Worship

My name is Steve Hamilton, and I am honored to fill the role of Choral Director at FPC. I am deeply grateful to have the opportunity to work with the singers in the choir each week, and I am equally grateful for the culture of choral singing at FPC. In an era when many congregations have abandoned choral singing, it is a true blessing to see it flourishing here.

Communal singing is central to our tradition of faith. It lifts our spirits, reminds us of our shared beliefs, and allows us to participate in worship together. Raising our voices as one is a central part of our weekly rhythms that reminds us that our faith is communal, that we do not walk the walk of faith alone. 

Each week the choir not only assists in leading congregational worship, but also prepares a choral anthem. The text of the anthem may come from the hymnal, the scriptures, or a variety of other sources. It may even be in a different language- a reminder of the unity of believers both in time and space. The substance of the text may encourage us, renew us, or even challenge us in our walk. I believe there is value not only in participating in worship, but also being ministered to through music.

It would not be possible to maintain this ministry without the work of all the volunteers that make the choral singing possible each week. I am thankful for each one of you! I’m also deeply grateful for Sharon Norberg’s tireless work as our accompanist, and for the work of our choral scholars.

If you aren’t aware, the Choral Scholars are a group of four undergraduate students in the choir who receive a scholarship from the church, and they are instrumental in maintaining the musical and administrative work of the choir.

I am grateful for the generosity of the church in providing these scholarships. To continue the work of the scholars, we currently have need for donations for the upcoming fall and spring semesters. If you are so led, consider allocating a gift to the scholars fund via memo on a check or the dropdown menu option when you give through the website.

It is my hope that each week the choir serves as a reminder of the beauty and unity of our shared life in Christ. It is also my hope that the choir may serve as an opportunity to be involved in leading worship–if you are interested in participating in the choir, I’d love to hear from you!

As we pray at the end of our rehearsals, Grant, O Lord, that the words we sing with our lips we may believe in our hearts, and what we believe in our hearts may we show forth in our lives, through Jesus Christ our Lord.

In Christ,
~Steve