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“Notes” from the
Director of Music
Come to Choir
Rehearsal on Wednesday Evening to see all the fun!!
2011 Christmas Cantata Information:
Dear Fellow Choir Members and Music Lovers:
Fall is upon us and thoughts will soon be turning to the Christmas Season. I
want to take this opportunity to thank all of those who made last year’s
cantata, “On This Very Night” such a success! Directing these ecumenical
cantatas has turned out to be some of the most enjoyable experiences of my
life and I’m so excited to do it once again this year. This year we will be
doing the Cantata
“Merry Christmas” by Don Wyrtzen and Phil & Lynne Brower. The date for the
show is Sunday, December 4th at 7:30 P.M.
We will once again be accompanied by the Zion Festival Orchestra and will
also be doing “Joyful and Triumphant”, a great choral work with orchestral
accompaniment.
It is my hope that the ecumenical choir that we get together every year for
this event will continue to grow. Last year we had over 70 members that
represented over 20 churches and groups. It is my dream this year to have
enough participants to extend our singers into the balcony! “Merry
Christmas” is a creative cantata having the story of the birth of our
Savior, Jesus Christ, told by a “host” and a grandfather and enhanced with
beautiful music. It is upbeat and contemporary. Once again, I encourage you
to invite your friends to join us in singing! No experience is necessary!
Rehearsals for the cantata are as follows: Wednesday- Oct. 26th at 8:30 pm.
Thursday- Nov. 3rd at 7:30 p.m.
Tuesday-November 8th at 7:30 p.m.
Wednesday- Nov. 16th at 8:30 p.m.
Sunday-November 20th at 3:00 p.m.
Tuesday, Nov. 22nd at 7:30 p.m.
Thurs. -December 1st at 7:30 p.m.
Sunday-December 4th at 3:00 p.m.
I am sincerely looking forward to working with you all! Please fill out the
attached form and return it to me as soon as possible so I can make sure I
have enough music for everyone! Also, please note that you are welcome to
invite friends who are not members of your church or a church choir at all.
We want this cantata to be a great way for music lovers to get together and
share in the joy of music. Please feel free to contact me at any of numbers
listed above if you have any questions or concerns.
Sincerely,
Brad Cressley
Christmas Eve Photos:
  
Click on Photos for a larger view!
"iT'S aLL aBOUT THE
WORDS"
It seems everyone these days has a
"catch phrase". My wife, Beth's most current one is "It's all about
the words". As she listens to her favorite songs, she always says,
"it's all about the words." I'm sure this is a bone of contention
between musicians and lyricists, but she has a point. Monthly I will
be posting a music link that I agree is "all about the words."
Laura Story's
song "Grace" is a wonderful song with such deep meaning! Enjoy!
Grace
The following article appeared in the
Times News.
Twenty-one churches participate in event at Zion UCC
By RON GOWER rgower@tnonline.com
They made a joyful noise unto the Lord last night in Zion United Church of
Christ, Lehighton.
Singers from choirs of 21 churches combined for a cantata, with the program
filling nearly the capacity the massive auditorium of Zion UCC.
Entitled "On This Very Night," the cantata had selections by the ecumenical
choir, by soloists, and, of course, audience participation.
The narration was by Doc Holiday and Kathy Long.
Accompanying the vocalists was the 21-piece Zion Festival Orchestra.
The cantata was under the direction of Bradley R. Cressley, music director
of Zion UCC.
Rev. Allen L. Heckman, pastor of the host church, issued the call to worship
and read from the scripture, Matthew 1: 18-25, in which the Birth of Christ
is presented.
The cantata provided a musical account of the birth of Jesus.
Soloists Joy Dougherty and Brent Harris sang the number "Who Would Imagine A
King" while Shannon Frycklund sang the solo "Go Tell With Go, Tell It On the
Mountain."
The chorus captivated the audience with its rendition of the perennial
Christmas favorite, "The Little Drummer Boy."
Jessica Schafer was a soloist with the Choraliers for "Christmastime with
Away in a Manger."
There was a duet by organist Cindy Mack and pianist Laura Cressley.
The audience was led in the singing of "Joy to the World," "O Come All Ye
Faithful," "Silent Night," and "Hark the Herald Angels Sing."
Special note was given to Paul and Linn Smith, former music directors of
Zion UCC who participated in the cantata and are responsible for starting
the ecumenical event a number of years ago.
Churches taking part in the cantata, besides Zion UCC, were:
All Saints Episcopal, Ben Salem UCC, Christ Evangelical Free Church, Church
of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, Dinkey Memorial Lutheran Church, First
Presbyterian Church, Grace Lutheran Church, St. John's Lutheran Church,
Trinity Lutheran Church, SS. Peter and Paul Catholic Church, Salem Bible
Fellowship Church, all of Lehighton.
Assembly of God Church, Hazleton; Bethany Wesleyan Church, Cherryville;
Calvary Christian Church, Stroudsburg; Emmanuel UCC and Trinity Lutheran
Church, both of Bowmanstown.
Life Church, Pocono; St. Matthew's Lutheran Church, Bowmanstown, and St.
John's Towamensing Lutheran Church.
The Zion Opera Workshop of Lehighton all took part in the cantata.
CHOIR
BANQUET
On Sunday, May 31st,
the Zion UCC Choir celebrated with their annual banquet. Thanks to the
hard work of Cindy-Lou Heiser, the members enjoyed a DELICIOUS meal and a
great time of fun and fellowship. The dining room was transformed into
a beautiful banquet hall with lovely place settings, chafing dishes, a salad
bar and flowers. Anna-Marie Roth provided flowers for all who attended
and as is usual, with this hard working group, they even had fun with
the clean-up!
Here are some photos
from the event! Click on the photo to enlarge!
   
