Nov
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Christ Episcopal Church Music

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Christ Church Stroudsburg Choir

Service Music
The service music is primarily drawn from the Episcopal Hymnal of 1982. Recently it has been supplemented by another Episcopal hymnal Worship, Wonder, Love, and Praise. These documents provide a wide selection of music for any occasion and are almost certain to include at least one of your favorite hymns. One interesting aspect of Christ Church’s musical tradition has been the incorporation of a wide variety of musical instruments and performers in the service. In recent years the congregation has been blessed with music from harp, recorder, piano, trumpet, flute, guitar and even finger cymbals. Sometimes these instruments have been used to accent the performance of the Choral Choir. Other times they have been showcased with solo performances. Similarly, vocal soloists and small groups have been used to add a special touch to the service.

Organ
The center piece of most church music is the organ. Christ Church maintains a traditional pipe organ that was constructed in 1969. This is a modest instrument of 603 pipes, supported by trumpets, horns and other solo instruments. Its four octave range allows it cover a wealth of music from classical composers such as Bach and Beethoven to more modern composers. Like most church organs, its primary function is supporting the singing of hymns by the congregation and anthems by the choir. While the organ performs these tasks in a richness that is marvelous to behold, it is perhaps most beautiful when used unaccompanied to play the prelude and postlude that surround the service.

Handbell Choir
handbells.jpg A special treat for the congregation is a performance of the Handbell Choir.This dedicated group of amateurs practices for months in order to learn a handful of songs for a single service. A handbell performance has been justifiably described as the “ultimate experience in teamwork” as each ringer learns to synchronize his or her movements to the rest of the choir down to a tiny fraction of a second. Moreover, some of the bells are large enough to require two hands to swing.The result of their perseverance is a sound that can only be described as angelic.The choir rehearses Sunday afternoons after Coffee Hour.

Choral Choir
choral_choir.jpg The singing of the congregation is lead by a traditional choral choir. This diverse group of men and women includes talented high school students, retired professional musicians and enthusiastic amateurs. Their dedication to the music of the service is most visible during the offering as each week they sing another glorious anthem; ranging from the bold tones of Bach to the mellow notes of an African American spiritual. The choir refreshes their memories with Sunday morning rehearsal at 9:00 AM and learns following the 10:00 AM service on Sunday.