Vocal Worship at St. Matthew’s

Music provides an important dimension to our worship services and we embrace the English Choral Tradition at the parish. The principle Sunday service at 11am is a “Sung Mass” where parts of the service are sung by the priest with responses sung by the congregation.  The St. Matthew’s volunteer adult choir leads the Antiphons, chants the Psalms appointed for the day using the Plainsong Psalter, and regularly provides additional special music. The service music for the Mass rotates according to the season of the church year, but generally follows the schedule below:

Advent: Mass of St. Thomas (David Thorne)
Christmas: Communion Service – ASB Rite (John Rutter)
Epiphany: Trinity Mass (David Thorne)
Lent: Communion Service in E flat (L.J. White)
Ordinary Time:  St. Anne’s Mass (James MacMillan)

Wednesday evenings during Lent and at other times during the church year, Choral Evensong in the church using both Anglican and Gregorian chant. Evensong is a perfect way to thoughtfully and prayerfully reflect on your day. 

The parish offers modest choral stipends for students at Carthage College who wish to lend their talents to our volunteer choir.