Welcome to the Music Ministry Web page of Jarvis Memorial United Methodist Church!

Stan #4From Stan McDaniel, Minister of Music.  Hello there!  John Wesley encouraged all of us to sing with “good courage” and to lift our voices “with strength”.   Implied in that statement and implicit in all of Wesley's writings about church music is the idea that the music of the church is the birthright of every worshiper.  Truly the most important thing we can do is to encourage and strengthen the music of God's people, and, just as important, to use our God-given gift of music to serve Him in worship.  Music, I believe, is one of the most  powerful tools of the Holy Spirit. Singing together serves to unify the Christian community, to comfort us in times of need, to challenge our old ways of thinking, and to inspire us to greater commitment when time calls for it. 
  
 
 
Congregational Singing:  At Jarvis Church we have a tradition of great congregational singing.  Our traditional services include the great hymns and songs of the faith passed down through the generations as well as newer contributions to hymnody, both from the United Methodist Hymnal and the United Methodist Hymnal supplement,  "The Faith We Sing".   We also take seriously the injunction to "sing with understanding", and make an ongoing effort to educate people about the music and theology of what we are singing as well as other elements of worship.  The central importance of congregational singing is stressed even more in our Contemporary Services where music in the contemporary idiom dominates the liturgy.
 
In addition, Jarvis Memorial United Methodist Church has a dynamic Ministry of Music involving one hundred volunteers, one of the strongest in eastern North Carolina, where opportunities abound both for leaders and participants through singing choirs, bells, orchestra, and Praise Band.   Our music ministry program provides an opportunity for service to God and for spiritual growth through Biblical truths presented in musical settings, classical and contemporary, vocal and instrumental. Music has played an important part of church life at Jarvis throughout its history. By getting involved in music ministry at Jarvis, you have the opportunity to lead in worship through music. You will receive a warm welcome into the Jarvis music ministry family where you will enjoy fellowship and fun with many other friends in music ministry.  Auditions are never required to participate in any of our musical organizations.

Musical Organizations for Adults

 

Chancel Choir (Adults) - Dr. Stan McDaniel, Director; Steve Cagle, organist and accompanist. One of Greenville’s premier church choirs, the Jarvis Chancel Choir has a tradition of musical excellence dating back to the very beginnings of our church. The choir sings a broad variety of music from choral masterworks to spirituals to contemporary selections. Major choral works or music festival services, often with orchestral accompaniment, are presented at least twice each year. The Chancel Choir has the primary responsibility to provide music for the Sunday Morning 11:00 Worship Service in the Sanctuary. This choir includes men and women of diverse musical background and always welcomes new members! Requirements are a love of singing and a willingness to devote time each week to the preparation of music for worship. Rehearsals are Wednesday evenings at 7 p.m. Childcare is provided.

Sanctuary Choir (Adults) - Dr. Stan McDaniel, Director; Steve Cagle, organist and accompanist. For those who love to sing in a choir, but cannot commit to a weeknight rehearsal, the Sanctuary Choir is an ideal choice. The Sanctuary Choir provides musical leadership for our 8:15 a.m. worship service each Sunday. Rehearsals are at 7:45, prior to Sunday morning worship, with a hot cup of coffee "always at the ready". Childcare is also provided. An enjoyment for making music and fellowship is shared by all in this choir! The Sanctuary Choir is always open to new members. 

Praise and Worship Band — Alison Ponzi, Worship Leader; Cameron Bibb, music intern. The Praise Team is responsible for leading worship through music for our 9:00 a.m. contemporary service in the Taft Christian Life Center. Using acoustic and electric instruments as well as percussion, this group builds from their own faith and leads worship through singing and instrumental praise. Rehearsals are Thursday evenings, 5:30 - 7:00p.m. 

Jarvis Ringers (Adult) -- Directed by Stan McDaniel. Our principal bell choir, the Jarvis Ringers play a wide variety of music for three to five octaves of English handbells. The choir rings in worship services 8-9 times each year as well as for special services, musical events in the community, and regional bell festivals. Rehearsals are Sunday evenings, 7:30 - 8:15 p.m., in the Music Lab. Childcare is provided.

Jarvis Orchestral Ensemble (9th Grade - Adult) -- Directed by Cheryl Stephenson. Jarvis Memorial is blessed to have many talented instrumental musicians. The ensemble rehearses on Wednesday evenings at 6 p.m. and plays regularly throughout the year at 11:00 worship service.

 

To get more information about any of these organizations 

CLICK HERE

To Sign Up for Any of our musical ensembles

CLICK HERE

CHILDREN'S MUSIC

Rehearsals resume in September.  Meanwhile, read on to learn about our goals for children's music ministry at Jarvis Memorial United Methodist Church.

 It’s our hope to build a model children's choir ministry at Jarvis Memorial. We want to provide your children with an experience that they will remember, a time to learn, and a time to grow spiritually. Children’s choir is about more than performance; it's about service and ministry. Our goal is to return to at least three fully functioning children's choirs:

  • Every meeting of the Promise Choir (3 and 4-year-olds) is filled with love and fun making music.
  • The Cherub Choir (Kindergarten thru Grade 2) continues this while the teaching of musical fundamentals begins.
  • Chapel Choir (Grades 3 to 5) builds on these experiences, and we hope, by the end of each year, to have children singing regularly in parts. Moreover, as the children move through the program, we hope to instill in them an understanding of the importance of worship, the excitement of worship, and what it means to be a worship leader.

This year (2007/2008) has been a rough one for our Jarvis children's choirs.  The discontinuance of our Sunday evening "Jarvis Youth Club" in 2006 impacted severely on choir participation.  It was necessary to disband Promise Choir this year.  Cherub and Chapel Choirs had to be combined to make a viable group. 

Do you believe, as we on your Music Ministry staff do, that Children's Choirs are an important part of our church's ministry to families?  Would you be willing to serve on a committee to plan a new and exciting children's choir program for Fall 2009?  If so, CLICK HERE and email Stan McDaniel.

Young Ringers , handbell choir for upper elementary children(grade 3 and up) meets Wednesdays at 7:15 p.m. during the fall and spring.   To get more information about Children's Choirs at Jarvis,

CLICK HERE

 TO REGISTER YOUR CHILDREN FOR ANY OF THESE ACTIVITIES,

CLICK HERE

VOLUNTEER HELP NEEDED!

As our program continues to grow, volunteer help is key to making music ministry  possible.  We are always in need of adults and older youth interested in helping with various aspects of the program.  Some of the areas where help is needed include:

  • accompanist/pianist (we can use all skill levels)
  • direct or assist the director of a children's choir
  • choir assistant (participates and provides assistance to director of children's choir)
  • music library filing -- every choir and instrumental group, adult and youth and children, needs some help with organization and filing of sheet music
  • individual to design and create attractive, inspiring, educational bulletin boards

If you would be interested in helping out in any of these areas, CLICK HERE.  

 

 
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