FACES OF FAITH

Community Profiles at St. Andrew's Church

John Rigzin Tute

1) What is your favourite hymn?

Favorite hymns are like favorite Christmas Carols, my favorite is usually the one that I'm singing at the time.  But if I have to narrow it down, I would definitely put "For All The Saints" (which we just sang last Sunday) close to the top of the list.  It was a bit of a theme song at Westminster Choir College in Princeton, where I did my Masters degree.  It was always sung at our fall convocation when classes began, and singing it (all 11 verses!) along with a school body made up of nothing but musicians was always a thrill.

2) Do you have a favourite passage from the Bible?

I have always loved the hopefulness of Revelation 21: 1-5, and doubly loved it because of the amazing choral setting by Edgar Bainton, that I get great joy from singing:

1 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. 2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. 4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.

The most exciting one is a guide book to Brittany (the part of France where my family emigrated from in the 17th century.)  I am going there for Christmas with my mother and sister, for one of those "trip of a lifetime" trips.  So I'm devouring all the information I can about it at the moment.

I have also been taken by "Blessings of the Cosmos: Wisdom of the Heart from the Aramaic Words of Jesus," by Dr. Neil Douglas-Klotz. It is a translation of 20 of Jesus' sayings, taken from his original language, and translated according to their "possible meanings heard with Aramaic ears."  It has an esoteric take and  includes suggestions for meditation and use of the body in prayer, which appeal to the Buddhist side of me.

4) What is your favourite style of music, and what is likely on your stereo / ipod / car radio right now?

I suppose, if I had to pick one style to be stuck on the proverbial desert with, it would be classical (as in the whole of everything we consider to be classical music, from Gregorian chant to Osvaldo Golijov.)  But my iPod is a model of musical ecumenism, which includes all styles of Western music from Jazz to Pop to Bluegrass to Hip Hop.  

I was also raised in a family with a love of World Music (before that term came into vogue) and am particularly partial to Turkish Sufi music.  It has a peaceful warmth and beauty that can easily be seen to come from its first proponent, Rumi.  

One day, I plan to go to the Fez Festival of World Sacred Music in Morocco.  Every year they celebrate sacred music from all regions and faith traditions, and I am dying to take that in.

5) What is your earliest memory of church?

I was raised in the Catholic church in a French Canadian family.  So my earliest memories are surely of Midnight Mass, and "Réveillion," in Sudbury.  My cousins and I would all be sleeping (or trying to sleep) strewn all over the floor in one bedroom while the adults got the party started early.  At around 11 pm, we would be rousted and dressed up for "La Messe de Minuit"

I loved the solemnity of the occasion, and the happy festive songs.  Also, the anticipation of the presents to be opened once Mass was done and the all night party (which always included nocturnal tobogganing) began.

6) What attracted you to become a part of the St. Andrew's community, and what keeps you here?

I was invited to join the choir as a Tenor when my friend Gerald Fast was leaving it.  So it started as a "gig." I was living in Waterloo at the time, and would drive in with Kevin Bradshaw, who sang Bass.  I immediately loved singing in the choir and Douglas Bodle's unique leadership.

My own faith journey has taken me into the world of Tibetan Buddhists, but I have continued on at St. Andrew's for more than just the fact that it is a singing "gig."  I like the community here, and have been shown many acts of caring by the parishioners and clergy as I've become acquainted with them.

Some of the choir members have changed over the years, and we are now fortunate to have Dan Bickle in the choirmaster role.  It continues to be a wonderful group of people to see every week. In a sense we are a little community of our own, and I get great encouragement from that, as well.

Although there are many things that commend the Buddhist path to me, there is nothing in that tradition that matches the joy of singing the Hymns and Anthems of the church.  So I consider that weekly opportunity of Sunday singing to be as much a part of my spiritual path as the  gongs, drums and chanting of my temple.

 
7) What is your greatest hope for St. Andrew's?

I have always been impressed by the social concern that the members of St. Andrew's have for the less fortunate.  I think its fair to say that those of us who participate here are pretty well blessed in a material sense.  But the congregation has an obvious concern for the less fortunate, and goes to great lengths to share through the "Out of the Cold" programme and other initiatives.  I think that is really admirable.

So I guess I hope that the community will continue to thrive, and nourish and strengthen its members.  And  that we can continue to  share some of that goodness to those around us.