Music At St. Paul's: Copenhagen Chamber Choir Camerata—Giving Voice to the Nordic Spirit

photo courtesy of Copenhagen Chamber Choir 

More beautiful and unique music at St. Paul's Episcopalian Church  located at199 Carroll Street here in Carroll Gardens.

This Sunday, the Church is welcoming world-renown Copenhagen Chamber Choir as part of its Music@St.Paul’s Concert Series.

 Sunday, October 13th, 5:00 pm; Admission is free.

From the Copenhagen Chamber Choir:
"Experience the beauty of the unique and touching Nordic a cappella choral tradition and catch a bit of that legendary Danish hygge.

CAMERATA Chamber Choir presents the choral music tradition of the Nordic countries and displays how the deep connections between nature and culture come alive in music. The repertoire covers some of the most famous Nordic composers, traditional and modern.

CAMERATA Chamber Choir is one of the highest acclaimed amateur choirs in Scandinavia. The choir sings repertoire from multiple centuries and continents, but its Nordic roots are often on show. The choir has a reputation for singing with blend, responsiveness, nuance and passion, and for creating concept programs that combine eclecticism with focus, taking listeners on rich and rewarding journeys.

Since 2018, conductor and artistic director of Camerata is Sofia Söderberg from Sweden. Söderberg is an experienced, multi award-winning choral specialist acknowledged for her technical rigor, physical precision and striking interpretative voice."

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This Saturday, St. Paul's Church On Carroll Street Invites Community To Its 2nd Annual St. Patrick's Day Feast

photo credit: St. Paul's

photo credit: St. Paul's

One really does not need to be Irish to have a bit of fun on St. Patrick's Day, wouldn't you agree?
That's why St. Paul's Church at 199 Carroll Street is inviting everyone to its 2nd Annual Corned Beef And Cabbage Dinner with some traditional Irish beer and music.

From St. Paul's
Happy St. Patrick’s Day! Please join us on Saturday, March 17th, for the 2nd annual parish St. Patrick’s Day party. Corned beef & cabbage, Irish beer & fun, 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm. Live Irish Music presented by Alex Canovas and the St. Paul’s Irish Players. Suggested donation: $15 for adults and $5 for kids. All proceeds will go to support Episcopal Charities.

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Not-The-Super-Bowl 2018 Organ Concert: Music Old and New At St. Paul's Church On Carroll Street

Not every one is into football and into the SuperBowl. For those, there is a lovely alternative right here in Carroll Gardens. The Brooklyn Chapter of the American Guild of Organists is hosting a lovely music concert at St. Paul's Episcopal Church, 199 Carroll Street, on February 4th, 2018 at 5:00PM.

From the Guild:
The program will include an eclectic mix of music by Bach, Bedard, Goodwin, Martellacci, Morley, Schubert, Sheppard, Stafford Smith, Vautor and Walmisley for organ, piano, voice and Ilanera harp, performed by Brooklyn AGO members and friends.
Tickets available at the door $20 General Admission / $10 Students and Seniors.

Proceeds are tax deductible and exclusively benefit the Brooklyn AGO's George Mathison Scholarship Competition Fund.

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St. Paul's Church In Carroll Gardens Invites To Discuss Racial Justice And Reconciliation

On Sunday, June 11, St. Paul’s Episcopal Church at 199 Carroll Street in Carroll Gardens is opening its doors for a timely forum on Racial Justice and Reconciliation. All in the community are welcome to attend.

Here is more information on the forum:
"In light of recent political and social events that have brought the issue of racial justice into the spotlight, the Episcopal Diocese of Long Island invites the greater Brooklyn community to attend a panel discussion on racial justice and reconciliation at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church (Carroll Street) on Sunday, June 11, at 3 p.m. Admission is free and the event is open to the public.

The panel of presenters will include: the Reverend Flora Wilson Bridges, pastor of Rendall Memorial Presbyterian Church in Harlem and author of “Resurrection Song: African-American Spirituality”; Marie Tatro, Episcopal priest and newly appointed Vicar for Community Justice of the Episcopal Diocese of Long Island; and Rabbi Hara Person, Director of Strategic Communications with the Central Conference of American Rabbis (CCAR) .

