The Personnel Committee, Ministerial Staff, and Music Staff have been considering candidates for the position and  unanimously agreed this week to offer the position to Marcina Clark!  Marcina is well known to VSCC for her piano skills and has filled in here as choir director and singer and directed a handbell choir a few years ago.   We also know her as Kevin's mother! 

Marcina has accepted the position of Director of Music for Children and Youth at Vine Street and will officially begin her ministry in music with us on September 1.   She is currently a Music Director and Vocalist at St. Ann Catholic Church and Office Manager at New Haven Records.  She will continue in those positions.   Marcina is a graduate of Belmont University and has taught music privately and in parochial schools for a number of years.  She also has accompanied choirs at Blair and W.O. Smith Nashville Community Music School and for Choristers Guild Choir Festivals in Nashville.

 Unofficially, Marcina is already at work making exciting music plans for our children and youth at VSCC.  We look forward to September when Children's Choir rehearsals will resume on Wednesday afternoons.   Plans for music with the youth and young instrumentalists are being developed.  

Welcome Marcina!  We look forward to working with you in the ministry of music. 

The Chancel Choir begins the summer rehearsal schedule in June.  Rehearsals will be on alternate Thursdays so please check the church calendar for the dates.  Summer singers are always welcome to join the choir as it continues to provide choral music leadership in worship nearly every Sunday. 

On June 27 we will welcome the Greater Richmond Children's Choir to sing in worship.  This touring group has connections with Phoebe Binkley and we look forward to hearing them  on their visit to Nashville as they sing in worship and also work with Mrs. Binkley in a workshop on the 28th.

 Weather permitting, we'll gather on the 12th @5:15 for fun and games on the VSCC playground.  Please bring a box of popsicles and $3 for pizza and join as we say goodbye to Andra.  She and Stephen are leaving to start a new Sunday night ministry in music and worship at Woodmont Christian Church.  We wish them all the best !  We will miss them at VSCC but are glad they will still be in the Nashville area.

 Last Sunday the Rev. Dr. Bronson Netterville used Micah 6:6-8 for his sermon emphasis.  Our CHALICE HYMNAL has two hymns based on that scripture.  The meter of the text did not match any other familiar tunes so we chose to read hymn 659 at the close of the service.   From comments we heard, this was not as unwelcome as trying to sing an unfamiliar tune.

Our hymnal is filled with many fine texts which may never be sung in worship.  Reading the text can offer you an understanding of the hymn without the distraction of an unfamiliar tune, a tune that does not enhance the meaning of the hymn, or a tune which captures all our attention.  Try reading a hymn some time and let it sing in your mind and heart.  

The Joyful Noise group led by Joe Keith presents a special gift of music at both services on the third Sunday of the month.  Vocalists and instrumentalists are invited to join the group at any of their 6:00 p.m. Wednesday practices. 

Under the leadership of Andra Moran, our Children's Choir and members of the T.E.A.M music group for youth have offered special gifts of music monthly during the school year.  Rehearsals for these groups for children and youth will conclude on May 12 with "Popsicles on the Playground".   Watch for an annoucement of plans for a visiting Children's Choir in June.

In addition to music presented on the organ or piano, instrumentalists in the congregation and guest musicians often share music in worship.  Please contact Julia Callaway if you have an interest in sharing a musical gift in worship this summer.

We appreciate all the time and energy contributed by members of our choirs and music  groups  as they help us provide a variety of music and more for worship at Vine Street.   

During our Easter Service we also enjoyed the joyful singing of our Children's Choir directed by Andra, our ever faithful Chancel Choir's stirring anthems, and the rich and warm sound of Sarah Steeves playing viola with organ during communion!  

We look forward to the next opportunity for worship when we just might pull out ALL the stops on the organ.  Check here later for our next GOTTA TOCCATA POSTLUDE  announcement.

 At Vine Street the brass cross on our communion table remains in place except during Advent processions and the Easter Sunday procession.  During Lent we hang an additional wooden cross over the baptistery.    This year the Worship committee and John Fleming have created a new wooden cross for us.  This cross will be carried in procession out of church at the end of our Palm  Sunday service as we sing "Lift High the Cross".    The new cross will be erected  on the front lawn for Holy Week and the week after Easter.