Music @ St. Elizabeth’s

Music is an important part of worship at the 10:00 a.m. service at St. Elizabeth’s. Members of this congregation enjoy singing, and they do it well. The service has eleven pieces of music – more than many churches in this and other dioceses – including the Opening Hymn, Gloria or other Song of Praise, Psalm, Gospel Processional, Offertory, Presentation, Sanctus, Fraction, Communion Hymn and Closing Hymn. The hymns change each Sunday and the service music, like the altar colors and other church decorations, change with each liturgical season. The music comes from many sources which offer a variety of styles. We use the Hymnal 1982, Lift Every Voice and Sing, where many of the beloved older hymns are found, Wonder, Love and Praise, Music for Liturgy, an international resource of Anglican, Roman and Orthodox music compiled by St. Gregory’s Church in San Francisco, Come, Celebrate and the Celebration Psalter, where many of the more contemporary songs are found, and written by the Episcopal monastic “Community of Celebration;” There is One Among Us by John Bell, Gather Comprehensive, and Songs and Prayers from Taize.

The Adult Choir is a small, but talented and loyal group. The singers are in fact music leaders, who musically support congregational singing and lead the people in learning new hymns and service music. Because much of our music is celebratory and often written for the piano, the organ is used only for the opening and closing hymns. But even on those hymns, the piano is played with the organ by our pianists, Jenny Fife or Nan Fooks. Accompanying instrumentalists include guitar, bass, flutes and percussion on occasion. The Adult Choir and instrumentalists rehearse on the 2nd, 4th and 5th Sundays. New members are encouraged to attend. Reading music is not required. Rehearsals are fast paced and fun.

The St. Elizabeth’s Children’s Choir varies in size from three to eight children from age three years and older. Most children are early elementary school students, but all children are welcome. They rehearse monthly on 1st and 3rd Sundays. In addition to Sunday practices, the Children’s Choir also goes on quarterly field trips, like bowling or Chuck E Cheese’s, just for fun.

Clif Collins

Music Leader

Musicians Rehearse for Christmas 2003