Music and Worship Arts Report
The third quarter of each year is always a fun mixture of wrapping summer activities and worship planning with the challenge of planning and organizing for the fall season and Christmas to seeing those plans begin to be implemented in September. July, August and September are busy!
In July 23 of us attended Music and Worship Arts Camp at Eagle Eyrie sponsored by the Virginia Baptist Resource Center. Children from grades 4 -10 attended under the supervision of Judy Fiske, Bonnie Bailey, Peggy Strong, John Burgess and Paul Lian. The group was divided between two choirs, Alpha, grades 4-6 and Omega, grades 6-9. Kekoa Burgess attended camp in a leadership track, Delta Track. Everyone learned a lot of music, singing and playing. It was a wonderful experience for both youth and adults. A special thank you goes to everyone who donated money to help make attendance at this camp possible.
The Sanctuary Choir, ensembles and soloists made the worship services during the month of August a special event each week. The services in August each centered on a hymn or a group of hymns. The different hymns were sung by the congregation and by ensembles. The background of the hymns was shared in the service. We also were gifted a large amount of music and a wonderful large folder cabinet by Patterson Ave. Baptist as they disbanded their congregation in August. The end of the month of August was spent in preparation and construction of the large art project for use in the Sanctuary in September. The theme of “Looking Backwards-Walking Forward” was chosen and the large collage of pictures from our history and current experience was created and placed in the sanctuary to be an integral part of worship for the fall. The youth group worked really hard on this project.
In September all of the choirs began again. Sanctuary Choir began on September 6th and the children’s choirs began on September 13. The Youth Worship Arts Ensemble began on October 1. The Preschool Choir is being led by Helen Davidson and Larry Allen, the 1st-2nd grade choir is being led by Judy Fiske and Kathy McGraw with frequent help from Susan Braden, the 3rd-5th grade choir is being led by Jessica Corbitt and Terry Witt. Ron Simmons, Judy Fiske and Marty Watkin are leading the Youth Worship Arts program. Each of these groups has between 15-22 participants. We are busy! If you are interested in a music group please contact Judy and we will connect you with a choir.
Ryan Corbitt continues to provide amazing leadership from the piano each Sunday morning as well as wonderful accompaniments on both the piano and guitar. He has spent a large amount of time this year enlarging his piano teaching/tuning/sales business with a new location on the “other” end of Grove Ave. His business is operating at a new location in the area of Libbie and Grove as well as here at the church. He spends a lot of time encouraging young and old musicians.
Ron Simmons and Terry Witt provide strong leadership in the Sanctuary Choir and in the children’s and youth music program. They are the steady and strong voices that allow our volunteer Sanctuary Choir members the flexibility to come and go without leaving us singer-less on Sunday mornings. They work hard to make sure that we present the best possible music with the groups of singers we have available each week.
We are all looking forward to the next quarter as Christmas is coming!! We are all rehearsing Christmas music and preparing to lead worship and sing concerts. Plan now to join us. If you want to sing it is not too late to join us!
Judy Fiske
Minister of Music/Worship/Organist
