Charlotte Larsen

These two Easter services were submitted by Charlotte Larsen, director of music at the Ann Arbor Christian Reformed Church, Ann Arbor, Michigan. Like many growing congregations, Ann Arbor CRC holds two morning services that are distinct in style and flavor but grow out of the same Scriptures and include the same sermon. The different character of the two services is designed to address the diverse university community.

In the past, all our Christmas banners and decorations just disappeared after Christmas. But this year we extended the season by planning a joint Epiphany hymn festival with the Ann Arbor Campus Chapel. It was a first for us but one I'm sure will become a tradition since it provided such an appropriate closure to the Christmas cycle.

We Enter into God's Presence with Praise

Prelude (The prelude will be organ music and congregational singing. The songs will be sung without announcement. Congregation is to join in as they enter.)

"God of All Ages"
[PH 262, PsH 599, RL 494, TH 710]

"We Plow the Fields and Scatter"
[PH 560, PsH 456, RL 17, TH 714]

"Now Thank We All Our God"
[PH 555, PsH 454, RL 61, TH 98]

Helen Kemp. St. Louis: Concordia. 85 minutes, VHS 87-0231, $39.95.

Mrs. Helen Kemp, well known for her work with children, demonstrates in a most enthusiastic way on this video a variety of methods that can be used in children's choir rehearsals. Through a pre-worship rehearsal with a children's choir, Kemp exhibits ways of helping children develop good singing habits and encouraging children to express the joy of music and convey the message of the gospel through their music.

A celebration of the Christmas story

The People of God Gather

Prelude: "In Dulci Jubilo"
Koch

Opening Hymn: "Hark, the Glad Sound!"
(PsH 335, RL 251, TH162)

Greeting

To Prepare for the Lord's Coming

Old Testament Reading: Isaiah 9:6-7

Lighting of the Advent Candle

New Testament Reading: 2 Peter 3:10-13

WE PRAISE GOD WITH JOY

Prelude:"In Thee is Gladness".........................Busarow

"When in Our Music God is Glorified"..................Stanford
"Praise to the Lord"..................................Manz

Choral Call to Worship: "Now With Joyful Exultation" (PH 95:1)

God's Greeting

Hymn: "When in Our Music God Is Glorified" (PH 512, RL 508)

Scripture: Colossians 3:1-4,12-16

Often Ascension Day and Pentecost are overlooked by teachers, choir leaders, and others in the church who work with children. After all, these days usually fall late in the spring, when church school programs, choirs, and clubs are winding down.

Through music we have the privilege of teaching children and helping them understand more fully the heritage and theology of the church as well as the meaning and order of the liturgical year. The music listed on this page may be sung in unison by children and incorporated within the worship service as a call to worship, a call to prayer, a response to prayer, the offertory (children's gift of music), or a response to the benediction.

The following music is appropriate for use in the worship service during the Advent, Christmas, or Epiphany season. The list includes music used with the children in our church school music program over the past several years. Those titles with a star (*) were used in the 1987 candlelight service. All music is sung in unison with piano accompaniment. Optional two parts, descants, or instruments are indicated below.

All carols unannounced

*Congregation standing

Prelude:

"O Little Town of Bethlehem" Manz
"Sinfonia" (Christmas Oratorio) J. S. Bach
"In Dulci Jubilo" Dupre

Choral Invitation and Processional:

"O Come, Little Children" Schultz
"Once in Royal David's City"
(The congregation shall rise and join on stanzas 5 and 6.)

Include the Whole Family of God in Your Christmas Celebrations

The leaves were just beginning to change color a few years ago when I noticed the first displays of Christmas decorations in a local department store. It shouldn't have come as any surprise. In our highly commercialized society, shopping malls are known distorters of time and season: bathing suits and shorts appear in January, heavy winter coats in the midst of a major July heat wave.