MUSIC MINISTRY
From seasonal concerts to a number of adult and youth choirs, music is an integral part of worship at the Neighborhood Church. Led by our Director of Music, David Sateren, these events and choirs allow us to grow in our relationship with Christ and come closer to God and each other. There is a place for all tuneful voices here.
The Music Ministry of the Neighborhood Church seeks to lead our community in worship that glorifies God, touches the heart and challenges the mind—all with reverence, variety and color.
Our choirs include an adult choir, an adult handbell choir and two children's choirs, all of whom work diligently and with great intensity to prepare and offer the finest music in a variety of styles and expressions. Together, these choirs seek to grow musically, spiritually and in community. The department continues to explore new ideas for the future, including working with colleagues, children, youth and adults to co-create a vision that allows the program to grow in service to the church and the community.
If you have any questions or want to get involved with one of our Choirs, please contact David Sateren, Director of Music.
Covenant Choir
The Covenant Choir gloriously leads worship services on Sunday morning with music in a wide variety of styles coming from many different traditions. All individuals, high school age and up, with tuneful voices, are invited to participate.
The group has lively and challenging rehearsals on Thursday evenings, 7:30 pm – 9:30 pm, September through June. Occasional Saturday morning rehearsals are scheduled when the group is preparing a major work or for special services.
The Covenant Choir is blessed to be accompanied by our organist Rebecca Ogle, who has served the church for over 40 years.
An interview with the director is requested for acceptance as a member.
Neighborhood Brass Rings
Handbells have been a significant part of the music program at Neighborhood Church since the mid-1960’s when the first part of a set of 5 Octaves of bells was purchased with the aid of S&H green stamps. The current ensemble continuing to ring those same bells is the Neighborhood Brass Rings. The group varies in size (from 8-11) according to interest. They meet weekly on Tuesdays at 7:15 pm for a fun, challenging and rewarding rehearsal and share their music with the congregation during worship on Sunday morning, about once a month. New members are always welcome after an interview with the director.
A beginning ringing class is offered in September. This is a perfect place to find out what handbell ringing is all about. No experience is necessary!
Children's Choirs
The children’s choir program provides many fun opportunities to all children: Singing, acting, dancing and participating in worship are regular activities for members of the children’s choirs. The choirs can also be very important to a child’s growing spirituality and of course it is a place (possibly the only one) where kids are exposed to basic music skills, such as notes, rhythms, and pitch. Children's choir can have a strong impact on a child's life, musically and spiritually, and is a great chance to teach kids service as they take time out of their lives to give back to the church.
The Seaside Singers meet Monday afternoons and is perfect for those age 9-14. The Sonshine Singers meet on Sunday mornings and is perfect for little voices age 4 and up. Learn more about these choirs here.
Our Glatter-Götz Organ
Dedicated in 1999, our state of the art Glatter-Götz pipe organ is a "little gem" amongst the great organs of the world. Designed and constructed in Germany by the same firm that created the instruments for the Walt Disney Concert Hall and the International House of Music in Moscow, our organ is a central piece of music ministry at the Neighborhood Church. We celebrate this gift each year with an organ concert by a world-class organist.
The organ was graciously gifted to the Neighborhood Church by Mrs. Eloise "Sandy" Barnett, in honor of her husband Elton "Barney" Barnett and his appreciation for his deep Christian faith and the place that the Neighborhood Church held in his life. A 25 note set of chimes, located in the Chapel but playable from the organ console, was donated by Helen Billings and Lois Chace, in loving memory of Earl Billings and Eugene Chace. Their generosity is overwhelming and deeply appreciated by all who have the pleasure of hearing these incredible instruments every Sunday Morning.
The three-manual 30 stop organ is a mechanical action organ (also known as a "tracker" organ) which mechanically links the keys to the air valves for responsiveness and compact design. Although the tracker type of construction is centuries old, this organ incorporates several modern technological elements, including a computerized system that controls the combination action, sequencer, and crescendo systems.
The organ was first heard on Easter Sunday 1999 and was played for services during the remainder of the nine month voicing process in which Manuel Rosales of Rosales Organ Builders accomplished the voicing of the pipes. The organ was dedicated during the morning church services on September 26, 1999 and has enhanced and enriched the life of our congregation ever since.