At the behest of the Bishop of Long Island, Lawrence Provenzano, St. Paul’s Carroll Street joined other Long Island Episcopal parishes in addressing this issue over the past few months. The parish has examined and discussed such writings as those of Ta Nahesi Coates’s, author of Between the World and Me and his article “The Case for Reparations” (The Atlantic Monthly, 2014), and renowned civil rights lawyer, Bryan Stevenson, author of the New York Times Bestseller Just Mercy; also videos such as Ava Duvernay’s documentary 13th, considering the ironic 20th-century follow-ups to the Consitutional amendment abolishing slavery.

The speakers will directly address race relations, racial injustice, and approaches to reconciliation. Questions and comments from the audience will follow.

Rev. Bridges earned a Masters of Arts in Religion at Yale Divinity School and a Doctor of Philosophy in Religion at Vanderbilt University. She has taught at the School of Divinity, Seattle University, and was formerly pastor of the First Presbyterian Church of Brooklyn Heights.

Mother Tatro, in addition to her being an ordained priest, holds a C.U.N.Y. law degree. She was founder of the “Messengers of Justice Project” in New York and has worked extensively for non-profit agencies doing legal counseling for low-income New Yorkers.

Rabbi Person is Director of CCAR Press, the primary publisher for the Reform Movement. Ordained in 1998, Person herself edited The Torah: A Modern Commentary (2005), and has authored books as well for children and young adults. She is Adjunct Rabbi at the Brooklyn Heights Synagogue."

For more information call St. Paul’s Church, 718 625-4126.

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Shop Locally: F.A.D. Holiday Market Comes To St. Paul's On Court Street

photo credit: f,a.d.

Fashion, Art + Design, or simply f.a.d., is a roving indoor maker's market that pops up seasonally in various locations in South Brooklyn.  This December, f.a.d. will once again bring a Holiday market on three consecutive weekends the Basement of St. Paul's Church on 190 Court Street.
The Holiday Market dates are:
December 3 + 4
December 10 + 11
December 17 + 18
Opening hours from 11am to 6pm.
The event is free to the public.

From f.a.d.:
"This curated indie market will showcase over 45 independent artists, designers and makers every weekend, rotating vendors each week. Discover local handmade goods directly from the makers and one of a kind gifts for this holiday season. There will be jewelry, accessories, vintage finds, fashion, art and photography, home and kitchen items, bath and body essentials, and much more. Don’t miss out on this hip retail outpost. There will be something for everyone on your gift list."

In addition, there will be holiday craft workshops, amazing food and a holiday selfie photo booth
To see a complete of this week's exhibitors, click here and here is a list of activity and workshop schedule.
This holiday market is a perfect way to shop locally and to support or awesome Brooklyn artists and artisan community.


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Parish of St. Paul and St. Agnes Organizing New York Cares Coat Drive

St. Paul's Church on Court Street

St. Agnes Church on Sackett and Hoyt Streets

Though the weather has been mild for November, colder days are just ahed.  To insure that all New Yorkers will have a warm coat this winter,  the Parish of St. Paul and St. Agnes  is participating in the New York Care coat drive and will set up convenient drop off boxes at both churches.
Let's all help make it a success.

From the Parish:

We are organizing our Coat Drive for the 28th New York Cares Annual Coat Drive!
We’ll be setting up collection boxes at the entrance of both churches. Please bring warm winter coats to donate to a New Yorker in need.
We want everyone to donate a coat, but we also need everyone who does so to tell their friends, family members, and colleagues about it.
Donations to New York Cares are tax deductible as charitable contributions to the fullest extent permitted by law.
You can pick up a donation receipt during office hours Monday-Friday 9am-1pm in St. Paul or 2-5pm in St. Agnes .
Last year we collected 184 coats and this year we hope to collect 200 coats.
I know we can do it!
Imagine not having a warm coat this winter for yourself or a loved one?

