Music plays an important role in Worship at Bethel. Music offers praise to God and can be exciting, inspiring, educational and consoling to the worshiper. Bethel’s worship opportunities are many and varied in style, and many people of varying gifts and talents come to offer songs of every kind in praise to God.
The Bethel Choir is a non-auditioned, liturgical ensemble open to all members ages 18 and older which serves as musical leadership for Bethel’s 9am Sunday service and other key celebrations throughout the year. Our sacred anthem repertoire spans from music of the early church to newly composed works. The Bethel Choir has sung throughout North America and Europe.
The Creative Worship Singers is a choir of men and women who have a more contemporary sound and repertoire. They sing for the 11:15am. service twice a month.
Led by Director: Katie Gerlach
Accompanist: Patrick Kenney
Rehearsals: Tuesdays, 6:30-7:30 pm in the Choir Room
The core musical ministry for the Sunday 11:15am English service, providing musical leadership for the congregation. Vocal and instrumental musicians are welcome.
Led by Director: Katie Gerlach
Accompanist: Patrick Kenney
The mission of the Victory Choir is to sing to shut-ins primarily at Nursing Homes once a month and to take a word of encouragement to residents there. On the fourth Tuesday of each month at 10:30am, the Victory Choir, consisting of about 25 singers, gathers at a designated Nursing Home in the area to sing a two-part program consisting of old favorite hymns followed by “songs you didn’t learn in church,” or as the members call them, the “fun” songs. In a wonderfully unique way they touch the memories and the emotions of the residents.
Bethel’s adult handbell ensemble is open to all members ages 18 and older. The bells provide musical leadership and meditational repertoire for Christmas, Easter, and several other festival liturgies throughout the church year. Bethel has seven octaves of Malmark Handbells, five octaves of Schulmerich bells and five octaves of Malmark hand chimes.
Joyful Noise is a child’s first choir experience at Bethel. We sing all types of music, learn to play handbells, and use percussion instruments too! Sometimes we wear costumes and often make our own props to go along with our songs. We’ve learned about faith by singing about frogs, computers, cars, pogo sticks, and many other things! We sing about once a month during worship throughout the year.
Spirited Sound (Children’s Choir) takes kids’ musical experiences at Bethel to the next level. We sing a wide range of repertoire from hymns to jazz to gospel and everything in between! We make every piece we sing our own through the addition of movement, instruments, harmonies and sometimes even shouting! Through our music-making we work together to learn how our faith affects our lives in many different ways.
The Sanctuary organ was originally built by Schantz Company of Orrville, Ohio, in 1963. During the 80’s and early 90’s it was enlarged in three stages to its present four-manual/74 ranks, and the console was rebuilt in 2015. It speaks from the rear gallery of the nave.
Our prize piano at Bethel is an 85-note Steinway-B, restored in 2015 by Tim Farley. This stunning instrument is a gift of the Bethel Endowment Foundation and an anonymous donor. For years it was the favorite piano of the concert pianist and master teacher, Rudolf Ganz; it is now located in the Choir Room.
