Music Notes
The gift for me as the Music Coordinator is to observe the start-to-finish preparation of music.
The focus choral piece on Christmas Eve was a special request from Pastor Kimberly, who often is pulling from her memory bank of music from the past that would be “really great” for the Bible story/passage coming up. Sometimes it is a current piece in mainstream contemporary music. At times, it is instantly intimidating or hard to imagine how it will fit in and be implemented, from my perspective as the accompanist and choir’s wide breadth of music skills. My gift was in observing how Aimee Backus, our choir director, took the challenge and choreographed it into reality. The choir became willing voices who got into the cheerful and practical coaching of Aimee. No choir member is really shy about expressing their opinions but it came together and it was a revelation of thinking outside of the box and leaving no choir member behind, regardless of skill level. It happens all the time.
More photos from our worship services are in our Worship. and Christmas Eve Google Photo albums.
Philip Hazen Westcott follows a similar path in the bell choir anthems as he navigates many levels of ability, time commitment, and themes of the worship service. Some members are in both the Bell Choir and Vocal Choir.
Phil, Aimee, Cathy Ciganek, David Williams, and Elikem Nyamuame all join in with creative hymn augmentation and improvising. Every Sunday is different. The gift to our congregation and to each of us who are in music leadership is that we explore the sacred within each worship service and nothing is really mundane.
The power of change — trying new ways to tell the classic Bible stories, allowing a “far out” idea to come together in experiment, often through music — is evident through comments and conversations that we as music leadership are privileged to witness. Each person speaks of feeling inspired and valued as they contribute to music in worship, regardless of their personal music training or ability. Music gives us expression, hope, joy, and a special message of belonging in this world. The music team invites you to be a part of us, and learn but best of all create music with us!
—Rebecca Mebert, Music Coordinator
“These are a few of my favorite things…”
Do you have music that you would love to hear at church? Please contact Becky Mebert, Phil Westcott, or Aimee Backus at music@upcbgm.org if you have a favorite song or hymn that you’d like to share with the choir and the whole congregation! We are always taking suggestions and recommendations and would love to hear from you!