• Music Director: Mary-Jo Bedsworth
• Alternate Worship Director: Laura Hein
• Handbell Director: Dave Newell
• Instrumental Music Director: David Ingalls

Message from the Music Director Choirs Instrumental Program

Music Office (Choir Room): 410-647-1679

Message from the Music Director

The music program at Our Shepherd is a very active and vital area in our church's life. The main purpose of the program is to provide music leadership for our worship service. However, participation in the program also provides participants with the opportunity for Christian fellowship and learning.

The music program consists of several key parts:

• our six different choirs alternate to lead our worship
• our handbells and instrumental groups provide additional music and accompaniment to hymns and anthems.
• our alternative worship provides an additional type of worship for our members mid-week, and is planning to add additional singing opportunities for our members.

All of these groups are available for your participation. Previous musical experience is not a requirement! In addition, we have a summer music program which provides special music for the summer months when the choirs take a well deserved break.

It is our hope that after looking over what our program offers, you will seriously consider participating in one or more aspects of the program.

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Choirs

The following choirs are available for your participation:

• Cherub Choir - This choir is offered to our children who are age 4 through first grade. They rehearse on Wednesday evenings from 5:45 to 6:15 P.M. Since this is the first experience in choir for this age group, the children work on matching pitches, singing fun songs, movement, and of course, preparing an anthem to sing at least once a month in church. In addition to singing alone, they also occasionally join with the Junior Choir for an anthem for worship.
• Junior Choir - This choir is offered to our children who are in grade 1 through and including grade 5. They rehearse on Wednesday evenings from 6:00 to 6:30 P.M. Even though these children work very hard to prepare anthems to sing twice a month, they also enjoy singing fun songs and doing activities, to help learn about their voices and how to use them. They also become familiar with the hymnal, so that they can follow the service on Sundays. This group often combines with the Youth Choir to sing at worship.
• Youth Choir - This choir is offered to the youth of our church who are in grade 6 and above. They rehearse on Wednesday evenings from 6:45 to 7:30 P.M. This choir generally sings alone at least once a month. a month. However, occasionally they join with the Junior Choir or one of our adult choirs to do a combined anthem for worship.

  Primary, Junior and Youth Choirs sing on a regularly scheduled basis at either the 8:30 or 11:00 A.M. service. Advance notice of their schedule is provided so that arrangements can be made to have choir members attend the service at which they are scheduled to sing.

• Senior Choir - This choir is one of two adult choirs which regularly leads worship at the 11:00 A.M. service. They rehearse Thursday evenings at 8:00 P.M. in the choir room. New members are always welcome to join.
• Chancel Choir - This choir is the other of the two adult choirs which regularly leads worship on the first and third Sundays of the month at the 8:30 A.M. service. They rehearse on Sunday mornings in the choir room immediately following the first service. New members are also welcome in this choir at any time.
  
• Men's Choir - The newest addition to our music program is our Men's Choir. This group previously met only during the summer months and into September until Choir rehearsals resume.. This fall, Men's Choir was added to our regular weekly rehearsal schedule singing every several weeks and also for special occasions. Rehearsals are Thursday evenings from 7:15 to 8:00 p.m.

  Senior, Chancel and Men's Choirs are open to all confirmed members. Previous musical experience is not a requirement.

  For special occasions, the members of our two adult choirs join together to lead worship. These occasions include Thanksgiving, Christmas, Ash Wednesday, Maundy Thursday, Easter Sunday, and Church Music Sunday.

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Instrumental Program

Our instrumental program was established to provide instrumental accompaniments to anthems and hymns, as well as instrumental music for our worship service. If you play an instrument and are interested in being part of the instrumental program, see Dave Ingalls or Mary-Jo Bedsworth.

The following instrumental programs are available for your participation:

• Brass Ensemble - The brass ensemble rehearses Sunday nights at 7:00 PM. This group provides special service music as well as accompaniment for hymns and anthems for festival and special services.
• Handbell Program - The handbell program is a firmly established part of our music program. The Adult Handbell Choir rehearses each Thursday at 6:45 P.M. They generally play once a month for church. Anyone interested in ringing is asked to contact Mary-Jo Bedsworth or Dave Newell.

  
  Additional Program Offerings

• WOW - Worship on Wednesdays - The success of our Wednesday Choir Night has led to an expansion of this program. Beginning in October and running through May, there are opportunities for choir participation for for ages 3 through Senior high school, fellowship and dinner for all, opportunities for Bible study for all ages, a storytime for our youngest members, as well as Alternative Worship at the end of the evening.
• Wednesday Choir Mothers and Fathers - The parents of our Children's Choirs regularly assist in the robing and lining up of our Children's Choirs on the Sunday Mornings when they sing. In addition, we ask for help in the pews on Sunday morning, as the director is usually on the opposite side of the Sanctuary. Due to the number of participants, parents usually will only need to sign up once or twice.
• Summer Music Program - This program provides special music for our Sunday morning worship during the summer months. We schedule soloists, duets, small and large groups, as well as instrumental groups. This has added a special touch to our summer worship while our choirs have a few months off.

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