Welcome!

  • We sing for the 8am and 11am Traditional Worship services.  You can sing for both or one.  We meet before the services to warm up and rehearse.  8am sound check is usually 7:20am is in the Sanctuary, with some exceptions.  11am’s warm-up is in the choir room at 10:30am.
  • We also practice in the Sanctuary on Wednesday evenings from 6-7:30pm.  It runs a little longer during special seasons like Christmas and Easter. 
  • This webpage will offer you all of the weekly information you need along with part dominant mp3 links you will need to learn music more quickly or if you need extra help with the music. 
  • We sing every Sunday year-round.  We also sing for the 3 Traditional Christmas Eve worship services and special services throughout the year.  We are flexible if you are unable to do all of these.
  • ONE IMPORTANT THING TO NOTE: Please refrain for wearing perfumes or colognes when in the choir loft for services or practices. Some people are highly allergic and it can give the migraines and/or close their throats, making it hard to sing.
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Upcoming Rehearsals

Next rehearsal is Wednesday, Feb 12th from 6:00 -8:15pm

Cantata rehearsals start at this upcoming rehearsal

Join on zoom

Weekly Choir Update

  • Feb. 9th WORSHIP MUSIC:
    • Call to Worship
      • Responsive reading
    • Anthem – Come, Worship God – with orchestra
    • Hymns:
      • Come, Christians, Join to Sing – Hymnal pg# 158
      • Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee – Hymnal pg# 89 vs. 1-3
    • Sound Check Times:
      • Choir – 7:15am arrival; 7:20am sound check
  • New Information:
    • NEW EVENTS for your information and calendaring
      • This Sunday is Game Day Sunday
        • Please wear a sports jersey or team spirit sweatshirt or T- shirt for Worship this Sunday to help celebrate game day Sunday in worship.
      • Rehearsal information:
        • To help our rehearsals go faster and be able to learn the music the way we need to, please be listening to the songs up to 4 weeks out and work on your parts for the next two weeks, at least.
        • What to be working on is listed below for the upcoming rehearsal each week.
      • New Music:
        • You will have the rest of your Easter music, one other general anthem and the Cantata book in your hanging file folder and can be picked up on Sunday when you are here.
        • The SoundCloud playlists are up for: (See links below)
          • Winter/Spring 2025 listening mp3’s
          • Winger/Spring 2025 part dominant mp3’s
          • Palm Sunday cantata “In My Place” listening & part dominant mp3’s are all uploaded in SoundCloud with the links below.
          • PlanningCenter: (See links below)
            • Palm Sunday cantata PDF and Listening mp3’s & part dominant mp3’s are also up and has a link below.
            • When using PlanningCenter to listen to your music, you have the ability to highlight a certain secion of the mp3 and put it on repeat if you only need to work a difficult passage.
          • Easter Music:
            • all music will be in your hanging folders this week.
          • Palm Sunday cantata and Easter Wednesday night rehearsals:
            • START NEXT WEEK, THE 12TH
              • Schedule:
                • 6-7pm – Palm Sunday concert music & Easter once we get further along.
                • 7-8pm – General Anthems
          • Palm Sunday & Easter Dress rehearsals:
            • Sunday, April 6th: 2:00 – 4:00pm Tech Rehearsal for Palm Sunday concert
            • Wednesday, April 9th: 5:30 – 8:00pm Palm Sunday concert Run Through Dress Rehearsal
            • Sunday, April 13th: 4pm Concert (1:45pm Call Time)
            • Wednesday, April 16th: Easter Dress rehearsal 5:30 – 8:00pm
    • What to be Listening to and working on:
      • Come, Worship God – Listening & Parts (For Sunday, the 9th)
      • River Glorious – Listening & Parts
      • Come Find His Rest – Listening & Parts
      • This Is My Father’s World – Listening & Parts
      • Beauty of the Cross – Listening
    • Older Information:
      • Choir Tour update:
        • It is still not too late to still sign-up if you are wanting to go. We are approaching that mark soon. This is going to be an incredible tour!
        • Trip Site Link

    Prayer Requests

    2/3

    *Kim – for dad, Bob’s, knee replacement on Monday

    *Shelly – Mom’s services are this weekend. (please let me know if you would like the information to attend)

    *Lesley – continued prayers for her and her family as they mourn the loss of her daughter, Jennafer.

