First Presbyterian Church of Rutherford

The Chancel Choir

The Chancel Choir supports congregational singing and provides an anthem in our Sunday worship services, and at special worship services and concerts throughout the year. It is an all-volunteer choir and welcomes singers of middle school age and older, who love to sing in a group, who can match a pitch, and who can make a reasonable commitment of rehearsal time. The Choir is active from September to June and rehearses twice a week. The Choir becomes a time of fellowship, a way of developing musical skills, a way to serve the church and community, and a means to be inspired by the beauty and wonder of great music and text.

The Christmas Choir

The Christmas Choir begins in October to prepare for the annual Christmas Concert, generally on the second Sunday of December. Additional singers from nearby churches and surrounding communities are invited to join with the Chancel Choir to create a choir of twenty-five to thirty voices. Carols from many countries are arranged simply with harp and flute, organ, or other instrumental accompaniment. Other works could include composers such as Handel, Bach, Rutter, Lauridsen. And of course, the congregation joins to sing the most familiar carols. Children also play a role, and intergenerational families are warmly invited to attend. The Christmas Concert, followed by a festive reception, has become a gift to the community and a major event on the church calendar.