The Annual Report of the Director of Music Ministry ~
Ned Wetherald

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Just when you think you’ve got your job figured out, 2020 happens!  In many jobs, and especially in the church, we get accustomed to a certain pattern.  Worship every seven days, the Christian year cycle of Christmas, Easter, and that long season after Pentecost, sometimes called “Ordinary Time.”  Well, 2020 had not “ordinary time.” What we all thought was going to be another normal year turned into wild ride of figuring out how to do the many things the church does without getting too close to each other.  Wow!

As 2020 began, Chancel Choir progressed nicely and was beginning to prepare for Holy Week and Easter.  The Handbell Choir was almost ready to attend the 2020 Nittany Valley Handbell Festival.  The LOGOS Geckos choirs were almost ready for their annual Musical.  Plans were being made for an orchestra for the Easter Services.  Suddenly in mid-March all this activity came to a screeching halt! 

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​Gradually we began to figure out how to piece together a new way of doing things. The Chancel Choir has become quite adept at using My Choral Coach – a program that allows me to post scores and tracks of music online that the individual choir singers learn on their own. They then record (and sometimes video) themselves singing. They then submit the recording to me electronically.  I gather all the individual tracks from singers, then combine them with an accompaniment track to create the anthems for most Sunday mornings. Even the 93rd Annual Christmas Candlelight Services happened in 2020!  The technology that made this possible was unheard of when the Candlelight services began. 

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​The Handbell Choir could not take advantage of the same technology, but as conditions improved in the fall, we rehearsed for several weeks and made videos of four pieces which can be used in worship services.  Of course, we move equipment around so that each ringer had their own table and was at least six feet away from the others.  Additionally, we had the windows open and the ventilation fan running, and, of course, we all wore masks.  I’m not sure whether the ringers preferred the musicmaking or the fellowship.  Both were a highlight of a crazy year.

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I tried to meet with the LOGOS Geckos choirs via Zoom to mixed results.  I learned very quickly that these children are much more adept at using Zoom than I.  Thanks, kids, for teaching me how to change my Zoom background. This familiarity with technology was a big help when it came time to pull together a Christmas Musical, which we have done for years at the 7:00 PM Christmas Eve service. I outlined the Christmas Story by choosing scripture readings, selecting solos that matched these readings, sketching out scenes, and writing a song to close.  With the LOGOS Geckos and Chrysalis and other church families with children the same age, we came up with a wonderfully creative telling of the Christmas story.  I was overwhelmed with families anxious to help by reading, singing, drawing, and acting.  I prepared rehearsal tracks for the soloists, and sent instructions on how to create their singing video.  I sent the scripture readings, and a few suggestions to our videographer families and got back incredibly creative videos. My favorite was the Behrer’s hog, who snorted right on cue!  I asked readers to prepare their scripts and make a simple video.  I called for art works describing several of the prophetic names for Jesus.  I did very little “correcting” and was able to mix video and audio of all these pieces into a fun telling of the Christmas Story – unique to SCPC families and the year of 2020.

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With all this, I am grateful for 2020 in the sense that it has given me the chance to examine what we do in our Music Ministry and to find new ways to accomplish our worship goals.  Most important, it has confirmed my love for this congregation and the incredible talent, cooperation, and commitment we share as children of God.

Soli Deo Gloria,
Ned Wetherald