In the City of Dreaming Spires: My soul doth magnify the Lord!

Journal Entry

Singing in the Merton College Chapel Choir has been such an amazing experience. For the past few years at APU, I have been improving my ability to sight-read music and learn difficult choral pieces quickly. Singing for Evensong has put those skills to the test. The choir rehearses 5:00-6:00 PM on Fridays and then again before the service on Sundays at 3:30 PM. The service starts at 5:45 PM, while the sun is still in the sky and ends at 6:45 PM, after the sun has set.

The chapel choir sings the Introit, Psalm, Hymns, Magnificat, Nunc Dimittis, Responses, and Anthem at every Sunday Evensong service, and the music is different each week. I'd never sung in a choir with such a constantly changing repertoire before, and I love the challenge of finding my part and learning the music quickly. The choir is fairly small, so every voice matters. This week, I missed the Friday rehearsal due to illness, so I had only two hours to learn the entire service before the service!

It is so amazing to sing Evensong each week. The liturgical text is so sacred and has so much history. Since I have attended a contemporary non-denominational church since kindergarten, I've never really experienced these traditional services. It seems like a whole new world has been opened, and I'm just discovering its beauty and intricacies. The chapel is candlelit, and a beautiful organ accompanies the music. It is truly a beautiful way to end the day.

After service, everyone meets in the antechapel to socialize and drink wine. There are even servers who walk around with wine bottles to refill empty glasses. One of the benefits of being in the chapel choir is getting to attend formal hall for free. This is a three course dinner in the Merton College Hall, by reservation only. Grace is said in Latin, and the meal is served with more wine, of course. The Hall was built in 1277, and Queen Elizabeth I even dined at its tables.

Tonight I sat across from a 33 year-old clergyman/theology tutor and a biology student who graduated from Oxford last year. We had the most interesting topic of American politics and society as compared to British politics and society. We discussed, in depth, the difference between parties, and issues such as gay marriage, social security, the British healthcare system (NHS), and privatization vs. socialization. It was fascinating to sit down for an open, non-confrontational conversation, completely with the objective of better understanding one another. There was no desire to push one's opinions or to win an argument. It was fueled by a desire to learn and have a peek into the lives of others. These kinds of discussions are the ones that stimulate my mind and challenge me to articulate what I believe and why. What I found most interesting was the simple issue of perspective. At one point, the British girl said to me, "It sounds to me like Democrats are much more generous than Republicans. They are most interested in government funded programs for the poor." I then explained to her that it is not necessarily an issue of generosity. Republicans and democrats both believe in giving money to those in need, but Republicans tend to believe that people should have more choice in how their money is spent and to whom it is given. I recently discovered that "in his new book, 'Who Really Cares: The Surprising Truth About Compassionate Conservatism', Arthur C. Brooks presents research showing that religious conservatives are more charitable than secular liberals. He says people who support the idea that government should redistribute income are among the least likely to dig into their own wallets to help others." This supports the view of my friend, Tyler, that forced giving is not as effective as freewill contributions. From my description of Democrats, I can see how she came to the conclusion that they are more giving than Republicans, but the issue is really much more than what meets the eye. I loved chatting with my new friends, and I look forward to many more conversations such as these.