St. Paul's  is located at 234 Congress Street in Cobble Hill and St. Agnes is at 433 Sackett Street in Carroll Gardens

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Have Your Pet Blessed At St. Paul's Church This Sunday In Celebration Of The Feast Of St. Francis Of Assisi

(Photos above courtesy of St.Paul's church and Drew Helstosky)

If you have a pet, large or small, you might want to bring it to St. Paul’s Episcopal Church On Carroll Street this Sunday, October 2nd, 2016 at 2 PM for the Blessing of the Animals in honor of St. Francis of Assisi. The event is a beloved tradition in Carroll Gardens and certainly a fun event to watch, even if you don't have a pet.

As in years past, the blessing is held jointly by St. Paul’s Church and Sacred Hearts-St. Stephen Roman Catholic Church,

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St. Paul's On Carroll Street To Hold Rummage Sale This Saturday

 Let's face it. We all love a good rummage sale. This Saturday, make sure to swing by St. Paul's Church's Annual Fall Rummage Sale. Proceeds will go to Episcopal Charities.
Here is more information:

St. Paul's will be a holding their Annual Autumn Rummage Sale on Saturday September 10, 2016, 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. in the church's Parish Hall, at 199 Carroll and along Carroll Street (weather permitting) in front of the church .
Come down and browse our goods. You will be pleasantly surprised at what you can find and buy at bargain prices. Stock up on some fall reads in both hardcover and paperback. Pick out something from our vintage clothing racks We also have an eclectic collection of CD’S and DVD’s to choose from, and the usual bricker brac, knick knacks, vintage jewelry you have come to expect from sales like this. And if you work up an appetite from all the bargain hunting, we will have baked goods and beverages for sale
Our rummage sales are a neighborhood tradition, and with all the changes Carroll Gardens has seen lately you will be pleased to see that our rummage sale is still the same. So come down, shop and visit with your friends and neighbors, we would love to see you.

Don't miss it.




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St. Paul's on Carroll Street Will Hold Annual Spring Rummage Sale on June 11

Mark your calendar.  St. Paul's will be a holding their Annual Spring Rummage Sale on Saturday June 11, 2016, 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. in the church's Parish Hall, at 199 Carroll and along Carroll Street (weather permitting) side of the church .

Here is more information:
"Come down and browse our goods. You will be pleasantly surprised at what you can find and buy at bargain prices. Stock up on some summer reads in both hardcover and paperback, pick out a new frock to wear on your summer adventures from our vintage clothing racks We also have an eclectic collection of CD’S and DVD’s to choose from, and the usual bricker brac, knick knacks, vintage jewelry you have come to expect from sales like this. And if you work up an appetite from all the bargain hunting, we will have baked goods and beverages for sale
Our rummage sales are a neighborhood tradition, and with all the changes Carroll Gardens has seen lately you will be pleased to see that our rummage sale is still the same. So come down, shop and visit with your friends and neighbors, we would love to see you."


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St. Paul Church On Court Street To Commemorate Reverent Thomas Byles, Titanic Hero

Photo of Rev. Thomas Byles

On Thursday, April 14th at Saint Paul Church on the corner of Congress and Court Streets at 6pm, a plaque will be unveiled by Father Joseph Nugent commemorating Reverent Thomas Byles, one of the passengers aboard the RMS Titanic, who perished on the doomed ocean liner exactly 104 years ago.
The unveiling will be followed by a brief ceremony and an account of Father Byles'
effort to save lives on that faithful day by Benjamin and Cady Crosby, a brother and sites team who established Titanic Heroes, a non-for-profit organization to honor heroic passengers.

