Music at Oak Knoll - March 2025

Written by Matt Cerar, Music Director

Welcome to the Lenten season!

Our Lenten Wednesday evening services will feature a brand-new liturgy by the Holden Village. The new liturgy, called “Bless This Night” will be sung during 3 of the 5 Wednesday evening Lenten services. Holden Evening Prayer will be sung the other two Sundays (March 19th and April 2nd). I look forward to singing this new liturgy with you all. The following is more information on this liturgy:

“This service generally follows a traditional vespers service format with one important and intentional difference. A traditional vespers service focuses on themes of light overcoming darkness. We sought to create an evening service that celebrates darkness and does not create a binary opposition between light and dark. While we acknowledge that these metaphors are found throughout the Bible, we also recognize that these associations have been implicitly and explicitly used to cause harm, especially for people and communities of color. We also believe that moving beyond oppositional binaries helps us recognize and celebrate the diversity of God’s creation. Thus, this service seeks to honor twilight, dusk, night, and darkness as times of blessing and renewal in our lives. The service also has themes of creation and justice, and recognizes all bodies as holy.”

Prior to the Lenten season, we will welcome our saxophone quintet to provide special music at the March 2nd service. In addition, the Oak Knoll choir will sing a few choir favorites at the March 23rd service: Stainer’s God So Loved The World and Grace by Mark Hayes.

If you are interested in participating in any type of music offering for Lent/Holy Week, please let me know! The vocal choir will sing at both Easter Sunday services, as well as Palm Sunday and Good Friday this year.