Music

Photo: Larry Chop

Music on Sundays

September 2025 – “Psalm 137, By the Rivers
of Babylon – the lens of trauma studies and the life experience of musicians through to
healing.” Dr Mark Glanville (PhD, Trinity College, Bristol, UK), Director of the Centre for
Missional Leadership at St. Andrews Hall, University of British Columbia, Vancouver.

Sing a New Song! Sunday!

Held on the first Sunday of each month.

We invite you to meet the choir in the sanctuary before the service, at 8:45 am, to learn a simple anthem that we will sing during the service. Pre-registration is not necessary. Please contact Lauren at [email protected] with any questions. All voices are welcome!

Jazz Vespers

Join us for Jazz Vespers, a monthly gathering of uplifting music and prayers in our Chapel. Experience the magic of community and joy!

Early Christians continued the Jewish custom of prayer at the time when the daylight faded and lamps were lit. Originally called Lucernarium (lamp-lighting time), this service is now called Vespers (evening prayer).

At All Saints’, we adapted the old tradition by featuring jazz music during our vespers service.

Learn about the History Of Jazz Vespers

The decision to start Jazz Vespers in the Chapel of the Holy
Spirit came in the context of Chapel Programs which were aimed at drawing in folks from beyond the parish of All Saints with innovative liturgies and programming.

We had already held a weekend series of sessions on the “Daily Offices” in the monastic tradition based on a book by Bro. David Steindl-Rast as a way to find the sacred in different times of the day. We knew that Vespers was the late afternoon prayer time. As the sun was setting, folks would put away the tools of their trade and gather for prayer with readings and singing.

Several friends had attended Jazz Vespers in Toronto led by The Rev. Tim Elliott and in Vancouver with Peter Dent. We had their orders of service and began to seek out local musicians who were interested in exploring this format with us. Allen Box got in touch with Yves Laroche, who taught jazz piano at Ottawa U, and he was willing to give it a try. With his colleague James O’Farrell on saxophone, we launched our first Jazz Vespers in October 2004. With some advice from David Jones and Jacques Edmond, who was the musical director of the Ottawa International Jazz Festival, we began to hear from musicians who were interested in participating. That included Peter Brown, Elise Letourneau, Peter Woods and Brian Brown. Ernie Cox brought Vanessa London and one occasion we bravely moved into the courtyard.

Musicians were asked to provide two sets of music appropriate for the setting and to accompany 2 songs for congregational singing. We provided an opening prayer with candle lighting, a reading (a seasonal Scripture) and reflection and “prayers of the people,” usually led by a parish member. The reflection was offered by resident clergy or a guest speaker. One reflection that I recall was by Alex Neve from Amnesty International—this year’s Massey Lecturer.

Elizabeth Brown was recruited. to support the congregational singing, and to provide an improvised psalm, classically trained, Elizabeth sought coaching in jazz, and her psalmody became a wonderful part of the Vespers service. On several occasions, Jazz was taken into the main service. I particularly remember The Rev. Tim Elliott’s visit, and Elise Letourneau’s arrangement of the mass setting.

– The Rev. Canon Rhondda MacKay