    *Selena – Max’s continued recovery from partial knee replacement and for High Blood pressure he is experiencing since surgery to correct itself and go back to normal.

    *Renee – for her son, Steven, who is in ICU with kidney failure and it on dialysis. Prayers for the doctors to determine what is causing the kidneys to break down and that it would be reversible.

    *Darlene – safe travels to her SIL’s memorial services in Washington State this weekend. And thankful her son is going to be with them as well. Prayers also for a real struggle she is having with forgiving someone in her life.

    *Nancy – thankful her DIL’s mom, Sue is now stable and heading into long term rehab.

    *Maxine – Travel mercies for step-daughter in NYC this coming weekend.

    *Candace – for niece, Stephanie who was found to have a cancerous tumor.

    *Continued prayers for Carolyn Buehler as she now fights an infection in the surgical site.

    *Renee – continued prayers for her son, Topher, who will need to have surgery on his inner ear where a prosthetic bone has pierced his ear drum.

    *for Crosspoint and their currenct staff to not be overwhelmed with their work load and for clarity on what positions need to be hired for.


    Planning Center Links

    SoundCloud Links

    Link to access SoundCloud link or access on soundcloud.com (You do NOT need to sign in or create an account to listen just download the app onto your device or access online.)

    Anthem Schedule

    Jan 5th –

    Have You Not Heard?

    Jan 12th –

    My Soul Will Wait – with Orchestra

    Jan 19th –

    We Gather Together

    Jan 26th –

    The Greatness of Our God – with Orchestra

    Feb 2nd –

    So Be It

    Feb 9th –

    Come, Worship God – with Orchestra

    Feb 16th –

    Like a River Glorious – with Instrumental soloist

    Feb 23rd –

    Come, Find His Rest – with Instrumental Quintet

    March 2nd –

    This Is My Father’s World

    March 9th –

    Beaty of the Cross – with Orchestra

    March 16th –

    What a Savior What a Friend – with String Quintet

    March 23rd –

    Same Power – with Orchestra

    March 30th –

    1. Who You Say I Am – with Orchestra

    2. Jesus Paid It All

    April 6th –

    Lonesome Valley

    April 13th – Palm Sunday morning

    1. Hosanna in the Highest – with Orchestra

    2. Until You Save the World

    April 13th – Palm Sunday Concert

    Cantata – In My Place

    April 20th – Easter

    1. An Easter Celebration – with Orchestra
    2. He Lives – with Orchestra
    3. Risen, Just As He Said – with Orchestra

    April 27th –

    Dead Man Rising – with Orchestra

    May 4th –

    What a Savior, What a Friend – with Instrumental quintet

    May 11th –

    As Loud As He Is Worthy – with Orchestra

    May 18th –

    Sing Rejoice and Sing Praise – with Brass and Handbells

    Music List

    Upcoming Calendar Dates

    • Palm Sunday & Easter Dress rehearsals:
      • Sunday, April 6th: 2:00 – 4:00pm Tech Rehearsal for Palm Sunday concert
      • Wednesday, April 9th: 5:30 – 8:00pm Palm Sunday concert Run Through Dress Rehearsal
      • Sunday, April 13th: 4pm Concert (1:45pm Call Time)
      • Wednesday, April 16th: Easter Dress rehearsal 5:30 – 8:00pm

    Getting to know our choir members

    Link to the choir member information spreadsheet: Link

    This week’s choir member highlight is Shelly Elbert

    Shelly recently joined the Chancel Choir but you all know her from the orchestra and the flute choir. She began playing the flute in fourth grade. She was a military dependent so the family moved a lot, but flute was a staple. She didn’t sing until her senior year in the choir at school. She also played piccolo during the marching season. Multi-talented as are all our orchestra members!

