Community
Presbyterian
Church Choir
Why sing in choir?
1. Musicality Singing in a choir improves the way you hear music; it draws out your innate musical ability and intensifies your appreciation of harmony. There is a natural learning curve that occurs quite organically as a consequence of singing regularly in a group that strengthens your ear. Where choral singing is concerned, the whole really is the sum of its parts, and choir members soon become aware of how harmonies combine and complement each other.
2. It's an excellent stress reliever You rush to meet deadlines, deal with unhappy clients, cope with a rage-aholic boss and — if you're lucky — eat lunch in front of your computer. By the time you get to your choir rehearsal, you're a nervous wreck. But sitting up straight, relaxing your shoulders and breathing from your diaphragm is a great way to return to your center and leave the day's stress behind you.
3. You meet new people Nowadays people make "friends" without ever meeting in person. Joining a choir is an old-school way to meet nice, like-minded people interested in having a good time together. What a concept! The modern world is one where people are increasingly isolated. Social media networks offer a semblance of community but the lack of contact with people in real time and space can intensify feelings of alienation. Singing has been central to religion and ritual as a way of connecting communities since ancient times. Being part of a group working towards a shared endeavor, can fulfil this human need for belonging and union. Recent research reveals that group singing helps forge social bonds, and it does so particularly quickly, acting as a powerful icebreaker. People feel valued and inevitably make friends with individuals from a diversity of backgrounds, so horizons are broadened, and social cohesion is improved.
4. You learn to listen While it's fun to belt it out like Björling, a key to good choral singing is paying attention to what's going on around you — listening. (It's a good thing to do outside choir, too.) A rule of thumb is, if you can't hear the person next to you, you're singing too loudly. You learn to listen to the sound of your voice, the sounds of the voices of the other choir members, to the voice and direction of the director, and to the promptings of the Spirit. Singing elevates the soul, making it more sensitive to the voice of the Spirit.
5. It's a workout for your brain Choir members will learn basic music-reading skills, which are known to increase the capacity of your memory, sharpen your concentration and improve your spatial organization. You hit the gym three times a week to keep your body in shape (right?). Think of choir as boot camp for your brain.
6. It's an exercise in teamwork A choir is the perfect manifestation of the adage "the whole is greater than the sum of its parts." You don't need to have a particularly beautiful voice to contribute to a beautiful, collective sound. Being part of something bigger than yourself is both humbling and motivating.
7. You don't need to buy any equipment All you need to sing in a choir is your voice, a bottle of water and a pencil for marking your music. Simple and cheap! A proper singing session is a wonderful workout for the lungs. The actions of warming up, breathing deeply, and opening the diaphragm all oxygenate the blood, creating more white blood cells, which strengthens the whole body. The breathing rate slows and deepens, releasing endorphins and increasing a profound sense of well-being. All this lung action reduces the chance of illness and is excellent for people who suffer asthma, and emphysema. Singing also improves your posture and tones your stomach muscles – a strong core supports the spine so your body will be less prone to injury as you age.
8. You'll learn a lot of choir jokes For example: Q: How many altos does it take to screw in a light bulb? A: None. They can't get that high. Q: How does the director change a light bulb. A: No one knows; they’re never watching!
9. It's uplifting Every day, we're bombarded with bad news: tragedy, terrorism, scandal, etc. While singing in a choir doesn't make those things go away, it's the perfect way to bring something positive and uplifting into your life and into the lives of others.
Give it a try!
Looking forward to a wonderful year of music.
