[Magdalen] Funeral Service at Saint Martin's, Houston.

[cantor03 at aol.com]

Even though I tuned in somewhat late, I saw the
entire Barbara Bush televised funeral service.
 
Funerals tend to be highly personal, even sometimes
in denominations with a strong fixed liturgy like the
Anglican churches.  This funeral seemed not to evidence
much from the Anglican Tradition, being as it was a sort
of free form prayer service with no reference to either
the Prayer Book Eucharist or Morning Prayer.  The BCP
final Burial Office and the opening funeral anthems were used.
 
There were two standard hymns that one finds across the
board in the various Christian denominations, including 
that ever popular "Amazing Grace," augmented with
trumpets on the last verse that made it seem to be out
of an English Coronation.
 
Saint Martin's is newish, and very large by USA standards.  Even
with the place packed for this funeral, there appeared to be at
least a 3-4 second reverberation time.  What a marvelous
place for choral music.
 
Two Protestant warhorses sung by church choir and a soloist
were "In the Garden," and "Jerusalem."  They are (?too)
frequently heard in my family Methodist Church, and in this case,
must have been something the senior Bushes brought with them
from (was it?) their youthful Presbyterian background.  Barbara Bush
was apparently Confirmed in 2015.  At least that's what the Rector
of Saint Martin's implied.
 
Several bishops in rochet and chimere were there, and the Bishop
of Texas gave the final Comendation and Blessing.
 
 
David S.