JEFF McLELLAND, ORGANIST, IN A HYMN FESTIVAL AT ST. PHILIP'S
EPISCOPAL CHURCH, MARCH 10, 2002

   The choir (every festival needs one!) was drawn from the St. Philip's
Church choir and the Jackson Choral Society. Additional musicians were
Dana Rice (soprano), Anna Rigdon (flute) and Mimi Linehan (horn). There
were organ voluntaries, readings, congregational hymns, a vocal solo,
and anthems. Some of the voluntaries were based on the hymns, one following
("If Thou But Trust...") and one preceding ("A Mighty Fortress...") the
hymn, a very desirable practice. My favorite moment was in the hymn
"A Mighty Fortress", verse 3, which begins "And though this world with
devils filled" and which was accompanied by a variation by Hal Hopson
which made the devils come to sinister life! Altogether this was a
delightful evening, the devils notwithstanding.
                                                - Glenn A. Gentry