Here is some additional information on Thomas Byles from Benjamin and Cady Cosby

"On April 14, 1912, the largest ocean liner at the time, the RMS Titanic, struck an iceberg and sank. There were 2,228 passengers on board - of these, 1,523 perished. Among those lost at sea was a Catholic priest, the Rev. Thomas Byles. Fr. Byles was leaving his parish in Essex, England to officiate the wedding of his brother William in New York. During his time on board, Rev. Byles offered Mass, and ministered to passengers on board. When the Titanic struck the fateful iceberg, Fr. Byles immediately rushed down to those in steerage (third class), who didn’t know what was going on. He brought many up to the deck, and when the order ‘Women and children first!’ was given, he 
was instrumental in getting as many women and children into the lifeboats as possible. Fr. Byles was himself offered a seat in a lifeboat twice, since he was a priest, but he declined each time, choosing instead to remain with those on deck. He went down with the ship and his body was never recovered.

There is no doubt that Fr. Byles’ story is an incredible story of heroism. But many of us have never heard his story before. The goal of Titanic Heroes is to change that. Since 2012, Titanic Heroes has yearly donated a wreath in honor of Father Byles to be dropped by airplane over the site of the Titanic’s sinking. In addition, Titanic Heroes was instrumental in the placement of a plaque commemorating Fr. Byles at the Epping/Ongar Railway Station in England, which was the station that Fr. Byles departed
from over 100 years ago. We are pleased to announce that we have found the parish where Father Byles was to officiate his brother’s wedding: St. Paul’s in New York. We will be ceremoniously placing a plaque or Father Byles at this parish on April 14, 2016."



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"Warnings, Wisdom & Wit": Ensemble Companio To Perform At St. Paul's Church In Carroll Gardens

St. Paul's Church at 199 Carroll Street in Carroll Gardens continues to offer outstanding music in the most amazing setting. Don't miss a special concert by Ensemble Companio, whose mission is "to build bridges between people through authentic, inspiring performances of the finest choral music."
Don't miss this wonderful musical evening right here in the neighborhood.
Here is more information:
"On Saturday, April 2, 2016 from 7:30 PM to 9:00 PM @ St. Paul’s Episcopal Church Ensemble Companio presents Warnings, Wisdom, and Wit a concert of musical warnings, bits of wisdom, and morsels of wit from throughout the ages and around the world. Featuring music by Dufay, Schütz, Bruckner, and Stanford, as well as arrangements of folksongs and spirituals by Ralph Vaughan Williams, Norman Luboff, Stephen Hatfield, and Alice Parker and Robert Shaw.
Tickets are $20 general admission / $10 students and seniors"

Reserve your tickets here.

St. Paul’s Episcopal Church

199 Carroll St, Brooklyn

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Brooklyn Artisan Christmas Market At St. Paul's On Court Street

Starting this week-end, and for the following two week-ends in December after that,  The Brooklyn Artisan Christmas Market is coming back to St. Paul's Church at the corner of Congress Street and Court Street.
The market will include  jewelry, clothing, home decor and  accessories. There will be food as well. So stop on by and support Brooklyn artisans.

St. Pau'ls Church is located at 234 Congress Street.


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'Thrive': Holiday Celebration With Empire City's Men's Chorus At St. Paul's Church In Carroll Gardens

Holidays+ music+ plus a beautify setting means that you might want to attend another beautiful concert at St. Paul's Church at 199 Carroll Street.
Here are the details:
On Saturday, December 5, 2015 at 8 pm at St. Paul's Episcopal Church, Empire City Men's Chorus ends its Fall/ Winter season with its December concert Thrive – An ECMC Holiday Celebration. With an ever-changing world around us, there is so much to be grateful for. In this lively and energetic holiday concert, the men of ECMC offer musical gratitude, love, and a sung spirit of renewal as they affirm with their voices the meaning of this season of togetherness. To thrive is not only to be alive, but to be alive with wonder, awe, and joy, and to give thanks together in the best way we know how - by using our voices to serve and build up others. Come and join this once-a-year celebration with dynamic music by Mathias, Gardner, Handl, Victoria, and more! They are also thrilled to debut a spectacular and haunting arrangement of Lo, How A Rose E'er Blooming, commissioned by ECMC from our composer-in-residence, Kyle Randall.

