Two strikingly different services at Trinity Episcopal Cathedral on Good Friday this week will mark a singularly dark event?Christ's death on the cross. One is traditional. Another features the blues-- that's right, the blues.
The first of the two Good Friday services will be a noon at the historic Cathedral, Brady Street and Palmer Drive (11th St.), Davenport. The mid-day service uses a traditional liturgy, marked by Bible readings tracing the prophets' foretelling Christ's coming and culminating with Jesus' arrest, trial and sacrifice on the cross.
It is enhanced by traditional hymns and features anthems by the Cathedral Choir by J S Bach and Elgar. Soprano Michelle Crouch of the Augustana music faculty also will perform.
Then, at 7 p.m. the same Biblical story will be told. But this time, it will be accompanied by blues played by Ellis Kell, director of programming and community outreach at the River Music Experience, and well-known in regional music circles. Kell will be joined by Hal Reed and Bret Dale.
Why the blues, music originating from the bleak history of slavery, and more often identified as secular, not religious?
"What could be more fitting on the day when Jesus was stripped naked, beaten and hung on a cross. Blues deal with life's deepest realities, varnish-stripped-away raw pain...all that's left to do is sing the blues," the program's originators explain.
Joining the Cathedral in sponsoring this unique evening program are St.Alban's Episcopal Church, Davenport, and St. Peter's Episcopal Church, Bettendorf. A free-will offering will benefit Braking Traffik, an organization dedicated to eradicating sex trafficking in the Quad Cities area.
The public is welcome at both of these very different services.
For more information, contact Dean John Horn at (563) 323-9989.
