Allamakee Ecumenical Choir to present 44th annual “Festival of Lessons and Carols” Sunday at St. John's Lutheran Church; Live stream viewing option available


Performing at annual Ecumenical Concert this Sunday ... The Ecumenical Men’s Choir known as the Heartland Barbershop and Gospel Singers will be performing at the Allamakee Ecumenical Choir’s 44th Annual Christmas Festival of Lessons and Carols this Sunday, December 13 at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Waukon, beginning at 7 p.m. The group is pictured above donning the new tuxedos made available to its members through a generous gift from Dr. Richard Hermeier, and they appreciate Dr. Hermeier’s gift and continued sponsorship support of their musical efforts. Pictured above, left to right, are: Front row - Chris Stuckman, Cameron Berges, Jeff Goettel, Brian Bieber, James Bieber; Back row - Randy Johnsen, Dolan Jones, John Payne, Greg Hagensick. Not pictured: Jonathan Buhl. Submitted photo.

The Allamakee Ecumenical Choir will present its 44th annual Candlelight Christmas Festival of Lessons and Carols service this Sunday, December 13 at 7 p.m. at St. John's Lutheran Church, located at 8 Fifth Street SW in Waukon. Area clergy will read the lessons, and carols will be sung by the assembly present along with organ accompaniment.

Choral numbers will be presented by the Ecumenical Men’s Choir, also known as the Heartland Barbershop and Gospel Singers. Musical selections will also be presented by the St. John’s Lutheran Church Youth and Senior Handbell Choirs and the Bixby String Trio. The program is prepared and directed by James Bieber, Organist and Director of Music at St. John’s Lutheran Church, and he is assisted by his daughter, Waukon Middle and High School Choral Director Sarah Bieber.

The public is invited to share in this joyous community celebration of Christmas through several options that include viewing and hearing the program via livestream on the St. John’s Lutheran Church, Waukon, Iowa Facebook page, or tuning in to KNEI radio at 103.5 FM, or attending the performance in person where appropriate social distancing regulations will be observed. The Allamakee Ecumenical Choir hopes that the variety of viewing and listening options will provide a much needed spiritual and Christmas musical experience for the local community and beyond.

A complete program listing of the Christmas Festival of Lessons and Carols taking place this Sunday evening, December 13, is below this article and available on Page 2 of the December 9, 2020 edition of The Standard.
 

The Allamakee Ecumenical Choir presents the...

44th 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 13, 2020, 7 p.m.
St. John's Lutheran Church, Waukon, Iowa

Pre-service Music: The Bixby String Trio

A FESTIVAL OF LESSONS AND CAROLS
Procession of Bells and Choirs: HE IS BORN; Tune: IL EST NE, French Carol, XVIII Century; Arr.: Mitchell Eithun
Welcome:    Rev. Bryan Robertson
Prelude: ON THIS DAY EARTH SHALL RING, Tune: Personent Hodie; Music: Ralph Vaugh Williams; Arr.: Mitchell Eithun; St. John’s Lutheran Youth Handbell Choir
Congregational Carol: O COME, ALL YE FAITHFUL; Tune: ADESTE FIDELES, Text: Latin Hymn, XVIII Century; Music: John F. Wade’s CANTUS DIVERSI, 1751; Ecumenical Choirs, Congregation and Organ
Opening Prayer:    Rev. Bryan Robertson
Music: THE LORD’S PRAYER; Music: Albert Hay Malott; Arr: Joe Liles and Tom Gentry; LISTEN TO A JUBILANT SONG; Text: Paraphrased from Walt Whitman; Music: Tim Sarsany; Men’s Choir