Photo 1: Tammy Green, Shannon Frycklund and
Olivia Photo 2: Linn Smith, Delores Solt, Lora and Dave Krum
with Dylan and Brent Harris. Photo 3: The Tables
Photo 4: THE FOOD!!!!!
   
Photo 5: Organist, Cindy Mack talks
with Helen Frey and Dolly Sywenki as Martha Cox looks on. Photo 6: Kaitlin (let me hide
my phone for this picture) Green and Mom, Tammy. Photo 7: The
Buffingtons; Brenda, Bryan, Elizabeth and Abigail. Photo 8: The
Wentzes (Jim and Shirley)
   
Photo 9: Helen Frey and Dolly Sywenki
Photo 10: Cindy-Lou Heiser "putting it all together"
Photo 11: Cole, Brandon and Cobe doing what they do best...Video
Games! Photo 12: Our cake, complete with edible music
   
Photo 13: Banquet planner
extrordanaire, Cindy-Lou Heiser Photo 14: Anna-Marie Roth
and Linn Smith. Photo 15: Another table picture
Photo 16: Members Missy Zellner and Laura Cressley
   
Photo 17: Missy Zellner, Laura
Cressley and Kelsey Gerber Photo 18: Our #1 GREETER,
Delores "Gram" Solt, congratulates new confirmand, Noah Schoch
Photo 19: "Gram" Trying to avoid a picture Photo 20:
Delores Solt and Dolly Sywenki
For those of you who attended and avoided
pictures...WE WILL GET YOU SOMETIME WHEN YOU LEAST EXPECT IT!!
ZION UNITED CHURCH OF
CHRIST MUSIC DEPARTMENT
  
Since 1964, the husband and wife team of Paul
and Linn Smith have worked tirelessly as Choir Director and Organist to make
the music program what it is today. Zion's Choir Boasts nearly 40
members. Our church is blessed with various musical groups including
The Zion Chancel Choir, The Choraliers (our junior choir), The Senior Bell
Choir, The Junior Bell Choir, The Zion Woodwind Ensemble as well as various
other small group and solo instrumentalist.
In the fall of 2008, Paul and Linn Smith retired from
their positions of Choir Director and Organist and their contributions will
be sorely missed.
Currently, the music department is under the
direction of Brad Cressley. Cindy Mack is Zion's organist. If
interested in joining one of Zion's choirs please contact Brad Cressley at
ccmusic@ptd.net for more information.
The music
department is always working hard to supplement the worship at Zion U.C.C. with
meaningful and uplifting music! Join us on a Sunday morning to
see it for yourself! You won't be disappointed!
Bradly R. Cressley, Director of Music
Cindy Mack, Organist
Paul R. Smith, Director (Retired) Linnea O. Smith, Organist
(Retired) |
