The Cherub Choir is open to children from Kindergarten to 2nd grade.  Rehearsals take place immediately following Sunday worship in the downstairs 7th and 8th grade classroom for around a half hour, directed by Jennifer Wenderoth.  This fun group sings in church about once a month, and all children in this age bracket are encouraged to participate!

The Choristers are comprised of children from grades 3-9.  Rehearsals are conducted in the undercroft of the church from 11:30-12:00 by Nathan Bayreuther.  They sing in church once or twice a month.

The Adult Choir is not just for the elders of the church!  Open to grades 10 and up, rehearsals are Thursday evenings from 7:00 to 8:30.  While basic musical knowledge is certainly helpful, all those who have an interest in advanced singing are welcome.  They sing in church weekly. 

THANK YOU TO OUR LENT AND EASTER MUSICIANS!

I would like to thank everyone for their hard work and their music during Lent and Easter.  This includes the Five Friday Lenten Concert Series organists (David Warfield, Jesse Glaude, Simon Holt, and tenor Richard Donohue), the Adult Choir, the Choristers and Cherubs, the Easter musicians (percussionist Chris Kent and trumpeter Ken Dreier), and the many people who sang solos or in small groups.  Thank you!

Handbell Choir

NEW HANDBELL ROTATION SCHEDULE!!! 

A number of people have approached me who want to play handbells but are unable to commit to a permanent year-long schedule.  Therefore, I’m trying something new: a handbell rotation schedule.  Each rotation consists of four Tuesday night practices ending in a Sunday performance.  This means that anyone is able to sign up for however many rotations in which you’d like to participate!  For instance, perhaps you can only commit to one rotation – that’s fine.  Perhaps you can commit to a bunch of rotations – that’s fine, too.  You are welcome to sign up for as many or as little rotations that fit into your personal schedule!

Here is the schedule until June: 

Rotation 1:      

            Tues. April 15^th, 7:30 – practice

            Tues. April 22^nd, 7:30 – practice

            Tues. April 29^th, 7:30 – practice

            Tues. May 6^th, 7:30 – practice

            Sunday, May 11^th – play in church

Rotation 2:

            Tues. May 13^th, 7:30 – workshop with Jane Nolan

            Tues. May 20^th, 7:30 – practice

            Tues. May 27^th, 7:30 – practice

            Tues. June 3^rd, 7:30 – practice

            Sunday, June 8^th – play in church

Jane Nolan, founder and director of the Shoreline Ringers, will be giving a Handbell workshop on Tuesday, May 13th at 7:30pm. Although this date falls on the first practice of the second rotation, anyone who has an interest in handbells is invited to take part in the church undercroft. Please let Nathan know. Jane will be following up the workshop later in the week with a Handbell concert with the Shoreline Ringers on Friday, May 16th at 7:30 pm. There will be a free-will donation collected, and you are invited to come and listen to the beautiful and inspiring sound of a massive five octaves of handbells (over 60 bells)! It is rare to hear so many bells played at once, and I can guarantee it will be an experience you will remember.

Here are a few things to keep in mind:

-          Because each ringer is just as important as the next, attendance is crucial (as our current handbell ringers will tell you)!  One Tuesday night absence within a rotation is okay, but if you know you cannot make more than one Tuesday night, perhaps you should look at another rotation schedule that works a little better for your calendar.

-          The ability to read music is a huge advantage, but not necessarily a requirement to participate.

-          The handbell rotations are available to anyone over the age of 12.

-          Each rotation needs a minimum of 7 and a maximum of 12 ringers.

Handbells are so much fun to play, and even if you can only commit to a single rotation for an entire year, I encourage you to give it a try.  Sign-up sheets for the rotations are on the music bulletin board in Angela Hubley Hall.

I hope you sign up!

YET MORE HANDBELLS – WE’RE GETTING OUR OWN SET!!! 

Since January, we have been using a borrowed set of handbells from the First Congregational Church of New London.  Thanks to the Memorials Commission, we will be able to have our very own bells!  It was approved at the end of February, and on March 12^th, the order was placed to procure three octaves of handbells (37 total) from the Schulmerich handbell company in Pennsylvania.  We should receive them (along with many extras like padded carrying cases, gloves, cleaning cloths and maintenance supplies) around mid-June!