    Shelly is married to Tim, her high school sweetheart, who she met in band. They have been together for 40 years and have three sons. Jason (and Jennifer), who have two children – Blakely and Brooklyn; Ryan (and Tori), and Tyler.

    The Elberts have been in the area since 1988. Shelly is a tennis player with the Top Spins and also likes to play bridge. She also likes to have fun. One of the things she had fun with was as the Children’s Supervisor for Bible Study Fellowship with pre-schoolers.

    Her favorite Bible verse is Psalms 46:10 and loves Christmas songs all year round!!

    We are so blessed to have Shelly and her talents in choir, flute choir, and the orchestra!!

    This week’s choir member highlight is Renee Johnson

    Renee Johnson was born and raised in Pennsylvania. At church, she sang in the children’s and adult choir. She also sang in her high school chorus. No matter where she lived, she always sang in a church choir.

    When she graduated, she joined the Marine Corps. Being stationed at Camp Lejeune, NC., there she worked as an administration clerk.

    She married a Marine from Alabama. They have 2 sons. Steven, a 26 year Vet, USN. He lives in Jacksonville, FL and works for NorthThrope, Grumman. And Charlie is a Flight RN with Life Saver Air Rescue, in Auburn, AL. She has 5 grandchildren

    Renee retired after 30 years from General Electric Crop in Decatur, AL and with her husband moved to Defuniak Springs. Last year they moved to Niceville and she joined Crosspoint Church and is now singing 1st Tenor in our choir. Renee also volunteers at the Bargain Box. She enjoys being a Watercolorist, reading and quilting.

    One of her favorite songs is: “Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing”

    We are so happy to welcome Renee to our choir!!

    This week’s choir member highlight is Wes Turner

    Wes is one of our new basses. He was born in Roanoke, VA. He began his singing career at the young age of about 8 singing with his church choir. That has been his venue of choice most of his life. And now we are blessed to have him singing bass in our church choir!

    We graduated from the Air Force Academy. He spent 20 years in the Air Force and flew the F-15. He currently works for Boeing.

    He has been married to Chelsey for 11 years. They have 4 children: Penelope, Axel, Sabrina, & Harrison. Raising four children doesn’t leave much time for hobbies but he does find time to work out, run and lift some weights. If he is really lucky, he finds time to make bread.

    One of his favorite songs is “Christ the Lord is Risen Today.”

    Welcome Wes! We’re glad to have you singing with us!!

    This week’s choir member highlight is Reneé Gutierrez

    Renee is in the soprano section of our choir. She was born in Galveston, Texas, but moved to Niceville at age 2. She’s been here ever since. She graduated from Niceville High School. Her first outing as a soloist was at age 5 at the Rocky Bayou Kindergarten graduation ceremony. She sang with the Youth Choir at church and recently sang a solo with our choir. We are grateful she is sharing her talent with us! (And is one of the ones helping to lower the average age of our choir members.)

    Renee has 2 children. Bianca and Topher. She has a varied work history. She’s worked in a few restaurants and worked her way up to General Manager of Hungry Howie’s in Niceville. She likes to experiment with new dishes. Too bad Hungry Howie’s is a corporate entity or she may have transformed their menu with her experiments in the oven. Renee now works at Super Cuts in Niceville. She has found her calling and loves cutting hair. She also has earned a Cosmetology license.

    According to Renee, God is always there and holding us up. She likes the story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Nebuchadnezzar tried to force them to worship his gods and threatened to throw them into the blazing furnace. But their answer was Daniel 3:17-18, “If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it, and he will rescue us from your hand, O king. But even it he does not, we want you to know, 0 king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.

    This week’s choir member highlight is Maxine Spence


    Maxine was born in California and grew up in Pensacola, Florida. After the death of her father her mom, who was from Pensacola, moved them back to Florida. She began singing at an early age-—5! She sang in high school and the Pensacola Christian Chorus, Christian High Singers, and Sugar Beach Acapella Chorus and for many years was a baritone in barbershop quartets. She is one of our faithful and wonderful altos. She plays a little piano and the recorder.

