sacred music

By Christopher Holwey, Department of Sacred Music Chairman

Read Metropolitan Philip's letter of support for Choir/Chanter Appreciation Sunday

On December 9th, the second Sunday of the month, our Antiochian Archdiocese will be celebrating Choir/Chanter Appreciation Sunday. I’m sure that you have appreciated your choir and chanters many other times throughout the year, for all the liturgical services they beautify and make possible with their singing and chanting. But this is one Sunday that we especially acknowledge them particularly, throughout the Archdiocese, and thank them for their ministry in the parish.

I’ve often been asked: What could we do for them on that Sunday? Well, you could have the parish sing “Many years” to them this time. You could have a special coffee hour in their honor; or invite one of them to offer the sermon, or short talk, that day on music in the Church; or use it as a time to focus on music as a ministry, inviting others to join the choir, or learn how to be a chanter if they are able to sing, and feel the calling to do so.