YOU CAN MAKE A JOYFUL NOISE TO THE LORD!

     We have resurrected our vocal choir, and there are over a dozen people singing in it.  How about you?  No experience is needed - just a desire to sing praise to God.  The group rehearses every Sunday at 10:15 a.m. (9:30 in the summer) in the sanctuary.  (We're not wearing robes at this time, so please dress appropriately.)  Our director is Marilyn Specht.

     Our new handbell choir made its debut at Christmas.  Now it's time to work on new music, and expand to a second and possibly even a third octave!  Robin Black is coordinating the logistics, and we have men and women of different ages who are eager to have YOU join them in ringing the bells for the glory of God.  If you’d like to get in on the fun, please don’t hesitate to join us!  Rehearsals are after church.

On September 13th, we introduced a new hymnal to the congregation.  Worship and Rejoice is from Hope Publishing, a leader in church music, and was chosen by our hymnal selection committee specifically to bring St. Paul's into the 21st century.

Worship and Rejoice has 749 musical selections.  There are plenty of "old hymns" which have been favorites for literally hundreds of years of Christian worship.  There are "new classic hymns" by such gifted writers as Brian Wren, Timothy Dudley-Smith, Fred Pratt Green, Carl P. Daw Jr., and others.  And, as some of you requested when we surveyed you about hymnal preferences, this book features some of the most popular "contemporary" songs and choruses.

You'll also find songs from the global Christian church, African-American spirituals, and music from the Taize Community.  Worship and Rejoice also includes more songs for Advent, Lent, Baptisms, and Communion.

To see the entire alphabetical listing of what's in our new hymnal, you can visit www.WorshipandRejoice.com.  If you want to know more about hymns and their stories in general, visit www.NetHymnal.org.