    Maxine attended the University of West Florida and majored in medical laboratory technology and criminal justice forensic studies. She spent six years in the Air Force. She was a radio maintenance tech stationed at Upper Heyford AFB in England. She spent time in Hahn, Germany before ending her career at Tinker AFB in Oklahoma.

    Maxine has been married to Walter Spence for 22 years. She has a son, Richard, and a stepdaughter, Vicki.  She and Walt have an affinity for birds and bird photography. And are both very good at it! She works as the treasurer of Spence Brothers Properties.

    She likes Roman 12:2 bible verse among many others.

    Two of her favorite hymns are The Old Rugged Cross, and O Holy Night.

    This week’s choir member highlight is John Pruitt


    John was born in Terre Haute, Indiana and attended Indiana University in Bloomington, majoring in Education. He attended college on an ROTC scholarship and joined the Air Force after graduation. He was in the Air Force for 28 1/2 years.


    While in high school John sang with the chorus, played the trumpet in the band and was the drum major. One of his favorite musical memories was singing with his sisters. They put him on a chair when he was little, turned on the radio and while they washed and dried and he rinsed, they all sang together!


    John is lucky enough to be married to the lovely Martha. They have three young ad Its. Joshua is a senior at FSU, Elizabeth is a sophomore. The oldest, Emily is married with a daughter Avery and a son Atticus.
     
    After retiring from the AF, John worked as a contractor on base. He’s retired from that and now volunteers at the Hurlburt Thrift Shop. He began singing with the Crosspoint Choir in the bass section about 14 years ago when he joined to sing One Christmas concert. He has graced us with a number of solos over the years and we are grateful to him for sharing his talent.


    A favorite hymn is Amazing Grace.

    Favorite Bible verse: John 3:16

    This week’s choir member highlight is Leak (Leroy) Thornal

    Col (Ret) Leroy Thornal was born in Charleston, South Carolina in 1930 during the Depression.

    His first professional singing job was at age 10. He got 10 cents for singing in his Uncle Russ’ talent show.

    Leroy joined the National Guard in Charleston, SC when he was 16. After just over a year he joined the regular Air Force as an enlisted man for three years, nine months and 17 days. He attended the University of South Carolina on the Korean GI Bill and received a BS in Civil Engineering. He got an MS from Troy University. He became a fighter pilot and flew the T37, T29, T28, T33 and the F4 Phantom. His career included flying in the Korean War and 100 missions over North Vietnam. One of his favorite memories was being an Air Force Escort Officer that picked up POW’s in Hanoi and brought them home. He told one friend’s wife he would bring hers home and he did!

    Leroy is married to Joyce and their children are Lana, Mike, Kris, and Wes. They have 13 grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren.

    In addtion to singing in our bass section for many years, he has written 5 songs: Faith of a Child, The Lord Has My Soul In His Hands, Salvation Train Leaves at Midnight, This I Believe, and Little Babe from Bethlehem. He sings them all a capella. Not bad for a gentleman who does not read music!

    Leroy is partial to Proverbs 3, 5, & 6. One of his favorite songs is The Canticle of Praise that the Chancel Choir has performed a number of times.


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    Upcoming Rehearsal

    Sunday, Feb. 9th @ 9:50am

    Chamber Choir Update

    • For your information:
      • Music for “Child of Wonder” is on the piano. The mp3’s (listening and Part-Dominant) is only on PlanningCenter. There is a copyright issue putting it on SoundCloud.
      • There is a SoundCloud listening link below without Child of Wonder. Will not be doing part-dominant links for only two songs since Child of Wonder is not allowed on the site.
        • All parts are in the PlanningCenter link.
      • Please spend time working on your parts since we do not meet on the First Sunday of this month.
    • Anthems to be working on for rehearsal:
      • A Closer Walk
      • Child of Wonder

    Planning Center Links

    SoundCloud Links

    Link to access SoundCloud link or access on soundcloud.com (You do NOT need to sign in or create an account to listen just download the app on to your device or access online.)

