The new year always brings along a mixed bag of emotions for me. The exhaustion and relief from all the preparation leading up to Christmas culminating in the euphoric high of our Midnight Mass celebration. The joy of celebrating the holidays with family and friends, dampened a bit by the challenge of grandkids living on the opposite coast. The contentment from a busy year past, filled with life-affirming achievements and new memories made for the years ahead.
Then there is the excitement of a new year of possibilities and promises. A time to reflect on where I have been and where I still want to go. This year, for the first time, our church in Keene celebrated a Rorate Caeli Mass which translates as “Drop down, O Heavens”. It begins just before dawn, with the church lit only by candles, symbolizing Mary, then culminates with the first rays of sunlight, signifying the coming of Christ into the world. The music is exclusively chanted with no organ or other instruments. While it is very different from most of our weekend worship, many parishioners commented on how much they were moved by the Mass – by the simple, unified focus on one single thought – the birth of Christ.
I hope the New Year finds you in good health, rested after the busy holiday season and ready to tackle your own challenges for 2026. Our NH AGO chapter has some very exciting events planned for the months ahead, which you can read about elsewhere in the Cypher. In addition, there is a great set of workshops planned by one of our sister chapters, the Merrimack AGO, which you might find both entertaining and enlightening. We are off to a great start and hope to see you at many of these wonderful events.
Our Orgelkids program continues to host workshops throughout the state, under the leadership of Mary Ann Fleming. These are great opportunities to expose and educate individuals to the organ that we hope will lead to greater interest in the instrument for both performing and maintaining. For anyone who has witnessed one of these workshops, the enthusiasm and engagement of the participants, particularly with children, is unmistakable. If you would be interested in hosting an event in your area, please reach out to Mary Ann and she will put you in touch with your County Coordinator to help arrange a workshop.
Lastly, at the January meeting of the Executive Committee, we had an extensive discussion about how we can make the AGO more meaningful to you, our members. We are exploring ideas like regional member recitals, small group social gatherings and workshops to help improve our organ playing and, for those that use them, choral directing skills. Stay tuned for more information on these ideas as we solidify these ideas.
May your new year be filled with many opportunities to grow, to connect with each other in meaningful ways and to enjoy the beauty and joy of the King of Instruments!
Jon Farina, Dean
Jon Farina, Dean
New Hampshire Chapter AGO