Sent Nov 2, 2008

Upcoming events and dates for the next couple of months.  Note that there's a couple of errors on the music list (missing nov 16!); I'll reprint them next week.


Music Planning - Advent & Christmas

I'm going to suggest that because Advent and Christmas are pretty much pre-picked, that we forego our planning meeting. I'll make whatever minor adjustments are needed based on last year's selections.  Please let me know if you disagree with this, or if you have any suggestions or desires with respect to the Sundays in December and early January.

Brian - can you take a look at your calendar for early January, and see if there's an afternoon or evening where we could meet to plan ordinary time and lent?

Sunday Mornings

I want to apologize for being a little snippy this morning; I didn't sleep well and didn't have enough time for breakfast.

However, I do want to emphasize the message I was trying to get across.  What we agreed to in September was that rehearsals would start at 10:45.  I'm aware that various circumstances may cause any of us - including me - to be late occasionally, and I'm also well aware of the fact that if something happens at the morning mass, parking can be hard to find, but these occurence should be just that, occasional.  We're a choir, not a bunch of individuals - it's disrespectful and frustrating to everyone when we regularly have to wait for people to arrive, especially those of us who put in time to rehearse and prepare on our own.

Think of it this way: there are only about 10 members in our group. If each of us is late only once every 2.5 months, that means we're ALWAYS starting late.  Like it or not, none of us is really expendible; if somene is missing, we either need to wait for them, or practice pieces twice.  (If you want to help mitigate this, please feel free to go out and start recruiting more singers and instruments!)

Rehearsal begins at 10:45. That doesn't mean you should be arriving at that time - please be here, books ready, instruments set up, voice prepared, by 10:45. If you need time to find parking spots, unpack, set up, mark up books - please plan your time accordingly and arrive ahead of time.

I know I'm been harping on this, but we have yet to start any rehersal on time in almost two months using this schedule. We haven't been able to rehearse any future pieces, or even get to the coming week's psalms.  I still think this time should work, but we all need to make the effort to make it work.  If this continues to be an issue when we review again after christmas, I think we'll need to re-examine the strategy again.

Thanks for your consideration.


Calendar - November

Sun Nov 9 - Dedication of St. John Lateran
   - 10:30 am St. Pat's - Mass. Researsal 9:45. Dan will play, Mary will cantor.
   - 11:30 am St. MM  - Mass. Rehearsal 10:45  Francis will play, Sarah will cantor.
   - Brian Cano is unavailable

Sat Nov 15
   - 1pm  - 4pm  -- Advent Seasonal  & Christmas Researsal

Sun Nov 16 - 33rd Sunday of Ordinary Time
   - 11:30 am St MM - Mass.

Sun Nov 23 - Christ the King
   - 11:30 am St. MM - Mass.
   - 2:00 pm Parish AGM (FYI only, no requirement to attend this.)

Sun Nov 30  - 1st Sunday of Advent, Year B
   - (only one mass at SMM at 10 am due to the Bazaar; the other group will play)
   - 10:00 am - St. Pat's - Mass  (we're not playing)
   - 1pm - 4pm - STP - Christmas Rehearsal

Calendar - December

Sun Dec 7 - 2nd Sunday of Advent
   - 11:30 am St. MM  - Mass

Sun Dec 14 - 3rd Sunday of Advent
   - 10:00 am St. Pat's - Mass
   - 11:30 am St. MM  - Mass
   - 1:00 pm - Cornerstone Christmas Party - Colonnade Pizza

Sun Dec 21 - 4th Sunday of Advent
   - 11:30 am St. MM  - Mass
   - 1pm - 4pm - SMM - Christmas Rehearsal

Wed Dec 24 - Nativity of the Lord
   - 10:00 pm (TBD) - St. MM  - Mass

Thu Dec 25 - Nativity of the Lord
   - 10:00 am St. Pat's - Mass

Sun Dec 28 - Feast of the Holy Family
   - 11:30 am St. MM  - Mass

Wed Dec 31 - Mary, Mother of God
   - 7:00 pm (TBD)  St. MM  - Mass