The Church Year in Limericks

The Church Year in Limericks is the result of my desire to start choir rehearsals in a new way. Some choir directors simply launch in, others start with an announcement or a short prayer; I wanted to find something that would engage the choir’s attention, provide a comment on the day’s music or the week’s activities, and set a creative challenge for myself. Like an Advent calendar or a box of chocolates, The Church Year in Limericks is not meant to be enjoyed all at once. Each stanza exists on its own, and reading the entire collection straight through diminishes the individuality of its separate parts. Think of this book instead as a sort of hymnal, in which all the hymns happen to be written in the same meter but each one serves a different purpose in worship: contemplation, inspiration, insight, comfort, joy. Yes, there is perhaps a higher quotient of lively word play here than in a regular hymnal, but that’s all the more reason to appreciate each limerick for itself. - Christopher M. Brunelle