BRINGING GLAD TIDINGS

Members Of The Resurrection Choir Share The Joy Of Christmas

My wife and I have been blessed to be members of the Church of the Resurrection adult choir for over 19 years. The choir has an enduring legacy of producing sacred music which beautifies the 11:00 AM Mass. In December of 2022 we felt a strong desire to share this beauty outside of our parish, and thus began a “Christmas Caroling Quest.” With the commitments of seven talented and dedicated members and the blessing of our leader, David Stattelman, I called several local facilities and the idea was enthusiastically received.

Planning the music selections involved multiple people, sessions, and sources including classic English carol books. The final song list included beautiful choral pieces, like "Lo, How a Rose E'er Blooming," along with a few popular favorites like "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing." We pulled four-part harmony pieces from the music we were practicing for the upcoming Christmas weekend.

On the Tuesday of Christmas week we arrived at the Robinwood Landing Memory Care facility about 6:30 pm where residents lined the hall in anticipation of some quality music. After the group gathered in the dining room, our ensemble of six sang six selections while residents and guests swayed with the music and sang along as they heard a familiar tune. We finished to kindly applause and left the building enthused and warmed by the spirits we had raised.

Several parishioners were in residence at our next stop, Gunnisonville Meadows. This experience was much more personalized and peace-filled.

We were joined by a second bass voice and guided by a staff person through the hallways, stopping to ask residents whether they would enjoy some caroling. There were a good number of takers, and we sang a few songs to each while enjoying the intimate acoustics. Reflecting on the evening over a nightcap, we ended by singing a rousing "Gaudete, Gaudete Christus est Natus" to a barkeep and server who listened attentively to our ensemble, the very last patrons in their establishment.

I think this experience may well have brought the beauty of the season to the individuals into whose rooms we crowded. What we wholeheartedly agree on is how an evening of caroling crystallized the meaning of the season. Each of us recalls a special moment or connection. Mine was seeing residents smile and ask for an encore, and joining in the singing of a song they knew.

We are thankful for our adult choir, the members who joined that evening, and our God-given talents. By sharing them with others these blessings are magnified. The choir has a new tradition we intend to continue on an annual basis, although maybe prior to the very week of Christmas!

WILLIAM BLOOMFIELD