Music
Our music program is exceptionally strong. We feature our music ministry at Easter, Christmas, and at many other occasions. The children and youth sing and play bells throughout the year at Sunday worship and special events.
Choir of St. Stephen
The Choir of St. Stephen is open to any person who wants to sing. The Choir leads the music in each Sunday’s worship service. Rehearsals are on Thursday nights. Dr. John Blizzard serves as our minister of music and Michael Lehtinen serves as our organist.
Grace Notes
In addition to choral music, St. Stephen’s Grace Notes adult handbell choir, helps to lead worship through the melodic sounds of traditional handbells.
Children & Youth
Children and youth at St. Stephen have a wide variety of regular opportunities to serve in worship through music, including Youth Choir, various children’s choirs, handbells, chimes, and more.
View details on children and youth music opportunities below.
Youth Ensembles
St. Stephen’s youth music opportunities include the Youth Choir, handbell choirs, and the Witness Youth Praise Band.
This choir is open to all youth in grades 6-12. Rehearsals are Wednesday evenings from 6:30- 7:30 pm (September- May) in Room 3. The Youth Choir sings regularly in worship. There is a yearly retreat in January. No experience required! This choir is led by Julia Lathan.
Witness, a contemporary performance band, is open to youth in 6th-12th grade and rehearses on Sunday afternoons (September – May) in the Youth Ministry Center. The band plays for youth group on Sunday nights.
Agape (beginning) Bells
For youth with music reading experience. This group rings in worship throughout the year. Rehearsals are Wednesdays from 5:45- 6:30 pm in room 6.
Alleluia (advanced) Bells
An advanced bell group, primarily made up of high school youth. The choir rings in worship throughout the year. Rehearsals are Wednesdays from 7:30- 8:15 pm in room 6.
Handbell choirs meet during the school year (September through March) and are led by Julia Lathan.
Children's Music Opportunities
At St. Stephen, children have an opportunity to explore music from the age of three. They begin with song and movement, and grow in skill as they progress through the choir program.
(Wednesdays from September to April)
Three and four year olds explore music through song, movement, instruments, and story. Join us as we praise God and have fun! (5:00- 5:30 pm in room 36).
In this beginning choir, for children in TK through 1st grade, children learn basic rhythm and melodic concepts (keeping a steady beat and learning how a melody moves up and down). This choir sings in worship monthly. (5:00- 5:30 pm in room 34)
This choir is for children in 2nd – 5th grades. This more advanced children’s choir explores vocal techniques, learns to navigate basic notation and begins to sing in parts. The choir sings in worship monthly. (5:00- 5:45 pm in room 3)
This chime choir is for children in grades 3-5 who may or may not have had music reading experience. (5:45- 6:15 pm in room 7)
Each summer, the children of St. Stephen spend a week (Monday-Friday, 9am-1pm) to prepare a musical for worship the following Sunday. This year’s camp will be July 22-26, 2024, with the presentation of the musical on July 28, 2024, 10am. Please invite friends! Click here to learn more and register.