany Studio of the TeDeum

The Song -a news magazine -issue 59

Our website is www.christchurchrochester.org

********** Meet our New Rector *********** Fr. Martin Pommerenke

Morning Prayer Zoom Monday 10am

Evening Prayer zoom Wednesday 7pm

Christ Church Public Events and announcements

The current Sunday Bulletin and YouTube link

Contact Stephen Kennedy (Director of Music)

Christian Worship in the Episcopal Tradition Sunday Morning: Holy Eucharist- 8:00 am & 11:00

BCP Online

Liturgical Calendar for 2026

**https://songforchristchurch.org/announcements**

For parking info: https://songforchristchurch.org/map-directions-parking

<—— Parish Announcements, Future Events, and Requests for Prayers in the QR code link.

Writers’ Circle at Christ Church

John Cedarleaf is leading a writing group at Christ Church. It's a chance to read your work, get to know each other better, and relax over great words. All genres welcome. We'll write together from a prompt and talk about our writing process. No critique at this point, though that may change by group decision. The group will meet in the Guild Room from 3 to 5 PM. Bring up to two pages of writing, or just bring yourself and listen and enjoy. Come to the Parish House door and ring the doorbell.

The Next Writer’s Circle is September 12th

The date change is because of the Labor Day holiday

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BECOME CHRIST IN THE WORLD?

Check out this great animation from Martin Stearns!

This is my love letter to the Episcopal church, to all the clergy and lay people who have helped me discover who I am and handed me the tools to rebuild myself after the worst three years of my life. And especially to those who pulled me from that situation and those who picked up all my shattered pieces when I did not yet have the strength to. This is my love letter to you. - M. Stearns

Disclaimer: • the song used is “Undertale”, from Toby Fox’s indie RPG “Undertale” • Toby Fox is credited as the composer of this work • Materia Music Publishing is the copyright administrator • permission has been granted to use this music for my video with credit☺️

Come to Compline Every Sunday from October - April at 9:00pm

Premiered April 2, 2025- This setting of the Te Lucis ante terminum (Mode VIII) was composed by Stephen Kennedy in 2021 and was dedicated to James Weaver. Verse one and three bookend the 8-part polyphony of verse 2 which incorporates only the plainsong tone as composition material. This performance employs historic Colla parte practice with pipe organ, 5 sackbuts (Bass, Tenor & Alto), and 2 cornetti. Recorded in April of 2025 at Christ Church, Rochester, NY.

Premiered Apr 9, 2025- This motet of 8 voices is performed here by the Christ Church Schola Cantorum, Rochester NY. Stephen Kennedy director. Colla parte instruments include 5 sackbuts, 2 cornetti, 2 theorbo, and organ at A=465 Quarter-comma meantone. Recorded at Christ Church, Rochester NY May 2023. @techformusicians

Premiered Apr 16, 2025- This recording of Lotti's Crucifixus (from the Credo in F) was recorded in May of 2023 by the Christ Church Schola Cantorum. Instruments include 5 sackbuts, 2 cornetts, 2 theorbo, & organ in quarter-comma meantone (A=465). @techformusicians

**Domine, ad adjuvandum by Ignazio Donatti (ca. 1575-1638) -premiered April 23, 2025**
This 12-part motet with Basso continuo was first published in 1623 in Salmi boscarecci, Op. 9, no. 1. It is performed here with colla parte instruments: 5 sackbuts, 2 cornetti, and organ in quarter-comma meantone at A=465 by the Schola Cantorum, Stephen Kennedy director. Recorded in May of 2024. @techformusicians Domine, ad adjuvandum me festina. Gloria Patri et Filio et Spiritui Sancto, sicut erat in principio et nunc et semper et in saecula saeculorum. Amen. Alleluia. O Lord, make haste to help me. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost: As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be,
World without end, Amen. Alleluia.

This 5-part Mode II setting of the Compline hymn was composed by Rudolph di Lasso (son of Orlando di Lasso). Colla parte of 4 sackbuts and organ at A=465 in quarter-comma meantone. Performance by the Schola Cantorum, Stephen Kennedy director. Recorded in May 2023. @techformusicians
Te lucis ante terminum, Rerum Creator poscimus, Ut solita clementia Sis præsul ad custodiam. Procul recedant somnia, Et noctium phantasmata; Hostemque nostrum comprime, Ne polluantur corpora. Præsta, Pater omnipotens, Per Iesum Christum Dominum, Qui tecum in perpetuum Regnat cum Sancto Spiritu. Amen
Translation: Before the end of the day, Creator of the world, we pray That with Thy wonted favor Thou Wouldst be our Guard and Keeper now. From all ill dreams defend our eyes, From nightly fears and fantasies; Tread under foot our ghostly foe, That no pollution we may know. O Father, that we ask be done, Through Jesus Christ, Thine only Son; Who, with the Holy Ghost and Thee, Doth live and reign eternally.

