The Service of Solemn Vespers for the fourth Sunday in Lent (“Laetare” Rose Sunday) will be held Sunday at Saint Colman Catholic Church in Washington Court House at 3 p.m.

This is an ecumenical service and all are welcome to attend. Attendance is free and there is plenty of parking in the church lot near the parish center.

Rose Sunday is a break in the penitential season of Lent. It’s roughly halfway between Ash Wednesday and Easter. Laetare means “Rejoice” and Rose Vestments are used rather than purple. Signs of joy are expressed in our belief in the hope of the resurrection.

Music anthems include the ‘Magnificat’ by Canadian composer Healey Willan and ‘Evening Hymn’ of Henry Balfour Gardiner.

The Psalms and Canticles are sung to various forms of chant, both plainchant (Gregorian) and Anglican (harmonized).

As a special musical offering, the choir performs the first section of Part Two of Handel’s ‘MESSIAH’ with soloists and accompanied by strings.

The sung sections begin with the chorus “Behold the Lamb of God” and continues with the aria “He Was Despised”, the choruses “Surely He Has Borne Our Griefs”, “And with His Stripes We Are Healed”, “All We Like Sheep Are Gone Astray”, the recitative “All They That See Him” and concludes with the chorus “He Trusted in God”.

As a devotional exercise for this time in Lent, it is hard to beat and is especially suited to ecumenical participation as it is simply a late day prayer service, made more elaborate with the addition of music.

St. Colman is located one block south and one block east of the courthouse in town. (It’s the church with the tall steeple).

Fr. William Hahn is pastor; Fr. Sean Dooley is parochial administrator; Fr. Thomas Herge is parochial vicar.

For additional information: call Craig Jaynes, director of music, at 937-675-7055 or via the website: www.stcolmanmusic.org.