Our Lady and St. John
Catholic Church
Worshiping at St. Francis of Assisi
Sacred Music
At Our Lady and St. John, sacred music is an integral part of our liturgy. Each of our Sunday choral Masses includes hymns, Anglican and Gregorian chant, organ music, and anthems and motets.
Many children from Our Lady and St. John are part of the student schola cantorum associated with our host parish. Click here for the schola cantorum registration form.
Organist and Choirmaster
Dr. Emily Meixner, Music Director of our host parish St. Martin of Tours, serves as our organist and choirmaster. A native of Ashland, OH, Dr. Meixner holds degrees from Franciscan University of Steubenville (BA), the Cleveland Institute of Music (MM), and the University of Notre Dame (DMA). Her scholarly research focuses primarily on the French organist and composer Louis Vierne (1877-1937), with special interest in his organ symphonies. She has studied organ with Craig Cramer, Douglas Reed, Todd Wilson, Timothy Guenther, and Paul Weber.
As a successful competitor, she recently won first prize at the Pittsburgh Concert Society Competition for Young Organists and first prize at the Tuesday Musical Association Performance Scholarship Competition in Organ. A dedicated church musician, Dr. Meixner earned a minor in theology while studying in Franciscan University and recently passed the Colleague Examination of the American Guild of Organists. An active recitalist, she has recently performed in the Gloria Dei Lutheran Church concert series (South Bend, IN); the L’Organo concert series at the Piccolo Spoleto Festival (Charleston, S.C.); the Millennium Stage concert series at the Kennedy Center (Washington, D.C.); and the Cleveland Museum of Art Performing Arts Series (Cleveland, OH).
Media
Lessons and Carols 2016
On Friday December 23 at 7 p.m. the Ordinariate Community of Our Lady and Saint John and the Choir of St. Martin of Tours presented A Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols. This Christmas service tells the story of the fall of humanity, the promise of the Messiah, and the birth of Jesus through nine short bible readings from Genesis, the prophetic books, and the Gospels, interspersed with carols and hymns sung by the choir and congregation. Carols: Ding Dong! merrily on high - 16th century French - arr. Charles Wood Adam lay ybounden - Boris Ord A great and mighty wonder - Old German tune, harmonized Michael Praetorius A tender shoot - Otto Goldschmidt Angelus ad Virginem - Paul Weber In the bleak midwinter - Harold Darke While shepherds watched their flocks by night Nativity Carol - John Rutter
Tenebrae 2018
This service anticipates the monastic offices for the last three days of Holy Week. Tenebrae means darkness and refers to the gradual extinguishing of candles and lights as the service proceeds, until only one candle remains. Its light, too, is hidden, and a loud noise is made symbolizing the death of Christ, his descent to the dead, and the earthquake at the time of the resurrection. Upon the return of the one candle, everyone leaves in silence.