THE LESSONS AND CAROLS
First Lesson: ISAIAH LX   
Carol: HERE COMES THE LIGHT; Words and Music: Joseph Graham; Arr: John Yane; Men’s Choir
Second Lesson: ST. LUKE i   
Carol: THERE IS FAINT MUSIC; Text: Nancy Buckley; Music: Dan Forrest; Men’s Choir and Piano
Third Lesson: ST. MATTHEW i   
Carol: THE VIRGIN MARY HAD A BABY BOY; Music: West Indian Carol; Arr.: John Nichola; Men’s Choir
Fourth Lesson: ST. LUKE ii   
Carol: AWAY IN A MANGER; Text: Verses 1 and 2 Unknown, Verse 3 John Thomas McFarland (1887); Music: William Kirkpatrick (1895); Men’s Choir
Congregational Carol: HARK! THE HERALD ANGELS SING; Tune: Mendelssohn; Text: C. Wesley and others; Choirs, Congregation and Organ
Music: WHILE BY MY SHEEP; Tune: Traditional German Carol; Arr.: Hart Morris; St. John’s Lutheran Senior Handbell Choir
Announcements:    Rev. Bryan Robertson
Interlude: Bixby String Trio
Carol: AVE MARIA (Angelus Domini); Franz Biebl; Girls’ Ensemble and Men’s Choir
Fifth Lesson: ST. LUKE ii   
Carol: CHRISTMAS ANGEL; Text and Music: Carlynn Hanney; Men’s Choir with Greg Hagensick, Tenor Soloist
Sixth Lesson: ST. MATTHEW ii   
Carol: DO YOU HEAR WHAT I HEAR; Text and Tune: Noel Regney and Gloria Shayne; Arr: Joe Liles; Men's Choir
Seventh Lesson: ST. JOHN i   
Carol: ONE FAITH, ONE HOPE, ONE LORD; Text and Music: Craig Courtney; Men’s Choir and Organ
Candlelight Ceremony    Rev. Bryan Robertson
Carol: SILENT NIGHT; Tune: STILLE NACHT, Franz Gruber, 1787-1863; Text: Joseph Mohr, 1792-1885; Men’s Choir
Prayer    Rev. Bryan Robertson
Collection/Blessing    Rev. Bryan Robertson
Recessional Carol: JOY TO THE WORLD; Tune: ANTIOCH, George F. Handel, 1685-1759; Text: Isaac Watts, 1674-1748; Choirs, Congregation and Organ
Postlude: RONDO from Theme and Variations on Noél Nouvelot; Michael Burkhardt; James Bieber, Organ

PARTICIPATING CLERGY AND READERS
Rev. Kenneth Kimball, Old East and Old West Paint Creek North American Lutheran Churches, Waterville; Rev. Bryan Robertson, St. John’s Lutheran Church, Waukon; Rev. Duane Smith, First Baptist Church, Waukon

VOCAL ENSEMBLES
Waukon High School Girls Ensemble: Hailey Bresnahan, Hailey Houg, Olivia Marti, Hannah Teslow, Peyton Verthein
Ecumenical Men’s Choir: First Tenor - Greg Hagensick, Dolan Jones; Second Tenor - Brian Bieber, Jeff Goettel; Baritone - Cameron Berges, James Bieber; Bass - Jonathan Buhl, Randy Johnson, Jon Payne, Chris Stuckman

ST. JOHN’S LUTHERAN CHURCH YOUTH HANDBELL CHOIR
Dalton Ellickson, Hailey Houg, Lynsey Houg, Johnathan Marti, Olivia Marti, Madelyn Moser, Emma Palmer, Madalyn Palmer, Sophia Palmer, Sarah Stock, Brandon Teslow, Hannah Teslow, Peyton Verthein

ST. JOHN’S LUTHERAN CHURCH SENIOR HANDBELL CHOIR
Sarah Bieber, Sue Bieber, Sue Blagsvedt, Linda Groe, Sarah Hagen, Hailey Houg, Randy Johnson, Vickie Larson, Jon Payne, Nona Sawyer, Chris Stuckman, Hannah Teslow, Sue Torkelson, Peyton Verthein

INSTRUMENTALISTS
Piano/Organ: James H. Bieber
The Bixby String Trio: Violin: Alivia Bixby; Viola: Addyson Bixby; Cello: Abram Bixby

The concert will also be livestreamed on the St. John’s Lutheran Church, Waukon, Iowa Facebook page, and broadcast both live and again Christmas Eve Day, December 24, at 12 p.m. on KNEI Radio (103.5 FM)