Be A Disciple: Serve in the Festival Choir

Have you been listening to the sermons about the Six Marks of Discipleship and wondering where you might be able to serve at St. Mark's? Perhaps you could serve by singing in the Festival Choir! Our committed group of singers meets in the music suite on Wednesday evenings at 7:30 where we rehearse to support the church's song. In addition to the hymns and liturgy, we learn a repertoire that covers a a wide variety of music: plainsong, renaissance polyphony, English cathedral, music from the German tradition, spirituals, and music by living composers.

The choir sings each Sunday, alternating between the 8:30 and 11:00 a.m. worship services. (On major feast days, we sing at both services.) We're on our summer break now, but rehearsals will begin August 26th so that we will be in place for Rally Day.

If you are considering joining the choir and have questions, contact Tony Cruz or any choir member.

Photo: The Festival Choir annual Advent photo from 2008 by Bill Daugherty

Sewanee Church Music Conference - A Taste of Things to Come

Many of you have heard me say what I believe our lives will be like once Jesus returns to establish his kingdom on earth. It's a glorious vision of choir practices by day and concert and worship services by night! That's part of the appeal of the Sewanee Church Music Conference at the University of the South in Sewanee Tennessee - because they already live that way! (Many of you will remember that this is where Nancy R. -who grew up at St. Mark's - went to college.

A good part of the day was spent in rehearsals with Thomas Foster (Parish Musician at Epiphany Episcopal Parish in Seattle Washington) and Dr. Janette Fishell (Professor of Organ and Chair of the Organ Department at the Jacobs School of Music at Indiana University). The purpose of these rehearsals was to prepare for a Friday Choral Evensong (vespers) and a Sunday Morning service of Eucharist. My favorite piece was "If Ye Love Me" by Philip Wilby. I've ordered it for our choir and believe it will become a staple of our repertoire. (The piece is available on ITunes if you'd like to give it a listen.)

All Saints Chapel on the University Campus is an incredible space for choral music, especially when that music has been prepared by 120 musicians dedicated to leading the best worship possible. The church seemed full of our Magnificats and Glorias in a way that can't be described. It was uplifting and worshipful in a way I simply cannot describe.

There were also workshops to attend on Psalm singing, organ performance, choral techniques, and more.

I have attended this conference before, but the last time was in 2003. Still, I was able to reconnect with old friends and make some new ones. There were several people from Jacksonville that I knew, including one of my former organ teachers.

Until Jesus returns, it's nice to get away to the Sewanee Church Music Conference now and again!

If you would like to see more pictures, they are available on my FaceBook page at:

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2028678&id=1473301698&l=10b6205de7

Pictures: Me with Russell, Lawrence, and Chip. Me with Fay L. and Bill P. (my former organ teacher), an inside view of All Saints Chapel.