Allamakee Ecumenical Choir to present annual “Festival of Lessons and Carols” Sunday
The Allamakee Ecumenical Choir will present its 46th Annual Candlelight Christmas Festival of Lessons and Carols Service this Sunday, December 11 at 7 p.m. The service will be held at St. John’s Lutheran Church, located at 8 Fifth Street SW in Waukon.
Local clergy will be reading the lessons. The carols will be sung by the congregation with organ accompaniment. Choral numbers will be presented by the Ecumenical Men’s Choir (also known as the Heartland Barbershop and Gospel Singers). Music will also be provided by the St. John’s Handbell Choirs, Waukon High School Brass Quintet, pianist Kristie Roeder, and Baritone Horn Soloist Shauna Johnsen. The program is under the direction of James Bieber, who is assisted by his daughter, Sarah Bieber, Waukon Middle and High School Choral Director.
The public is invited to attend this community celebration of Christmas in-person at St. John’s Lutheran Church for a unique Christmas Music experience. A reception will follow the concert for further fellowship.
For home viewing and listening, the service will be live-streamed on the St. John’s Lutheran Church Facebook page and can also be heard on KNEI 103.5 FM live that evening and again in a rebroadcast Christmas Eve Day at 12 noon.
The Allamakee Ecumenical Choir presents the...
46th Annual Christmas Festival of Lessons and Carols
featuring the Heartland Barbershop and Gospel Singers
Director/Organist: James H. Bieber; Assisted by Sarah J. Bieber
Sunday, December 11, 2022, 7 p.m.
St. John's Lutheran Church, Waukon, Iowa
Pre-service Music: Waukon High School Brass Quintet
Procession of Choirs & Clergy: MEDIEVAL GLORIA, Vijay Singh; Men’s Choir
Welcome: Rev. Bryan Robertson
Prelude: UKRAINIAN BELL CAROL, Arr.: Denis Robert with piano accompaniment, and DO YOU HEAR WHAT I HEAR, Arr.: Noel Regney and Gloria Shayne; Youth Bell Choir
Congregational Carol: O COME, ALL YE FAITHFUL; Choirs, Congregation and Organ
Prayer: Rev. Bryan Robertson
Music: THE LORD’S PRAYER, Music: Albert Hay Malott; Arr: Joe Liles and Tom Gentry; Men’s Choir
THE LESSONS AND CAROLS
First Lesson: ISAIAH LX Rev. Kim Gates
Carol: PREPARE THE WAY, Words and Music: Darrell Evans and Eric Nuzum, Arr: Jon Nicholas; Men’s Choir with Zach Troendle, Soloist
Second Lesson: ST. MATTHEW i Rev. Kenneth Kimball
Carol: A TINY LITTLE BABY, Words and Music: Don Besig and Nancy Price; Men’s Choir with Cameron Berges, Soloist
Third Lesson: ST. LUKE i Rev. Laura Gentry
Carol: BRING A TORCH, JEANETTE, ISABELLA, Arr: Howard Helbey; Men’s Choir with Kristie Roeder 4-hand Piano Accompaniment
Fourth Lesson: ST. LUKE ii Father John Moser
Carol: GLORY HALLELU!, Don Besig; Men’s Choir with Gregory Hagensick, Soloist
Congregational Carol: THE FIRST NOEL; Choirs, Congregation and Organ
Special Music: ANGEL SONGS, Arr.: Lloyd Larson; FUM, FUM, FUM, Arr.: Nicholas Hanson; Senior Bell Choir
Special Music: SING WE NOW OF CHRISTMAS/GOD REST YE MERRY GENTLEMEN, Arr.: Brant Adams; Performed by Shauna Johnsen, Baritone Horn Soloist; Baritone Horn and Piano
Announcements: Rev. Bryan Robertson
Congregational Carol: GOOD CHRISTIAN FRIENDS, REJOICE; Choirs, Congregation and Organ
Fifth Lesson: ST. LUKE ii Rev. Grant VanderVelden
Carol: IN A DREAM LATE AS I LAY, Jan Wilke; Men’s Choir
Sixth Lesson: ST. MATTHEW ii Rev. Bryan Robertson
Carol: LOVE CAME DOWN AT CHRISTMAS, Howard Helvey; Men's Choir with Jeff Gaunitz, Cello
Seventh Lesson: ST. JOHN i Rev. Cathy Jurgens
Carol: ALL IS PEACE, Heather Sorenson; Men’s Choir
Candlelight Ceremony: SILENT NIGHT; Congregation and Men’s Choir
Prayer Rev. Bryan Robertson
Collect/Blessing Rev. Bryan Robertson
Congregational Carol: JOY TO THE WORLD; Choirs, Congregation and Organ
Postlude: PREPARE THE ROYAL HIGHWAY, 17th Century Swedish Folk Tune, Setting by Charles W. Ore; Organ
PARTICIPATING CLERGY
Rev. Kim Gates, St. Paul’s United Methodist and Forest Mills United Methodist Churches, Waukon; Rev. Laura Gentry, Our Savior’s Lutheran Church, Lansing; Rev. Cathy Jurgens, Zion United Church of Christ, Waukon; Rev. Kenneth Kimball, Old East and Old West Paint Creek North American Lutheran Churches, Waterville; Father John Moser, St. Patrick Catholic Church, Waukon; Rev. Bryan Robertson, St. John’s Lutheran Church, Waukon; Rev. Grant VanderVelden, First Presbyterian Church, Waukon
ECUMENICAL MEN’S CHOIR
Tenor 1 - Gregory Hagensick; Tenor 2 - Jeff Gaunitz, Jeff Goettel, Josh Grau; Baritone - Cameron Berges, James Bieber, Zach Troendle; Bass - Jonathan Buhl, Randy Johnsen, Jon Payne
ST. JOHN’S LUTHERAN CHURCH YOUTH HANDBELL CHOIR
Dalton Ellickson, Landon Ellickson, Lynsey Houg, Hannah Jeglum, Haylee Jeglum, Jonathan Marti, Olivia Marti, Emma Palmer, Sophia Palmer, Sarah Stock, Brandon Teslow
ST. JOHN’S LUTHERAN CHURCH SENIOR HANDBELL CHOIR
Sarah Bieber, Sue Bieber, Sue Blagsvedt, Dalton Ellickson, Linda Groe, Sarah Hagen, Randy Johnsen, Vickie Larson, Carrie Niehaus, Jon Payne, Chris Stuckman, Brandon Teslow, Sue Torkelson, Peyton Verthein, Eva Urmanski
INSTRUMENTALISTS
Piano/Organ: James H. Bieber; Piano Accompanist: Kristie Roeder; Trumpet: Reagan Lubahn, Toby Treptau; Baritone Horn: Shauna Johnsen; French Horn: Jay Aldrich; Trombone: Jacob Smith; Tuba: Logan Lubahn
The concert will be broadcast Christmas Eve Day, December 24, at 12 p.m. on KNEI Radio (103.5 FM)
