The St. John's parish choir will sing the ancient bedtime office of Compline on Sunday, May 18 at 8:30 p.m. The half hour meditative service will be sung by candlelight with incense burning and a canopy of 500 paper doves engraved with prayers from parishioners and community members.
The service consists of chanting psalms, scripture and prayers, and begins with an anonymous 17th-century setting of "When Rooks Fly Homeward" by Baynon and concludes with the hymn to the Virgin "Salve Regina" by 17th-century Spanish composer Juan Garcia de Salazar.
The featured musician is Nelson Adams Pike, an 11-year-old boy soprano from Rockport. Nelson is an accomplished singer, violinist and pianist, and, as an acolyte at St. Mary's Church in Rockport, is especially interested in liturgy. Nelson comes from a musical family: his father is a member of BeatleTracks, a Beatle's cover band, and his mother is a music educator in Rockport.
The service is free and all are welcome. For more information, call 978-283-1708 or visit St. John's web site at www.stjohnsgloucester.org.
St. John's Church
48 Middle Street
Gloucester