WORSHIP AND MUSIC

Worship is both the front door for guests as well as a time for the community to express our hopes and fears to God for grace in our lives and world. That is why we take worship VERY seriously – it must be satisfying, deep, fun, renewing, honest, bold and true.

• Our commitment is to blended worship – combining the time-tested beauty of tradition with the sights and sounds of this generation – is innovate ways.

• We also believe that children and adults need to spend time in worship together. To that end, we will push the comfort zone of some so that we might always listen to the Spirit of the Lord who “blows wherever she wills!”

For us, worship is where we learn how to be the body of Christ in the contemporary world so we have nourished three essential musical expressions of God’s grace at First Church.

The Sanctuary Choir: under the leadership of Luke Massery our choir sings traditional and contemporary songs of faith. They practice each week at 7 pm on Thursdays. They help lead the congregation in song. And they encourage us all to go deeper into the wisdom of the liturgical year.

NEW: we have just added a choir practice website so you can get the music, go to You Tube and practice, too. Check it out @ www.firstchurchchoir.moonfruit.com

Between the Banks: a cooperative folk-rock ensemble under the leadership of our pastor, James Lumsden. In addition to bringing world and contemporary music into worship, Between the Banks regularly brings music to local Public Access Television and other venues throughout the Berkshires.  Check this out:  www.youtube.com/watch?v=aHUFNirKcig

Intergeneraional Singing: from time to time,  we host a seasonalchildren’s choir to bring new sounds of celebration to worship. This summer we gathered a mixed group for a South African Freedom Mass, too.

Here’s a little of the Freedom Mass: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n0Pp66QaIgQ

There are also times of experimental worship at First Church that include a Good Friday contemporary music exploration of Christ’s passion, a Thanksgiving Eve folk music fest to raise funds for emergency heating and Taize worship in Advent and Lent on Sunday evenings. The founder of the Protestant Reformation, Martin Luther, was clear: when we sing, we pray twice!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F0g7-40utSQ