We are fortunate to have a fine music staff leading us.
Joanne Peterson is our Organist and Chancel Choir Director, serving this church since 1968. Well-known in the music community, having taught at the University of Wisconsin, Oshkosh, for many years, as well as maintaining her own studio, Joanne is an accomplished organist and pianist.
The Chancel Choir sings in the services from September through May, and includes young people in high school as well as older adults. They rehearse on Wednesdays at 7:00, and Sunday mornings at 9:00.
Christina Conn directs the Angel Choir for children grades 2 through 6. Christina is the Choral Director at South Park Middle School, and assists in the music program at West High as well. The Angel Choir rehearses Wednesday evenings at 5:00, and Christina is starting a Middle School group at the church as well.
Patrick Meyer, our Handbell Choir Director, has played bells for many years, and has composed for bells as well. He is a member of the Encore! Handbell Ensemble. Rehearsals are at 6:00 Sunday evenings. A children's Hand Chimes choir is also starting.
Missy Allen directs two liturgical dance groups: Faith in Motion, for younger children, and Dancing Spirit, for middle and high school youth.
Our Instruments
The fine Casavant pipe organ has inspired the congregation since its installation in 1911. With forty-one ranks and over 3,000 pipes ranging in size from a sixteen-foot, square wooden pipe to the smallest metal pipe just three inches long, our "Opus 469" remains one of the finest instruments of its type in the upper midwest. You can read more about this instrument on the "FCC Music History" tab.
In March of 2004 Wolfgang Rubsam, world-famous organist, performed here the same program that Marcel Dupre had performed on this organ eighty years ago. A capacity crowd witnessed a marvelous historic event. A CD of that performance is available from the church office, for $20 including postage. (Click on the tab, "Some Music History," for more details about the pipe organ, and past choir directors and organists.)
The Steinway Concert Grand piano was built in 1906, and was purchased for the church in 1917. Before that it had been Arthur Shattuck’s rehearsal piano.
Our Hymnal
Congregational singing is a growing part of our worship each week. We use The Chalice Hymnal, published in 1995 by the Disciples of Christ denomination. It offers the congregation a wide range of wonderful hymns and songs, from ancient chants to the great hymns of the Reformation, to hymns of the Wesley revivals, as well as many challenging and uplifting new hymns written within the last decade. The congregation enjoys a variety of musical styles, and this is reflected in our use of The Chalice Hymnal.
Come join us as we worship God in our music!