Welcome!
Upcoming Rehearsals
Next rehearsal is Wednesday, Jan 22nd from 6:00 -7:30pm
Weekly Choir Update
- Jan 19th WORSHIP MUSIC:
- Call to Worship
- Majesty – Hymnal pg# 176
- Anthem – We Gather Together
- Hymns:
- Guide Me O Thou Great Jehovah– Hymnal pg# 127
- Have Thine Own Way – Hymnal pg# 382 vs. 1, 2, & 4
- Sound Check Times:
- Choir – 7:15am arrival; 7:20am sound check
- Call to Worship
- New Information:
- NEW EVENTS for your information and calendaring
- Emerald Coast Music Alliance Concert
- Free classical concert with top notch Carnegie Hall level musicians in our Sanctuary on Friday night at 6pm. See the email flyer I sent on Tuesday.
- Old Music:
- Below you will see a list of what you need to KEEP in your folders and all other music should be put in your hanging file folders for Candance and Candy to sort and put away.
- New Music:
- New music is planned through Palm Sunday morning and you will find it in the Anthem Schedule below
- The SoundCloud playlist for the listening mp3’s is ordered on the playlist through Palm Sunday morning anthems – See link below.
- I will add part dominant parts into PlanningCenter and SoundCloud playlists next week
- Palm Sunday & Easter 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
- Emerald Coast Music Alliance Concert
- NEW EVENTS for your information and calendaring
- Older Information:
- Choir Tour update:
- It is not too late to still sign-up if you are wanting to go.
- Trip Site Link
- Choir Tour update:
Prayer Requests
1/15
* Praise that Michelle is cleared to sing and is back singing with the choir!!
* Praise for our new choir members: Heather Toth, Amanda Fourman, & Lori O’Maille
* Jeff – for Carolyn and her surgery went well but is unable to tolerate pain meds. Prayers for pain relief and healing.
* Continued prayers for those affected by the wildfires in LA
* Darlene – That her SIL passed away but accepted Christ into her life right before she passed. And a joy her DIL has relented and she is now able to hold her grandchildren.
* Henry – for the family of Pat Peterson as her brain tumor is back and is worse than before and is affecting her mental acuity.
– Also prayers for his eye surgery on Monday as well as peace in the days leading up to the surgery.
* Judy – for Thomas and his continued health and healing after fighting pnuemonia
* Beth – prayers for wisdom and strength as she breaks the news to a close patient of hers that needs to have end of life care due to a cancer diagnosis.
* Renee – for her son and an infection that is in his ear. This has been an ongoing issue, and prayers this can be treated with an antibiotic and no further surgery would be necessary.
* Patty – for her brother who will be having open heart surgery tomorrow and for her ex-husband/best friend who is having testing done for cancer in his brains and lungs.
* Joy – on the death of her dear friend Elsie Fults
* Lori O’Maille – for her cousin who was diagnosed with breast cancer and will be having a lumpectomy.
* Leroy – his son in law will be having a surgery to remove a gall stone that got lodged. And for his son’s friend who had a seizure and it was discovered he has a mass on his brain.
* Safe Travels – for Katrina and Gordon, as they fly to London tomorrow and for Candy and David, as they travel to Minnesota for two weeks.
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 – Title TBD
Music List
- What You SHOULD have in your folders at this time:
- King of Kings
- The Greatness of Our God
- We Gather Together
- My Soul Will Wait
- So Be It
- Hallelujah
- Bless God
Upcoming Calendar Dates
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.
Upcoming Rehearsal
Sunday, Jan 26th @ 9:50am
Chamber Choir Update
- For your information:
- No rehearsal this coming Sunday
- We sing in worship on Sunday, Jan 26th.
- Parts are already in for “A Closer Walk with Thee” & “Just As I Am” both in the PlanningCenter link and Fall music Sound Cloud links.
- Music for “Child of Wonder” will be available next week on the piano.
- I will update the SoundCloud playlists next week, but you can access the two anthems we are working on through the Fall playlists.
- Anthems to be working on for rehearsal:
- A Closer Walk
- Jay Ho
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
Jan 26th
Jaya Ho
Feb 23rd
A Closer Walk
Mar 23rd
Child of Wonder
Upcoming Calendar Dates
Upcoming Rehearsal
Next rehearsal is Monday, Jan 27th from 5:30pm – 6:45pm (in the Friendship Hall)
No rehearsal this coming Monday, due to the Martin Luther King holiday
Handbell Update
- Upcoming information:
- We may be playing on Feb 2nd, will make a game time decision at the next practice.
- I will be coming up with a performance schedule, but I will be using the 3rd Sunday of the month for the most part.
- Reminders:
Planning Center Links
SoundCloud Link
Anthem Schedule
TBD
Upcoming Calendar Dates
- Jan 6th – back from Christmas break
Upcoming Rehearsal
Next orchestra rehearsal, is Sunday, Jan 19th @ 12:15 – 1:30pm
Orchestra Update
- Upcoming information:
- Upcoming Special rehearsal Schedule:
- There is new music in your slots in the music box. Please grab those when you come into rehearsal.
- Tom Fitzpatrick will be leading orchestra rehearsal this weekend with me being out of town.
- We will generally be performing on the 2nd and 4th Sunday’s of the month, except for April when we will do Easter morning on April 21st. I have updated the music and schedule below. There is a change in March.
- We will do a Palm Sunday concert on April 13th.
- Palm Sunday & Easter 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
- Upcoming Special rehearsal Schedule:
- What to be working on:
- My Soul Will Wait
- Majesty
- The Greatness of Our God
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
TBD
April 20th – Easter
TBD