We have used the 1995 CHALICE HYMNAL at Vine Street for 17 years!  Many gave funds for purchasing the hymnals.  For a while sixth grade choir children received a copy to take home and others purchased copies for home use.

 In 2003, CHALICE PRAISE, a supplement to the hymnal was published.  It includes more contemporary songs, some written by songwriters we know, like Andra Moran!  This supplement has been especially useful for more contemporary worship settings and with "praise bands."

In 2011 we learned that no more copies of the Disciples's CHALICE HYMNAL will be printed.  As worship styles and settings change, using printed hymnals in the future may be more limited.  The next time you are at Vine Street and singing from the CHALICE HYMNAL, think about the treasure of theology and spiritual nourishment you hold in your hand. 

We hope to see you at 9:30 Sunday as we journey musically from plainsong to Amy Grant!

On February 5 I will lead a "hands-on" program on hymnody from chant to ??? using our CHALICE HYMNAL.  The contents of our hymnal demonstrate the wide variety of musical styles influencing hymns and other songs for worship.  Music in the 10:45 service will include the oldest hymn in the CHALICE HYMNAL and special music from our Children's Choir and Chancel Choir.

On February 12, our own Gabe Dixon will be here for interview and class discussion and will sing in worship.  Gabe  is an outstanding example of the importance of involving children and youth in music in the church.  As a child he was very active in singing and accompanying VSCC music and drama productions.   In 1990 he sang the role of Daniel in "It's Cool in the Furnace"! 

Leaders of classes for February 19 and 26 will be announced soon. On those dates we will explore the influence of African-American and Country Music.

I encourage you to invite and bring your friends to VSCC for these exciting series of presentations as we explore church and worship music styles, influences, and cultural relationships. 

 Vine Street will not host an official AGO convention program but we do plan to feature our pipe organ with special organ music for worship on July 1 and 8.   Our fine pipe organ was installed by the Schantz Organ Company in 1972 (new console, 1983).   Vine Street's "king of instruments" has a three-manual console and 2,423 real pipes of wood and metal . It  can present  all styles of music for worship services, weddings, funerals, and concerts.  We work regularly to maintain this instrument so that the sound of the pipes can continue to lead us in hymns of faith, provide moments of reflection, accompany our choirs and soloists, and stirs us to rejoice through organ voluntaries and concerts.

An insurance representative has recently estimated replacement value for this instrument at @ $1,118,000!  Those who worked together over 40 years ago to make it possible for Vine Street to have a fine pipe organ  would be so happy to know of its worth and continued usefulness to the church.

We also thank the parents who have made it possible for their children to participate in Christian Education and Choir since September.  Our Sunday morning schedule will resume on January 8.

May each of us continue to "walk as a child of the light" through the Christmas season and into the new year!

Special Christmas Blessings to you,

Julia Callaway

  On Christmas Day, our 10:45 service will be filled with joyous carols sung by all and several special organ selections with viola.   The Chancel Choir will be off for Christmas Day and New Year's Day.  Chancel Choir rehearsals resume with an extra rehearsal on Thursday, January 5, and regular rehearsal on Sunday, January 8 at 9:30 AM .  Children's Choir rehearsals resume on January 8 at 10:00 AM.

As a life-long church musician, witnessing the power of music in worship experiences, faith journeys, and fellowship occasions, continues to fill me with amazement.   In the past week I have seen persons moved to tears by a beautiful piano selection, quieted by an organ meditation, filled with joy by children raising their voices in praise, and strengthened in faith by hearing and singing choral sections by J. S. Bach and Jane Marshall.

Next Wednesday at 6:30, the Children's Christmas Musical,  "Light of the World" will be presented in Houston Hall.   Please join us to experience the power of music as the Christmas story set to music by Mark Patterson comes alive once more!   

On December 7, our Christmas Around the Hearth  event begins with dinner at 5:30.  No reservations are needed but everyone is invited to bring a dessert to share.  Please join us for a fun evening of Christmas entertainment.  There will be carol singing by all and the "Jolly Old Elf" will be here once again!

"Light of the World" , our Children's Christmas Musical will be presented at 6:30 on December 14.  Dinner (by reservation) will be served at 6:00.  The musical will be directed by Marcina Clark.  Vine Street children have been rehearsing for weeks to present this special musical by Mark Patterson. They will be assisted by handbell ringers and accompanied by Julia Callaway and others.   This musical ends with a special candlelighting.   Please join us as our young singers tell the story of Christmas in this musical drama. 

The December 4 Offertory Gift of Music by the Chancel Choir is a special gift, and in more than one way!

The sheet music for this work by Jane Marshall was a gift by the choir members  in honor of Toni and Jim Foglesong on the occasion of their 60th Wedding Anniversary. Both Toni and Jim have been long-time members of the VSCC Chancel Choir.  Toni is a retired choir director and chose this anthem as one of her favorites.  Toni directed choirs in several churches including Trinity and Second Presbyterian Church in Nashville. 

The lyrics for Prophet’s Song are by John Thornburg:

To sing when fleeting breath and truant hope forbid,

to stand when gusts of fear at cyclone strength prevail,

to act, when blanket-heavy apathy surrounds,

to roar when falsehood, clothed in silence over whelms:

this then is faith:

 “the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen,”

and in God’s good grace to sing, to stand, to act, to roar.

We are called to live this faith.

We are delighted to share this special gift in music at Vine Street and to honor the Foglesongs!

We are thankful for our fine Schantz pipe organ which we use each Sunday to lead hymns in worship and provide varying styles of organ selections for Preludes, Postludes, and Communion Meditation. It also accompanies our choir.

We are thankful for the faithful members of the Chancel Choir directed by T.J. McLaughlin.  The choir sings for worship nearly 50 Sundays each year and is now rehearsing at 9:30 on Sundays and always is thankful when new singers join us.                  

 We are thankful for our fine Boston grand piano and thank Katie McLaughlin and Marcina Clark who play the piano for Children's Conversation Song each Sunday.   We also use the piano to accompany hymns, choir anthems, or soloists like tenor Kyle Collier who will sing "How Great Thou Art" on 11/20.  (Kyle first sang this General Assembly Sunday in July.)    We are thankful for the beautiful playing of the piano by Savannah Lyle on 11/13 for the Worship Prelude. Her playing of the Chopin Nocturne in E-Flat was very expressive and we thank her for sharing her gift.  

The Joyful Noise group (singers, guitars, bass, drums, and keyboard) led by Joe Keith adds a variety of musical gifts to worship once a month. They sing for two services and on 11/20 their gift of music will be an arrangement of  "Hard Times".  Thank you, Joyful Noise, for your faithful ministry.

We are thankful for our youth and children directed by Marcina Clark, Director of Music for Youth and Children.  The Youth provided spirited music for Youth Sunday and the children will be singing each Sunday in Advent and presenting a musical on Dec. 14.  The children also participate in Worship Bells which call us to worship most Sundays. We thank all who share their musical gifts in worship.

The other night I discovered myself on Youtube in a video from General Assembly in July!  Amazingly, the video features the same piece I will play for postlude this Sunday at Vine Street:  Craig Phillips' Epilogue from his Suite Breve.   The Vine Street organ sounds  much better than the Youtube recording but if you will miss worship Sunday, feel free to check out Youtube for an excellent Benediction following by my playing of the Postlude on the Johannus organ provided for  Assembly Worship at the Convention Center.

You can also watch the video at youtube by following this link.