By Susan Shinn Turner

For the Salisbury Post

Members of the St. John’s Men’s Chorus are always excited to present their annual Christmas concert. 

What’s even more meaningful this year is that the offering benefits disaster relief in western North Carolina (see sidebar), and matched by a generous donor up to $5,000.

The men will present “How Great Our Joy!” at 4 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 8, in the Sanctuary of St. John’s Lutheran Church, 200 W. Innes St. in Downtown Salisbury. 

The concert brings the group’s three directors back together — founding director Rosemary Kinard, Jason Harwood and Deacon Rob Durocher, current director, who serves as minister for worship and the arts. 

Ricky Howsare, a former contemporary worship leader, will return as featured soloist. He’ll be accompanied by pianist Mark Tysinger. 

Durocher has put together a program of beautifully arranged Christmas carols, some of which will be accompanied by strings and brass. Pastor Dan Joyner Miller, the congregation’s senior pastor, will provide a brief narration. 

“It’s a nice tapestry of simple narration and exciting settings of our favorite Christmas carols,” Durocher said. 

The concert’s theme piece is “How Great Our Joy!” But this setting is more reflective than the old German carol on which it’s based, Durocher says. 

Other pieces for the afternoon event include “O Come, All Ye Faithful,” “I Saw Three Ships,” “Little Drummer Boy,” “Ding, Dong Merrily on High” (with double pianos), “The First Noel,” and more. 

Kinard will direct a stunning arrangement of “Silent Night,” which Durocher calls her signature piece.

The handbell choir will play under the direction of Kimberly Lentz. As always, the chorus will be accompanied by Janie Rollins. Josh Starnes, minister of music at First Methodist Church, will be playing with Rollins on some pieces. Thom Hinson, a new member and retired church musician, will serve as assisting organist. Kinard will also play flute.

This year, Rollins is celebrating 30 years with the chorus. 

“We work hard on our music, but we have a good time in rehearsals, too,” she said. 

Rollins said she loves how the chorus keeps her connected to her congregation, and she also appreciates its ministry to the community and among the men. 

“It’s more than the way they come together to minster to one another,” she said. “It’s such a beautiful ministry and outreach we do from our church.”

Susan Shinn Turner is staff writer for St. John’s Lutheran Church. 

 

Bridging together

While the Revs. Ray and Ruth Ann Sipe will only have a few minutes at next Sunday’s concert to discuss current relief efforts in western North Carolina, they could of course talk for much longer. 

The Sipes serve as disaster coordinators for Lutheran Disaster Response Carolinas. 

The offering at the Men’s Chorus Christmas Concert will benefit LDR Carolinas, and the Sipes could not be more thrilled. A generous donor will match up to $5,000.

What’s needed most, the couple explains, is money. 

“We’re past the point that we need stuff,” Sipe said.

The main emphasis right now, the couple says, is restoring an estimated 5,000 private bridges that are out. 

LDR has embarked in a partnership with Mennonite Disaster Service called Bridging Together. The effort recently received a $2 million grant. Estimates for each bridge, however, cost $50,000 in materials.

“But the grant is a huge head start,” Ruth Ann Sipe noted.

Her husband added, “We need money for rebuilding and we need money for the bridges.”

In addition, Ruth Ann Sipe said, LDR Carolinas will hire new staff at the beginning of the year to assist with volunteer and site coordination. 

“Those come with costs as well,” she said. “We have church groups and college groups who want to come, but we need coordinators in place to make those trips useful.”

To donate to Bridging Together, you may give cash or write a check at the concert made out to Lutheran Disaster Response Carolinas with Bridging Together on the memo line. You may also give online at either ldrcarolinas.org or nclutheran.org. 

— Susan Shinn Turner