Music Ministries

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Messiah's Music Ministry is

Called by God and led by the Spirit

to

Facilitate Christ-centered worship

through

Sacramental music

that

Renews and strengthens God’s people

to

Go forth into the world

Messiah incorporates a wide variety of music styles and genres within its Saturday and Sunday services and worship life. These include traditional Episcopal/Anglican and protestant liturgical music and hymnody, current popular styles, world music, gospel and more. We regularly use a wide variety of instrumentation including pipe organ, piano, guitars, flute, keyboard synthesizer, drums and percussion, brass and stringed instruments.

Our goal is to enhance worship and the assembled people’s participation. Messiah has a tradition of strong and full participation from the congregation in worship and song. We strive for quality and genuine expression in musical presentation and our role is primarily that of worship leaders rather than performers.

There are many opportunities for involvement within one of our established groups or as a special music presentation (soloist, small group, etc.).

Sunday Worship Band/Instrumental Ensemble

This group plays a critical role in leading music at the Sunday worship services. It consists primarily of adults and varies in size and instrumentation. It always includes our two staff musicians on keyboard, guitar, and vocals, and often includes flute, drums and percussion, violin, and bass guitar. It has a devoted core of volunteers who play most weeks, but is open to instrumentalists who can play on a regular or periodic basis.

  • Age Requirement: Teens and Adults
  • Rehearsal time: Thursday afternoons from 4:30 - 6:00 p.m.
  • Plays: various group constellations play for the Sunday 8:30 & 11 worship services and other special services (year-round)
  • Contact: Jeff Kidder

Festival Choir

A seasonal choir that forms three times per year around the highest feast days & seasons, Advent/Christmas, Lent/Easter & Pentecost. The first two sessions each last approximately 8 weeks and the final one is very brief (2 weeks). This is the primary choir opportunity at Messiah and consists of 12-20, mostly adult, voices. We sing a varied repertoire from classical to contemporary and need voices from all sections, but especially soprano & alto.

  • Age requirement: 9th grade and older
  • Rehearsal time: Wednesday evenings from 6:30-8:00pm (when in session)
  • Sings: Anthems at the 8:30 and 11 services approximately every other week (November through December & March & April)
  • Contact: Jeff Kidder (Director)

Sunday Quartets

Vocal quartets are scheduled in the fall (Sept/Oct) and again in January & February before the Festival Choir sessions begin. Various individuals sign up and form quartets to provide special music and vocal leadership Sunday morning worship services.

  • Rehearsals: Wednesday evenings, 7:00 - 8:00 p.m.
  • Sings: Each Sunday at 8:30 & 11 a.m.  until Festival Choir begins (often a different quartet forming for each Sunday)
  • Contact: Jeff Kidder

Youth Worship Band

A relatively new group of instrumentalists and singers who lead worship at the monthly youth Praise and Worship night. You don’t have to commit for the whole year to be a part of the youth worship team, but you must come to both practices in a given month to lead worship at the following Praise and Worship night. (Paul may make some rare exceptions to this rule, but don’t count on it!)

  • Age requirement: Jr. & Sr. High
  • Rehearsals: Two Sunday nights per month (preceding the Wednesday night Youth Praise and Worship events) from 7:00 - 8:30 p.m.
  • Contact: Paul Johnson (Director)

Children's Music

Although there is not currently a Children's Choir program, Messiah has a number of music and worship opportunities built into its regular programming for children, including the Good Shepherd Sunday School Program and Sunday Childrens' Chapel.

Special Music

Vocalists and instrumentalists provide special music offerings for Sunday worship services on a periodic basis. These could be solos, duets, small groups, etc. during the Prelude or Offertory or perhaps adding special instrumental accompaniment for congregational hymns or choir anthems.

  • Age Requirement: All ages
  • Contact: Jeff Kidder

Summer Family Choir

It’s called "Family Choir" because it's open to individuals of all ages and something many families could do together.  Each Sunday during July, we gather at 10:20, rehearse the song/anthem we'll sing for that Sunday and sing it at the 11:00 service. Since we’ll focus mostly on the piece for that day, you’re free to join just for one Sunday or come to some or all of them if you’d like.

  • Age: families & children (Kindergarten and up, reading skills helpful)
  • Rehearsal: 10:20 - 10:50 a.m. each Sunday during July
  • Sings: Sundays in July at the 11:00 a.m. service
  • Contact: Jeff Kidder