The music program at Vine Street is a vital part of our ministry to the community. We are fortunate to have many accomplished musicians and singers in our midst and a wide array of opportunities within which to share our musical gifts.
Chancel Choir – T. J. McLaughlin, Director
The Chancel Choir is a group of adults who gather Thursday evenings at 7:00 pm for rehearsal. This choir provides choral leadership for the 10:45 service each Sunday, for the 11:00 P.M. Christmas Eve Service, and for other special seasonal services. Each year the Chancel Choir has presented community concerts featuring major choral works such as MESSIAH by Handel, MAGNIFICAT settings by Vivaldi and Rutter, and REQUIEM settings by Faure, Mozart, and Rutter. New members are welcome at any rehearsal.
Children’s and Youth Choirs – Andra Moran, Director
Children’s Choir:
There’s a saying you’ll hear almost any time the Children’s Choir is assembled: Rock the Church! You can ask about the long story that accompanies the words that have become our slogan, but I can assure you that our Children’s Choir really does rock Vine Street. Currently, we have 28 choir members, which makes for an wonderful bunch of joyful noise! Our weekly rehearsals include learning music which we present monthly in worship in the sanctuary, but there is a lot more that happens in choir than plain-jane singing. Our choir members have musical scavenger hunts, learn sign language, handbells and Orff instruments, and have a monthly “birthday party.” Each spring, the choir works hard alongside other musicians and singers to prepare a full-length musical, complete with choreography and dialogue, in addition to a church-rockin’ musical score (read this article by Ted Parks about the Vine Street children's musicals!). We are often accompanied by guitar, piano, organ, and percussion. Sometimes we have special guests who bring exotic instruments in to share with us. We close each of our rehearsals with a prayer circle in which choir members, parents and leaders are encouraged to share. If you’re in Kindergarten through 6th grade and have a flair for the dramatic, a gift of dance or a song in your heart, come and sing with us! We meet on Wednesdays from 5:15 to 6:00 pm. Come on and join us…Together, we can Rock the Church!
Vine Street T.E.A.M:
Vine Street T.E.A.M. is a new format for youth choir. This program is designed for creative people, grades 7 through 12. You're invited to journey with us as we exlore new ways of teaching each other, evolve individually and collectively, and align ourselves with God's call. Through music and drama, worship and fellowship, we will magnify God as a community committed to creativity.
TEACH. EVOLVE. ALIGN. MAGNIFY. Wednesdays >> 6:15 to 7PM
The Joyful Noise – Joe Keith, Leader
The Joyful Noise is a music ministry that was initially started by Larry Reynolds sharing his musical talents with people that wanted to play guitar and sing.
From that humble beginning, The Joyful Noise has snowballed into a ministry of instrumentalists and singers that preserve and present music from both the black and white gospel experience with a healthy respect for the hymns we all grew up with. The emphasis is on acoustic instruments, but we venture into “electricland” from time to time. We practice in the sanctuary each Wednesday evening at 7:00pm and present our musical offerings once a month at both the early and late Sunday services, the second Sunday of each month.
Expertise with an instrument is welcome, but not required, we learn and grow together. We will teach you or learn from you. Currently, we have guitars, bass, mandolin, accordion, pennywhistle, and piano. We are a group performing as one Spirit, and not one spirit backed by a group. We expect change and allow the Spirit to move us forward. While the group welcomes all levels of expertise, more accomplished players are encouraged to venture into smaller, more challenging musical projects.
The Joyful Noise opened two benefit concerts for Second Harvest Food Bank at the historic Ryman Auditorium, an achievement which grew out of love, consistent work, and the willingness to give. We regularly venture out to play for shut-ins and at various church events at Vine Street as well as other churches. We have been honored to be asked to play for several funerals and even one wedding!
The Joyful Noise has two simple rules: We are kind to each other and we will play in tune or not at all. We may have a bad note or two in a presentation, but we will ALWAYS strive to play in tune. Each week we share the joys and concerns of our members and are always ready to lend an ear to someone who needs to talk.
Come join us and experience the music that God has placed in your heart!
Handbell Choir – Marcina Clark, Director
We meet with the following intentions:
1. To grow musically
2. To grow spiritually through music
3. To meet and keep new friends
4. To enhance the worship experience for all who attend VSCC
Rehearsals are Sunday from 12:30 – 1:30 p.m., following the Sunday 10:45 a.m. service. Teenagers and adults are welcome to ring. No experience necessary. We can teach you everything you need to know!