Our organist and choirmaster Nick Behrens passed away Monday. We loved him dearly and his loss is and will be felt in ways we can’t adequately express in words.
Nick at the console in the choir loft at St. Cecilia Cathedral, May 2023.
From Deacon Ron Reno:
I have received more information about plans for Nick’s Requiem Mass from his family and from his friend James Pierson.
Vigil (Wake) and visitation will be 5-7pm on Tuesday August 5th at the Forest Lawn Funeral Home. Words from 1928 BCP “Order of the Burial of the Dead” will be said at 7pm.
The Requiem Mass will be on Wednesday, August 6th at 10:00a.m. The location will be the Boys Town Chambers Chapel. The Chapel has a wonderful pipe organ. Father Tom Hurley, former Dean at Trinity Episcopal Church, will preside over this Mass. Jerry Kaminksi will be the organist with many of Nick’s choir friends singing.
God willing, after Mass, Father Andrews will finish up the service from the BCP at the grave site at Forest Lawn.
Family and friends can meet at the Cultural Center at Saint Cecilia Cathedral after the graveside service
I am sure Nick would approve of all the music chosen by his family and his friend Jerry. I’m sure Julia and Lynda have a lot to say about the music chosen honoring our dear organist. Our small church family loved Nick and he made our choir great. Julia, Julie and Lynda loved Nick more than I possibly could understand. We love our choir. This earth was a much better place with Nick doing God’s work on it. This loss will be a big change for our small group. Nick was special. May he rest in peace and “we know” he did God’s work on this earth.
I knew Nick from when I visited St Barnabas to present at the Anglican Breviary Retreat in 2007 and 2008. He was a skilled organist and a committed Anglo-Catholic. May the angels lead him into Paradise and may he, with all the faithful departed, have eternal rest.