Ministry of Music and the Arts
Daivd Spicer, Minister of Music and the Arts • 860.529.1575, x209
Linda Henderson, Associate • x209 • music@firstchurch.org
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We have three areas of service. The first is that of nurturing through worship. Every Sunday the traditional and Wind services have offered our very best to enhance our services of worship. This area of our ministry is one that works in tandem with the preaching ministers and the theme for each Sunday. What a joy it is to hear the singing of hymns in the Meetinghouse and of praise choruses in the Wind service!
The second area is that of Christian education. Our rehearsals tend to delve into the great biblical truths that are the basis of our songs. Once a Scripture has been learned and sung, it tends to become part of our being.
The third area is that of outreach to the community. We had capacity attendees for the Destiny Africa Children’s Choir, Christmas Concert, and Super Bell XIX. Offerings from the Destiny Africa concert were donated to their orphanage, and because of our generous grant from the Reinfrank family, the offering from the Christmas Concert was given—in the tradition of Handel—to Compassion International’s Child Survival Program. In the 1750s, George Frideric Handel gave “Messiah” proceeds to an orphanage in London. Our concerts are a wonderful way to invite guests who may be drawn to attend worship with our congregation. The beauty of Christmas Eve and the splendor of Easter, well saturated with the Word and the music, will always be mountaintop experiences to many of us!
Of great importance to me is the Albert Schweitzer Organ Festival. The young organists who are selected to come and compete, and the judges themselves, have often been inspired to “go and do likewise” in their careers. We have even had feedback that being at First Church of Christ and experiencing the energy that they felt here was a pivotal time in their decision to become ministers of music.
The second area is that of Christian education. Our rehearsals tend to delve into the great biblical truths that are the basis of our songs. Once a Scripture has been learned and sung, it tends to become part of our being.
The third area is that of outreach to the community. We had capacity attendees for the Destiny Africa Children’s Choir, Christmas Concert, and Super Bell XIX. Offerings from the Destiny Africa concert were donated to their orphanage, and because of our generous grant from the Reinfrank family, the offering from the Christmas Concert was given—in the tradition of Handel—to Compassion International’s Child Survival Program. In the 1750s, George Frideric Handel gave “Messiah” proceeds to an orphanage in London. Our concerts are a wonderful way to invite guests who may be drawn to attend worship with our congregation. The beauty of Christmas Eve and the splendor of Easter, well saturated with the Word and the music, will always be mountaintop experiences to many of us!
Of great importance to me is the Albert Schweitzer Organ Festival. The young organists who are selected to come and compete, and the judges themselves, have often been inspired to “go and do likewise” in their careers. We have even had feedback that being at First Church of Christ and experiencing the energy that they felt here was a pivotal time in their decision to become ministers of music.
— David Spicer, Minister of Music and the Arts
We are a community
of Jesus followers
who love God, love one another,
and make disciples.