The Empire City Men’s Chorus, founded in 1993 and based in New York City, is renowned for its eclectic multilingual repertoire.. ECMC consistently presents concerts which boast a variety of well-known composers as well as newly commissioned works by exciting young composers. ECMC believes that choral music can be a compelling artistic response to pressing issues within our communities.

General Admission $30, Students and Seniors $20
VIP $125 (couple),VIP $75 (single) thisincludes front table seating, select wine and hors d’oeuvres (must purchase online 24 hours in advance of each concert date)
Fellow Artist $10,Kids under 12 tickets $5
Tickets are available at the door and in advance at http://www.empirecitymenschorus.org/thrive

St. Paul's Episcopal Church is located at 199 Carroll Street in Carroll Gardens.


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Cerddorion Vocal Ensemble To Perform At St. Paul's Church This Sunday

St. Paul's Church at 199 Carroll Street here in Carroll Gardens continues its wonderful music programing by hosting Cerddorion Vocal Ensemble’s concert "Rise Up, My Love: Choral Settings of the Song of Songs" this coming Sunday, May 31st.

"Join Cerddorion’ for an afternoon of music spanning five centuries inspired by the abiding, passionate love expressed in these timeless biblical texts. The program features music of Melchior Franck, John Dunstable, Francisco Guerrero, William Billings, Edvard Grieg and Bengt Johansson, as well as the premiere of new works by Craig Bakalian and Francisco José Carbonell, winners of Cerddorion’s Third Annual Emerging Composers Competition.

Now in its twentieth season, Cerddorion Vocal Ensemble is one of New York’s most highly regarded volunteer choral ensembles. A chamber group of twenty-eight mixed voices, Cerddorion is known for its eclectic repertoire, encompassing music from the Renaissance to the contemporary."

The show is at 3 p.m. Tickets are $20 on line $25 at the door Student/Senior tickets are $10 online and $15 at the door.
For advance tickets please visit www.cerddorion.org

And here are a few words from some of the Parishioners of St. Paul's Church:
"Sometimes with all the fellowship, worshiping, special events and projects going on at St. Paul’s we don’t get past Clinton and Carroll Street. And once again while we were looking the other way, our wonderful neighborhood has gone thru changes and transformations. Here at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church we have always prided ourselves as being an integral presence and resource in Carroll Gardens and in this spirit we want to meet our new neighbors and we would like them to get the chance to meet us. 
This Saturday May 30, in Carroll Park from 10 am to 5 pm we will be participating in the Carroll Park Fair. Please come by our table and say hello. Come see what we have been up to for the last 165 years and see what we have planned for tomorrow. We will also have some items for sale, a preview of what we will be offering at our Rummage Sale on June 6 and back at the church there will be hourly tours and refreshments. We look forward to this chance to make some new friends and can’t wait to catch up with the old ones. See you Saturday."

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Not To Be Missed: Upcoming Concerts At St. Paul's Church On Carroll Street

St. Paul’s Episcopal Church at 199 Carroll Street in Carroll Gardens continues its spectacular music programing with two concerts in March. With its amazing acoustics and setting, these musical events at St.Paul's really should not be missed. Read on for information regarding the upcoming concerts.

20 years of performing, 60 concerts, 20 world premieres, 19 languages- these are some of the Cerddorion Vocal Ensembles accomplishments. Join them on Thursday March 5 @ 8pm at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church and help them celebrate their 20th anniversary. They will be performing past work written expressly for them including music by Elliot Z Levine, David Lang, Paul Moravec and Robert Dennis and premiering works by Martha Sullivan, Joseph Prestamo and Christopher Ryan.

A chamber group of twenty-eight mixed voices, Cerddorion Vocal Ensemble is one of New York’s most highly regarded volunteer choral ensembles. They are known for their eclectic repertoire, encompassing music from the Renaissance to the contemporary

Tickets are $20 online $25 at the door Student/Senior tickets are $10 online and $15 at the door. For advance tickets please visit www.cerddorion.org

Ensemble Companio, a chamber choir directed by Joseph Gregorio, is proud to announce its performance entitled ‘Love’s Faces’ at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, in the Carroll Gardens on March 21st, 2015 at 8:00pm. The performance is sponsored and coordinated by the Brooklyn Sounds Concert Series.