2026 - Annual visitation by Bishop Kara Tap the image above to see that event ↑

Bishop Kara Wagner Sherer’s first visit to Christ Church Rochester-2025 Tap the image above to see that event ↑

Our website is www.christchurchrochester.org

The 8:00 am Sunday service of Holy Eucharist, is in the chapel, is spoken, leans in the direction of Rite I, and is without music. The 11 am Sunday service of Holy Eucharist is in the larger sanctuary, is Rite II, sung, is full of world-class music, and incense on occasion. The 11:00 am is live-streamed online, also. We encourage you to visit our YOUTUBE channel and explore. https://www.youtube.com/@christchurchrochester8549/streams

Remember to LIKE and SUBSCRIBE !!!

Other opportunities to join us

Weekly-

***Click the image of Schola to hear the story. ^***

Compline happens Sunday nights at Christ Church October-April!

Compline is praised as one of the ten things to do before you die -in this Democrat and chronicle article- *click to read*

Compline is sung by the Christ Church Rochester Schola Cantorum on Sunday evenings at 9:00pm. You can visit the Schola YouTube page here: https://youtu.be/GnDsWPXQS3w Compline is the perfect way to end the weekend and you can enjoy the experience every day by tapping on one of several audio files further down below (in blue) on this page to watch and listen. Your heart will thank you.

Monday 10:00 am Morning Prayer Rite 1 (ZOOM)

↓ Click the link in the green box below ↓

Zoom morning prayer

Monday 11:00am Zoom Bible Study-

The Zoom Group meets on Monday mornings at 11:00. If you would like to be included in the Zoom invitation to the Bible Study, leave us a comment from our CONTACT page. Every week, we read a little together, we raise questions, and we discuss a lot of suggestions. Very stimulating conversation!

Tuesday Pipes- 12:10-12:40-

A World Class organ concert at lunchtime every Tuesday

Wednesday 7:00 pm Evening Prayer Rite 2 (ZOOM)

↓ Click the link in the green box below ↓

Zoom evening prayer

Hi. My name is Dave Jutsum. I am excited to be starting a LEGO® building club at Christ Church Downtown. We meet each Sunday from 1pm til 3pm.

The purpose of our club is to walk in and build. People can stay for as long as they want. They do not have to stay for the entire two hours. There is no registration. There is no charge, whatsoever. We will display the finished creations, and people can take pictures.

I provide the pieces. I have acquired thousands of pieces for the purpose of hosting a building group. This is something which I have envisioned for a long time. I found out how much I enjoy providing for builders by accident. I brought some of my pieces to a brick convention where I had a display table. I invited kids passing by to build, and then to display their creations. It was a whole lot of fun. I waited a whole year to do it, again. And, it was still fun. I especially liked to watch parents interacting with their children. We had a lot of kids in our family, and I was reminded of those times. I would like to emphasize that this is not a drop off your child and leave event. I need a parent or guardian or grandparent or older sibling to stay with kids under the age of 12.

And, for that matter, our group is meant for builders of all ages.

Building with LEGO@ pieces can be joyful, playful, creative, and therapeutic for people of many different backgrounds. People on the Autism Spectrum often make connections through LEGO® building. I believe that all of these factors are inspired by our wonderful God. I am hoping to celebrate these joys with some LEGO® loving members of our downtown churches. It is intended to be an opportunity to focus on something which can bring us together: the joy of building LEGO@ creations. I would love to see LEGO@ builders from all kinds of denominations join in. Let's Build Together! is the name of our group.

Tap on the brick head of Lego Dave to learn more.

Children's Choir info-Click Here

Meet Jimmy Jeffery

VanDelinder fellow and assistant organist

Jimmy will be directing the Children’s Choir at Christ Church on Sunday, right after the 11 am service.

Dear Christ Church Parents and Guardians,

It is a fun and rewarding way for youth to be involved in Christ Church’s liturgy and we would be delighted for your children to be a part of this ensemble! The choir will be geared towards children grades K-3, incorporating singing and movement through engaging activities to teach basic musicianship skills.

Weekly rehearsals will be in the second-floor nursery for 20 minutes on Sundays directly following the 11:00 Holy Eucharist. Regular communications and reminders will be sent to parents and guardians via email. Please feel free to contact him if you have a child interested in participating or if you have any questions about our program. Thank you!

https://songforchristchurch.org/contact

Meet Dominic Fiacco

VanDelinder fellow

Dominic Fiacco

is a junior at the Eastman School of Music, where he studies with Prof. Nathan Laube. He is a VanDelinder Fellow at Christ Church Rochester, where he also serves as choral librarian for the Christ Church Schola Cantorum. Fiacco was named to the 20 under 30 Class of 2023 by The Diapason, the oldest American scholarly journal dedicated to the organ. He has given numerous recitals across New York and Maryland, including at the West Point Cadet Chapel and at the Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine in New York City. In 2023, he dedicated Hamilton College’s new organ, later appearing with the Hamilton College Orchestra as organ soloist. Fiacco also played at the Organ Historical Society’s 2024 national convention in Baltimore. Finally, he is scheduled to perform Poulenc’s Organ Concerto and Saint-Saëns’ Symphony No. 3 with the Syracuse Orchestra in September. Fiacco has also won prizes in several piano competitions, remaining active as a collaborative pianist. He previously studied with Stephen Best on organ and Sar-Shalom Strong on piano, both of whom lecture at Hamilton College. Fiacco has received numerous scholarships, including the Eastman School of Music’s Dean’s Performance Award.