Choirs

Valley Gospel Singers

The Valley Gospel Singers sing at the church worship service the first Sunday of each month with an hour practice the Wednesday evening before at 7 PM. Everyone is welcome to sing with them to the Glory of God. It’s only a 2 hour a month commitment. Come ALL!

The Cherub Choir and Praise Team fill our worship services with music each Sunday. Each choir offers the opportunity for people of all ages to share their musical gifts during worship.

 

The Praise Team

Ah, it’s the most wonderful time of the year! I’m one of those people who could listen to Christmas music as soon as the weather turns cool, but I leave it off of the radio at work until at least the first of December, which it should be by the time this hits the newsstand. Hooray!! Of course, that makes sense given that I’ve been working on Christmas-related activities since late summer. I let Pastor Steve know that I don’t normally sit in the church office for hours at a time- just at Christmas, which, like I said, starts pretty early for me.

Sunday, December 2^nd the Praise Team will be performing at the Winona Brass Band Christmas concert, for the second year in a row! This year they have the additional privilege of joining Mariah Ciangiola, RP alum now professional New York performer, for a number. The RP Valley Dancers will also be featured in Praise Team’s portion of the concert, giving the kids the opportunity to work with all manner of different performers! The coolest part is of course that they will be proclaiming the love of God as manifested through Christ’s birth to an entire auditorium full of people! Certainly, many Christians in the bunch, but in a mixed crowd such as that, I can guarantee that hearts will be moved that least expected it. I am incredibly proud of the Praise Team and how hard they are willing to work. Often, we have a song with no real sheet music- just chords and a vision, and together we make that happen. Although a ton of credit needs to go to Bruce Darr for his musical mentorship to not only his children, but the entire group. Also, his technological prowess, of which I have none. So, his contribution is very valued! As are all the contributions of his beautiful wife Tina- especially her brownies. J  All of the PT parents deserve our thanks for their support and especially their flexibility at this hectic time of year. If not for their dedication, these kids wouldn’t be able to do what they do.

                Also exciting is the RLC Christmas program, taking place on December 16^th at 3:30. The annual endeavor stars the 5^th grade class as the lead roles in the show, with the younger kids providing their musical talents and smiles. This year’s program is a bit different. This was a tough decision for me, as I tend toward a rather serious and honorable depiction of our Savior’s birth. Somehow, I came up with the wacky idea that we should do something different this year, and here we are doing a 40’s-style radio show called “Broadcasting Christmas”. The kids were thrilled because they didn’t have to memorize any lines, and they get to use all kinds of fun and noisy props. We’ve been having a lot of fun putting it together, and I hope that the joy is so infectious that the congregation is all smiles for the whole show!

                I suspect my favorite part of the season will be Christmas Eve. The Praise Team is going to be doing the 10:00 Candlelight service for the first time. We have gotten quite an arsenal of Christmas songs under our belts by this time, so I’m excited to see how many songs we can incorporate into the service. This has always been my favorite service, and now it will be moreso than ever.

                Whichever services and programs you’re able to attend this season, please never let the wonder and the joy of the incarnation drift far from your mind. Treasure the wonder, treasure each other. Merry Christmas to all, and a blessed finish to 2018.

Blessings & love, Kristin