‘Love’s Faces’ features works by Arcadelt, Passereau, Stainer, Duruflé, Lars-Erik Larsson, and a commission by Vince Peterson; arrangements of popular music by The Beatles, Billy Joel, and Randy Newman; and folk music from around the globe. Admission is $20 for the general public and $10 for students / seniors.

Founded in 2011, Ensemble Companio comprises 24 accomplished choral musicians and performs throughout the northeastern United States. Ensemble Companio was awarded the 2012 American Prize in choral performance (community division) for its vibrant sound and moving interpretations, and was invited to perform at the 2013 Fall Conference of the Pennsylvania chapter of the American Choral Directors Association. Ensemble Companio derives its name from a late Latin form of “companion,” whose etymological meaning is “one with whom one shares bread.” The name reflects the musicians’ belief that sharing in choral music is an essential, nourishing, and healing endeavor akin to the sharing of food. Ensemble Companio’s mission is to build bridges between people through authentic, inspiring performances of the finest choral music.

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Festive Holiday Concerts At St. Paul's Church In Carroll Gardens This December

St. Paul's Church at 199 Carroll Street at Clinton Street in Carroll Gardens is offering a wonderful,  festive musical program in December.

On Saturday, December 6th at 8 pm, the Empire City Men's Chorus will be performing A Stable Lamp is Lighted.

Whether it is longing for loved ones who are fighting overseas or the longing of children who have lost their parents and their home, ECMC recognizes that we all search for a place of respite in a tumultuous world. ECMC will sing pieces a cappella, with piano accompaniment and also with our audience. Musical highlights include:
*Debussy’s Noel for Homeless Children
*Tindley’s The Storm is Passing Over
*Whitacre’s Lux Aurumque
*Standards like Loesser's Baby, It's Cold Outside and classics like Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas

Tickets available for purchase online only up to 24 hours in advance of each concert. General Admission tickets are $30 and $20 for Students and Seniors.

On Sunday, December 14th at 7pm,  Choral Chameleon and Chameleonic will be performing

Mysterium: Holiday 2014 at  St. Paul's Church.

Arrive early for a special Mulled Wine Reception at 6pm.

Here is more information

The great mystery and wondrous sacrament of Christmas came first to the forlorn animals of the manger. Experience this poignant moment with the Choral Chameleon family as they sing about it through the kaleidoscope lens of five different composers, across five centuries!

On Sunday December 14th @ 7pm at St. Paul’s Church, Choral Chameleon presents their 2014 Holiday Concert Mysterium. General admission is $15, $10 for students with valid school ID. Tickets can be purchased in advance at http://groupspaces.com/ChoralChameleon/item/733572 or at the door of St. Paul’s on the night of the performance..

Come in from the cold and share this special time of year with them. There will be a Mulled Wine Reception at 6pm and the Concert at 7pm. They will even be singing your favorite carols too - with, perhaps, a few Choral Chameleon fancies and fables thrown in for the holidays.

Get your tickets here.

Last but not least, St. Paul's will be hosting its annual Sing-It-Yourself Messiah on Sunday 21th at 4 PM.

Join conductor, Vince Peterson, and the orchestra and soloists of St. Paul's Carroll Street for our annual Messiah sing at 4pm on Sunday, December 21st in the visually and acoustically beautiful parish sanctuary of St. Paul's. Hear top notch soloists sing Recitatives and Arias from parts 1 and 2 of Handel's unparalleled masterwork, and then sing the choruses yourself with other Sopranos, Altos, Tenors, and Basses in your section. Bring your own score or borrow one from us! Bid on your chance to take the podium and conduct the great Hallelujah Chorus at the end of the concert. Don't miss this special holiday event - only at St. Paul's Carroll Street - Brooklyn's best kept secret!

Tickets are available here.

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