One challenge for the STM Music Ministry is getting the word out about the opportunities for youth in our programs. It's hard to be heard over the roar and business of life!
We have a simple rule in the Music Ministry: family first. While we enjoy working with children and teenagers preparing music, we are very aware that other things are more important. Family, school, sometimes even sleep are more important than attending a music rehearsal. So we try to be careful in picking music so that we can afford to loose one or two participants to other priorities!
That being said, children and teenagers LOVE music, and we LOVE making music with them!
We have a variety of musical activities in the ministry. First, for our 6- and 7-year-olds, we have a choir called the St. Cecilia Choir that prepares for Christmas Eve and Easter Morning. This choir, directed by Karen Lawson, is a seasonal choir that meets on Tuesday afternoons for approximately 6 weeks before each major Feast day. It's a wonderful little choir!
Next in age is our Youth Choir, for the age of 8 through 12. This choir, directed by Ren MacNary, practices on Tuesday afternoons at 5:30 p.m. We do a range of music in this group, including some pieces in Latin. It's fun to sing Ave Maria with them! We also do some nice upbeat contemporary songs as well as standard hymns. This choir sings at either the 9:00 or 10:45 a.m. Masses about once a month, joining in with the Traditional Choir, and also sings on Christmas and Easter Morning with the Brass. THAT's a lot of fun! Some members of this choir also play preludes on the piano or other instruments from time to time.
Next is our Teen Choir, directed by Karen Lawson. Like the St. Cecilia Choir, it's a seasonal choir that sings for Christmas Eve and Easter Morning. Christmas Eve is a lot of fun because they become the choir WITH the Life Teen Band.
We also have many children and teens that sing with the regular choirs and ensembles throughout the year. We have a 12-year-old singing with the Noon group, and a teen singing with the Life Teen band at 5:00 p.m. as well as youth and teens that sing with the other choirs through the year. On Christmas Eve we have a Family Choir that comes together to sing one of the Masses where entire families sit and sing together!
We also use instrumentalists from time to time in all of our ensembles, including strings, brass, woodwinds, percussion and electric guitar. Right now our instrumentalists range in age from 7th to 12th grade and beyond. We try to have a woodwind and a string ensemble play during Advent and in the Easter Season, and the Brass plays for Christmas and Easter mornings. We try to put together a small orchestra for major events like the Christmas Midnight Mass and Easter Vigil.
Outside of our ministry there are other musical efforts occurring in the parish. Danielle White works with the younger church school children to prepare music to be shared with the Parish at 9:00 and 10:45 a.m. Masses. This year they're coming in to hear a children's homily and sing a song on December 5th.
In our Preschool, all levels have a class in Musical Movement once a week with Miss Tammy. They meet in a room with windows, so you can watch them from time to time, which is a lot of fun!
Karen also does music sessions with Elementary Religious Education classes twice in the fall and twice in the spring. She teaches the theme song for the year that all the children learn and sing.
Finally, our Life Teen program with the Life Teen Mass on Sundays also involves retreats with music and other praise and worship songfests!
| Contact: | Ren MacNary
258-1161 x219 |
Karen Lawson 258-1161 x237 |