The Organ
Organ Specifications
Joseph Cortese, Fort Lauderdale, Orlando, ca. 1970,
Guzowski & Steppe Organbuilders, Inc., Fort Lauderdale 2002
GREAT - Unenclosed
1. 16 Quintadena 61 pipes
2. 8 Principal 61 pipes
3. 8 Bourdon 73 pipes
4. 4 Octave 61 pipes
5. 4 Flute (From #3) 61 notes
6. 2 Principal 61 pipes
7. IV Mixture 244 pipes
8. 8 Trompette en Chamade 61 pipes (does not couple)
Chimes
Blank
MIDI ON GREAT
GREAT 16
GREAT UNISON OFF
GREAT 4
SWELL - Expressive
9. 8 Salicional 61 pipes
10. 8 Voix Celeste (TC) 49 pipes
11. 8 Rohrflöte 61 pipes
12. 4 Principal 61 pipes
13. 4 Spitzflöte 61 pipes
14. 2 Blockflöte 61 notes
15. III Mixture 183 pipes
16. 16 Basson (TC)(From #18) 49 notes
17. 8 Trompette 73 pipes
18. 8 Oboe 61 pipes
19. 4 Clarion (From #17) 61 notes
Tremolo
Blank
Blank
MIDI ON SWELL
SWELL 16
SWELL UNISON OFF
SWELL 4
CHOIR - Expressive
19. 8 Gamba 61 pipes
20. 8 Holzgedeckt 61 pipes
21. 8 Erzähler 61 pipes
22. 8 Erzähler Celeste (TC) 49 pipes
23. 4 Koppelflöte 61 pipes
24. 2 2/3 Nazard 61 pipes
25. 2 Principal 61 pipes
26 1 3/5 Tierce 61 pipes
27. 1 1/3 Larigot (From #24) 61 notes
28. 8 Krummhorn 61 pipes
29. 8 Trompette en Chamade 61 notes (from #8, does not couple)
Tremolo
Blank
Blank
Blank
MIDI ON CHOIR
CHOIR 16
CHOIR UNISON OFF
CHOIR 4
ANTIPHONAL - Preparation
30. – 36. Blank
PEDAL
37. 32 Resultant (From #41) 32 notes
38. 16 Principal 44 pipes
39. 16 Subbass 32 pipes
40. 16 Quintadena (From #1) 32 notes
41. 16 Gedeckt 44 pipes
42. 8 Principal (From #38) 32 notes
43. 8 Gedeckt (From #41) 32 notes
44. 8 Rohrflöte (From #11) 32 notes
45. 4 Choral Bass 32 pipes
46. 2 Octave(1-20 from #38) 32 notes
47. 32 Cornet (Composed) 32 notes
48. 16 Fagotto 56 pipes
49. 8 Fagotto (From #48) 32 notes
50. 4 Fagotto (From #48) 32 notes
51. 4 Schalmei (From #18) 32 notes
Blank
Blank
Blank
MIDI ON PEDAL
COUPLERS
GREAT TO PEDAL 8
GREAT TO PEDAL 4
SWELL TO PEDAL 8
SWELL TO PEDAL 4
CHOIR TO PEDAL 8
CHOIR TO PEDAL 4
ANTIPHONAL TO PEDAL
ANTIPHONAL TO SWELL
SWELL TO GREAT 16
SWELL TO GREAT 8
SWELL TO GREAT 4
CHOIR TO GREAT 16
CHOIR TO GREAT 8
CHOIR TO GREAT 4
ANTIPHONAL TO GREAT
SWELL TO CHOIR 16
SWELL TO CHOIR 8
SWELL TO CHOIR 4
ANTIPHONAL TO CHOIR
GREAT - CHOIR TRANSFER
COMBINATIONS - Multilevel, 50 levels, locking
GENERALS 1 - 10 Thumb and toe
GREAT 1 - 6, 0 Thumb only
SWELL 1 - 6, 0 Thumb only
CHOIR 1 - 6, 0 Thumb only
PEDAL 1 - 5, 0 Thumb and toe (Divisional Cancel: Thumb only)
GENERAL CANCEL Thumb only
SET Thumb only
PEDAL MOVEMENTS AND REVERSIBLES
GREAT TO PEDAL Thumb and toe (Cancels 4' also)
SWELL TO PEDAL Thumb and toe (Cancels 4' also)
CHOIR TO PEDAL Thumb and toe (Cancels 4' also)
32' Contra Principal Toe Only (Preparation)
32' Contra Bourdon Toe Only (Preparation)
32' Contra Posaune Toe Only (Preparation)
Zimbelstern Toe Only
SFZ Thumb and toe
ACCESSORIES
MIDI Connection Panel (IN, OUT, THRU)
Chime Volume Control 0, 1 - 5
Transposer, LCD Display
Yamaha MDF3
Indicator Lamps and Bar Graphs:
Crescendo (LED Bar graph)
Swell (LED Bar graph)
Choir (LED Bar graph)
32' Contra Principal (Preparation)
32' Contra Bourdon (Preparation)
32' Contra Posaune (Preparation)
The quaint chapel connected to the main sanctuary
is a beautiful sacred space for contemplation, meditation,
or prayer.
Feel free to come in before the 10:00 service
or during the week upon request.
The Chapel is the perfect venue for small weddings
or memorial services.