    Anthem Schedule

    Feb 23rd

    A Closer Walk

    Mar 23rd

    Child of Wonder

    April 27th

    Have Thine Own Way Lord

    Upcoming Calendar Dates

    Upcoming Rehearsal

    Next rehearsal is Monday, Feb 10th from 5:30pm – 6:45pm (in the Friendship Hall)

    Handbell Update

    • Upcoming information:
      • We will play on Feb. 16th
      • The worship schedule and what we will be playing is posted below through May.

    Planning Center Links

    SoundCloud Link

    Anthem Schedule

    Feb 16th

    The King of Creation

    Mar 30th

    All Creatures of Our God and King – with Brass Quintet

    April 13th

    Hosanna in the Highest – with choir & Orchestra

    May 18th

    1. Kingsfold Te Deum
    2. Rejoice and Sing Praise – with choir & Orchestra

    Upcoming Calendar Dates

    Upcoming Rehearsal

    Next orchestra rehearsal, is Sunday, Feb. 9th @ 12:15 – 1:30pm

    Call time for Sunday morning, Feb 9th is 7am – Wear a sports Jersey or School Spirit wear.

    Orchestra Update

    • Upcoming information:
      • Sunday morning, Feb 9th
        • We are doing the two spirit song pieces from Friday night Football games.
        • Please wear a jersey or school spirit wear for worship this Sunday
      • Upcoming Special rehearsal Schedule:
        • There is more new music in your hanging folder with Easter and Palm Sunday music. Please pick up when you come in for rehearsal.
        • Reminder to see the anthem/performance schedule below to get the dates on your calendars.
        • We have a Palm Sunday concert on April 13th.
        • Palm Sunday & Easter Dress rehearsals:
          • Sunday, April 6th: 2:00 – 4:00pm Tech Rehearsal for Palm Sunday concert
          • Wednesday, April 9th: 5:30 – 8:00pm Palm Sunday concert Run Through Dress Rehearsal
          • Sunday, April 13th: 4pm Concert (1:45pm Call Time)
          • Wednesday, April 16th: Easter Dress rehearsal 5:30 – 8:00pm
    • What to be working on:
      • Come, Worship God (for Sunday)
      • Just a Little Talk with Jesus
      • Beauty of the Cross
      • My Shepherd Will Supply My Needs

    SoundCloud Links

    Link to access SoundCloud link or access on soundcloud.com (You do NOT need to sign in or create an account to listen just download the app on to your device or access online.)

    Anthem Schedule

    January 12th

    My Soul Will Wait – with the Choir

    January 26th

    The Greatness of Our God – with the Choir
    Majesty

    February 9th

    Come Worship God – with Choir

    February 23rd

    Just a Little Talk with Jesus – Orchestra only piece

    March 9th

    Beauty of the Cross – with Choir
    My Shepherd Will Supply My Needs – Orchestra only piece

    March 23rd

    Same Power – with Choir

    March 30th

    Who You Say I Am – with Choir

    April 13th – Palm Sunday Morning

    Hosanna in the Highest – with choir

    April 13th – Palm Sunday Concert

    1. In My Place – Cantata with choir
    2. Jesus Paid It All

    April 20th – Easter

    1. Majestic Fanfare
    2. An Easter Celebration – with choir
    3. He Lives – with choir
    4. Risen Just As He Said – with choir

    Upcoming Calendar Dates

    • Palm Sunday & Easter Dress rehearsals:
      • Sunday, April 6th: 2:00 – 4:00pm Tech Rehearsal for Palm Sunday concert
      • Wednesday, April 9th: 5:30 – 8:00pm Palm Sunday concert Run Through Dress Rehearsal
      • Wednesday, April 16th: Easter Dress rehearsal 5:30 – 8:00pm
    • Palm Sunday Concert
      • Sunday, April 13th: 4pm (2:00pm Call time)