December 2019: Ideo Gloria in Excelsis Deo

10/15/2019

St. Mark's kids will share our December Song of the Month twice on Sunday, December 22nd--as the offertory anthem for our morning service (9:30AM) and as the grand finale for our Christmas Pageant (5PM, followed by potluck supper.)

The song can be found in the blue Hymnal 1982, hymn #92.

The words of the refrain are:

Ideo gloria in excelsis deo!
(Latin for "Therefore, glory to God in the highest!" )

ALL St. Mark's kids are encouraged to learn the REFRAIN and the FIRST VERSE of the song in preparation for December 22nd.

On this day earth shall ring
with the song children sing
to the Lord Christ our King
born on earth to save us
him the Father gave us

Ideo-o-o, Ideo-o-o
Ideo gloria in excelsis Deo!

We'll do a simple dance along with the song, which you can learn and practice with us, below.

ALL St. Mark's children and youth are welcome to participate in the Christmas Pageant. The pageant is a low-stress, high joy celebration for all ages. This year's pageant includes "speaking parts" for 4 principle narrators, a few small speaking parts, and lots of non-speaking parts. We also need lots of teens and big kids to help "shepherd" smaller animals and angels through the pageant! You can read through a draft script of this years pageant here. We will hold Christmas Pageant rehearsals in the church and fit children for costumes during the Education Hour (in place of Sunday School) from 11AM-Noon on Sundays 12/8, 12/15, and 12/22.

I encourage you to find creative ways to integrate this song into your family's daily prayers this month. Set aside some time to read or share a Nativity story, or to list all the blessings you can from the past day (or week, or year). Then respond to the story and/or your blessings by singing the song refrain:

Ideo-o-o, Ideo-o-o
Ideo gloria in excelsis Deo!
("Therefore, glory to God in the highest!" )

0 Comments

Song of the Month

In early 2019 I began serving as assisting priest at St. Mark's Episcopal Church in Albuquerque. St. Mark's is home to a diverse and rapidly growing faith community as well as a Montessori Preschool that serves ~50 preschool children and their families.

One of my first areas of focus at St. Mark's will be to explore creative ways to support the spiritual growth of St. Mark's families, not only at church and school, but also at home throughout the week.

We'll begin our exploration with a "Song of the Month." Each month we'll offer a simple song as an "anchor" for spiritual reflection and growth throughout the month. Parents and other adults in the St. Mark's community are encouraged to learn the song and access further materials for reflection online. Children will practice the song each week in Children's Chapel. Children will be invited to share the song with the entire St. Mark's community during worship (as the offertory anthem) on the 4th Sunday of each month.

If you are the parent/caregiver of a very young child (age 0-2), your child will still benefit enormously from daily exposure to the "Song of the Month". Even though they aren't yet singing, you can be sure they are already listening to you and learning! Experiment with incorporating the song into any part of your daily routine--waking, sleeping, bathing, dressing, diaper change, etc. From an early age, you can help your child establish a pattern of life in which prayer, spiritual practice, and song are a natural part!

If you are the parent/caregiver of an older child (age 3+) try incorporating the song and one short, thematically linked reflection question, action, or prayer into your daily routine--maybe at mealtime, at bedtime, or even during your daily commute.

If you are a teenager or adult with no young children at home, find a way to work the song into your daily routine--perhaps while your showering, driving, or cooking. Discuss the theme or reflection question with a friend or partner--or set aside some time to journal, draw, paint, blog or reflect in some other creative way on your own.

Sunday School Teachers and Small Group Leaders: Consider incorporating the "Song of the Month" or one of the relevant reflection questions into your own sessions, classes, or meetings each month if appropriate.

Everybody: Have fun! Sing out! Experiment! And above all--share your experiences and insights with one another and with me!

December 2019: Ideo Gloria in Excelsis Deo

Leave a Reply.

Song of the Month

Archives

Categories

Home

Email Sylvia+