At 10:30 a.m. on All Saints Sunday, November 7, Tyrone Presbyterians will give thanks for the lives of nine church members who entered Eternal Life this past year, commend soldiers and veterans for their sacrifices, bless the Children’s Christmas boxes, welcome guest harpist Nancy O’Brien and greet worshippers at an after church fellowship hour.
Presbyterian Pastor Robert Dunkelberger will preach the morning message and will lead worshippers in an All Saints Day reading with tolling bells in thanksgiving for the faithful lives of nine church members. Mindful that Thursday, November 11 will mark the 86th anniversary of Veteran’s Day and the World War I Armistice of 1918. Boy Scout Dudley McNitt will lead church members in The Pledge to the Flag as a gesture of commendation to all those soldiers who have sacrificed for America.
By invitation of the Presbyterian women, Pastor Dunkelberger will lead people in blessing the children’s Christmas boxes. Church members will distribute these Christmas boxes to desperate children of the world under the auspices of Franklin Graham’s Samaritan Purse Charity.
At the close of worship, the growth and spiritual enrichment committee will host an after church fellowship hour when people can welcome the families and friends of members who have passed away, congratulate soldiers and veterans and express their gratitude to guest harpist Nancy O’Brien.
By featuring guest harpist Nancy O’Brien on All Saints Sunday, church leaders hope listeners will appreciate that colorful bible verse from Revelation 14 which portrays redeemed Saints harping on their harps. Ms. O’Brien will present three solos, at the prelude, the second hymn and the offertory. The 10 members of the Presbyterian Choir also will mirror the harp image by singing British poet Frances Havergal’s 1871 anthem titled, “Golden Harps are Sounding.”
A native of Illinois, harpist O’Brien has resided in State College for the past 25 years. Over the years she has played harp with the Penn State Symphony, the Williamsport Symphony, the Altoona Symphony, as well as the Central Pennsylvania Chamber Orchestra. For the past eight years, this harpist has taught music theory at Penn State as well as private harp and piano.
A graduate of Alverno College in Milwaukee and Hanneman Medical College in Philadelphia, Ms. O’Brien earned Bachelors and Masters degrees in music therapy, a profession where music plays a vital role in the art of healing. At the present time, this professional musician travels to Pittsburgh twice each month to study harp with Gretchen Van Hosen, Principal Harpist for the Pittsburgh Symphony. Through her skill and enthusiasm, Ms. O’Brien has instilled an appreciation of the harp into countless creatures, including her pet cat Dymphna, who loves to play the harp.
As the strains of heavenly harp music echo through the Presbyterian Sanctuary on the morning of November 7, may listeners remember Jubal, the ancestor of harpist, King David, the cunning harp player and valiant warrior and the ancient Jews, who wept beside Babylon and hung their harps on willows. May the harmony of the harp help them to appreciate the words of British poet and Pastor Robert Herrick, “What sweeter music can we bring, than a carol for to sing, the praise of this our glorious king, awake the harp, awake the string.”
