Eastbourne Parish Church - St Mary's Old Town

For those who may find it of particular interest, this section of our website gives information about music at St Mary's.

Our background changes to blue, the colour of our choir robes. This colour, the colour of the open sky, historically associated with the Blessed Virgin Mary to whom our church is dedicated, has been used to represent celestial glory.

We accept that whilst music in itself is an important ministry it is one of many such ministries which contribute to a whole act of worship. Thus we regard our musical contribution as having its own place amongst others, re-inforcing prayers, readings, homilies and periods of silence which together make the act of worship complete.

However far we may endeavour to move towards standards of musical excellence, our music thus retains a participatory and supportive role in both traditional and contemporary services, changing in mood and purpose in accordance with season.

In his preface to Anerio's 'Teatro Armonico Spirituale'(1619), Oratio Griffi describes the use of music by S Filippo Neri and his Roman Oratorians as drawing

'with a sweet deception the sinners to the holy exercises...so that people, being allured by song and tender words, would be more disposed to spiritual profit; nor was your idea in vain, since some, coming...only to hear the music, and then remaining, moved and captivated by the sermons and the other holy exercises...., have become servants of God'.

Further details can be found by clicking on the menus above. We hope to see you at one of our weekly services or at Christmas or Easter. If you would like to have an informal chat about singing with us or would like your children to join the choir, please contact us via our contacts page.

Click here to visit main site - www.stmaryseastbourne.com