S is for Sanctus

Many times since my last post, I've had a story to share, but this crazy life has not held enough free hours to keep up here.  There's no point in detailing how many unexpected pastoral and other church-related needs have arisen -- doing so would only be obnoxious and pointless.

Two weeks ago, amidst everything else, a parishioner died rather suddenly, and the family wanted the funeral two days later.  It was a scramble to line up everyone needed, as a number of staff were away, but in the end all was well.

I'm writing this to poke fun at myself -- but also because I don't remember ever being this scattered while planning multiple services at once. 

I'd been in touch several times already with the organist, a retired professor of music who was kind to fill in without much notice.  We talked through service music, hymns, prelude and postlude.  We'd forgotten to discuss offertory music, so that was another call.  Another music professor offered to sing Vaughan-Williams' "The Call."  We got this arranged.  Then I realized that we hadn't specified the setting for the sung Sanctus.  It was time to call the organist -- again.

Picking up my church directory, I hunted for his number.  You'd think by now I'd have it memorized, but there were so many calls that day, I didn't.  The guest organist's last name begins with "D."  Where did I look, though?  Under "S" -- for "Sanctus."  And I couldn't understand why I didn't find it...for a minute, at any rate...when it was time for a good laugh at myself.  If you can't take time to laugh, especially in more demanding moments, you may as well hang it up.