Music at Grace

Music at Grace

Music in The Lutheran Church

Martin Luther famously wrote, “Next to theology, music deserves the highest praise.” Music is a gift of God, given that we might “proclaim the wonders God has done” (LSB 556) in sending His only Son, Christ Jesus, to redeem us by His death and resurrection. Singing is commanded by God (Psalm 98) and singing is the natural response of faith upon hearing the Gospel. This does not mean that all of our songs are “happy” by worldly standards. Hymns are sung on all occasions and express the breadth and depth of human emotion—lament over sin and peace upon receiving forgiveness; penitent reflection of Jesus on the cross and resounding joy that He is risen; grief at the graveside of a loved one and the hope of the coming resurrection; and more! Music in The Lutheran Church puts God’s Word on our lips at all times.

The Gathered Congregation

The Lutheran Church is often called “the singing Church.” If you are visiting Grace, one of the first things you will notice is that almost all of the service is sung. We sing or chant most of the liturgy and we sing several hymns during each service, supplemented by choral, organ, and other instrumental music along the way. The most important ensemble in the church is the gathered congregation singing together. In the liturgy, our Lord gives and we receive. We respond with una voce (one voice), uniting our voices together in the song of the church to proclaim the Gospel to one another and so to glorify God. Our hymns also form our faith and teach doctrine, bringing us together as the body of Christ in the one true faith. We believe what we sing! Additionally, the weekly repetition of the liturgy aids in memory and imprints the Word of God on our hearts as we pass this wondrous gift of faith from one generation to another.

In addition to singing with the congregation, we have several opportunities to get more involved with music here at Grace which are described below. For more information about our music or to get involved, contact Kantor Magnuson.

Kantorei (Adult Choir)

  • Sings 2-3 times per month for Sunday Divine Service at 10:00 AM, plus most festival services

  • Rehearsals are held on Thursday evenings from 7:00-8:30 PM in the Choir Room, from late August through Holy Trinity Sunday (late May or early June)

  • Open to adults and students age 12+

Schola Cantorum (Children’s Choir) - on hiatus

  • Sings approx. once per month for Sunday Divine Service at 10:00 AM

  • Rehearsals are held on Wednesday evenings from 6:00-7:00 PM in the Choir Room, from September through May

  • Open to children in 2nd through 8th grades, and high school age girls

  • If you are interested in having your children in Schola in the future, please contact Kantor

Brass Ensemble & Other Instrumentalists

  • Plays for occasional festival services such Easter, Christmas Day, Pentecost and/or Reformation, in addition to other times throughout the year

  • Rehearses on an as-needed basis, usually 2-3 weeks prior to a service

  • Open to instrumentalists of varying levels, including children

  • If you play an instrument and would like to get involved, please contact Kantor

Individual Lessons

  • Kantor is available to teach private lessons on organ, piano, and voice as well as music theory. Lessons are available for children and adults at varying levels. Contact for more information.

Männerchor (Men’s Choir) & Laudate (Women’s Choir)

  • Each choir sings approx. once per month for Sunday Divine Service at 10:00 AM, and one of the services during Holy Week

  • Rehearsals are the last portion of Kantorei rehearsals, which are on Thursday evenings from 7:00-8:30 PM in the Choir Room

  • Because of the joint rehearsal schedule, all members of Männerchor and Laudate are also members of Kantorei

Handbell Choir - on hiatus

  • If you are interested in joining or learning to ring, please contact Kantor Magnuson

  • When handbell choir is in session, we rehearse on Thursdays from 6:00-6:45 PM in the Choir Room and play for a Sunday Divine Service once every few months.

Vocal Soloists

  • Occasionally soloists serve at Sunday Morning Divine Service by leading the congregation in chanting the Propers of the Day (Introit, Verse, etc.) and music during the offering