Swift Church choirs
lift joyful sounds
to the Lord

 By LISA CARDWELL | music director 

Swift Presbyterian Church has choirs to praise God and to enhance the worship experience. The chancel choir continues to work weekly to bring worshipful music for our Sunday services. The advanced and beginner handbell choirs and the Joyful Tones chime choir play for services from time to time.

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Chancel choir always
looking for new members

Chancel choir, after taking a break for a couple of weeks, is swinging into high gear in August with weekly anthems. We are still rehearsing at 9 a.m. on Sundays. We are always looking for new members.

 The adult handbell choir starts back up on Aug. 21. Be ready to hear some great new anthems this year. We are grateful for the donations that helped purchase new anthems for chancel, bell, and chime choirs.

 While this time of year is usually a relaxing and slow-paced in the music dept, plans for our Christmas program have already begun. We have set the date for Sunday, Dec. 15, during the 10:00 service. We will be looking for soloists as well as members for beginner bells and chime choirs.

 I want to thank those who have covered for me during bereavement and conference time in June. Jack Williams provided coverage for the 8:00 services and Mary McNair for the 10:00 services. I also want to commend Jenni Cain for her organizational and creative gifts of providing Swift with beautiful and accomplished music. Thank you all.

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HERE’S A DESCRIPTION of our choirs:

♪ The Joyful Tones chime choir — This is an intergenerational group that plays three or four times a year. No music reading skills are necessary. This is a beginner-level group created to introduce people to playing tone chimes, as well as the fun and fellowship that church music offers. Rehearses four or five weeks prior to playing in worship services (usually after 10:00 Sunday services).

♫ Chancel choir prepares 2-to-4-part choral music for weekly worship leadership. This group also welcomes singers to join us as we prepare special programs for Holy Week or Christmas. We also enjoy fun and fellowship, supporting each other through prayer and friendship. We rehearse on Tuesday evenings at 5:45 during the school year, and on Sunday mornings at 9 during the summer.

♪ Handbell choir — We started our handbell choir in summer of 2013 on a trial basis with a borrowed set of bells and chimes. The interest in handbells grew with enthusiasm, and with the help of our generous congregation we purchased a three-octave set of handbells and tone chimes in fall of 2014. Our group has developed skills in techniques and teamwork as we learn anthems and play in worship about every six weeks. We rehearse at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesdays. We welcome people who are willing to start as substitutes for rehearsals, or be a part of ensembles. We take a break for several weeks during the summer.

♫ Intergenerational handbell choir — This is our newest choir and it is for beginners of all ages.

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WANT TO JOIN one or more of the choirs at Swift? Talk with Lisa Cardwell, music director. Her email is lisacardwell62@gmail.com and her telephone number is (251) 767-0777.