Our St. John’s Adult Music Program
Music at St John’s UCC takes a variety of forms; it has been and remains a vital part of our worship life. Our 10:15 am worship service provide a wide variety of sacred music from classical to traditional to contemporary, including a prelude and postlude on the organ or piano, three hymns from The New Century Hymnal or ‘classic’ traditional hymns printed in the bulletin, sung prayer responses, our doxology, and selections by one or more of our many vocal or instrumental choirs. You are invited to share your talents! Our Wednesday evening service features 2 hymns.
To contact our Minister of Music, Andrew Paulson: email: andrew@st-johns-ucc.org
About Our Choirs
St. John’s has a variety of choirs for vocal and instrumental talents! Scroll down this page & learn about opportunities to participate in vocal and instrumental choirs!
For singers, The adult Chancel Choir helps to lead worship three to four times a month and practices every Wednesday at 7:30 pm. The choir presents a diverse collection of pieces ranging from the Renaissance to the 21st century, with composers of color, members of the LGBTQIA+ community, and women represented, along with current and classical mainstays. For those singers who cannot make a weekly rehearsal and worship service commitment, there are opportunities for ‘friends’ of the choir to join them for seasonal or specific performances. There are also many opportunities for soloists or small groups to sing during worship, especially in the summer months.
Choir Rehearsal Schedules (September to May)
Wednesday Evenings
6:45 PM United Ringers – Intergenerational Hand bell/Chime Choir which plays about one Sunday each month except Summer. There is no experience needed – come out & learn to play!
7:30 PM Chancel Choir Adult four-part singers – sing 3-4 Sundays each month except Summer
7:30 PM Friends of the Chancel Choir (Seasonal) Sing with the Chancel Choir for Artist Series Concerts & Seasonal Events. Singers who are not already participating in the Chancel Choir are welcome to join the Friends of the Chancel Choir. The Friends will be participating in Christmas and Spring concerts. Watch for announcements of when they will be meeting.
Sundays – Rehearsals Between Services on selected Sundays
St. John’s Brass (occasional) – Play at selected worship services.
St. John’s Wind Ensemble (occasional) Play at selected worship services.
St. John’s Dixieland Band (occasional) Play at selected worship services.
The Uke-arists (Ukelele Ensemble) (occasional) Play at selected worship services.
Summer Music – A variety of soloists, duos, and groups. If you are unable to participate in a choir during the year, consider volunteering your talents for a summer service!
There are many worship opportunities for instrumentalists to play in ensembles or as soloists. We’ve featured brass groups, guitar and marimba solos, piano and organ solos, and we have regular performances by our St. John’s Brass, Wind Ensemble and our Dixieland Jazz Band, and we’re always open to new musical experiences. Our music ministers are eager not only to share their musical gifts but also to encourage others to develop and share their musical gifts with the congregation. Again, we feature an especially diversified musical program during the summer months when our choirs are on vacation, especially solo vocalists and instrumentalists who are unable to attend weekly rehearsals during the year or who want to do ‘something different’ with their talents on a summer Sunday.
About Our Schultz Memorial Organ – Renovated in 2017
Choirs have been part our worship tradition for generations – pictured below is St. John’s Chancel Choir in the early 1950’s, when our sanctuary was new.
If you like live music performances in a wide variety of styles, make sure to join us for concerts on selected Sunday afternoons throughout the year in our Artist Series that is a collection and gathering of gifted individuals for a variety of music of varying backgrounds. For the current schedule, see our Artist Series website: https://www.stjohnsartistseries.org/
“Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth.
Worship the Lord with gladness; come into his presence with singing. Know that the Lord is God. It is he that made us, and we are his; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise. Give thanks to him, bless his name. For the Lord is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations.” Psalm 100 (NRSV)