Chancel Choir
The Chancel Choir at Sardis Baptist consists of a group of very talented and dedicated adults. This choir sings for Sunday morning and special worship services. They sing music from variety of sacred music including classical, spirituals and music from contemporary composers. This choir also has talented and willing soloists and instrumentalists. Choir practice is on Wednesday evenings at 7:30. Practice is a joy, where fellow singers laugh and enjoy each others company while doing something that each loves. Typically the choir takes the months of July and August off and we enjoy guest musicians during those Sundays.
We are fortunate to have an experienced minister of music, Pam Greenwood, who has served in Baptist, Presbyterian and Episcopal congregations. We are doubly blessed to have a wonderful accompanist and accomplished pianist in Irena Hramenkova. Trained at a famed Moscow music school, Irena is a master at the piano.
Taize Service
The Taize Prayer Service is a unique blend of candles, choruses, chants and silence. Following the worship style of the Taize monastic community in France, the service is a meditative experience focused on prayer and simple melodic choruses. And in case you were wondering, there is no sermon. It is a great way to unwind and relax into God’s presence before starting the work week.
Sardis Baptist offers the service on the 2nd Sunday of each quarter (January, April, July, October) @ 6 PM. The length of the service is roughly 45 minutes.
Children in Worship
Children are welcomed in worship at Sardis Baptist. While children can get the wiggles, we want them to be with us in worship. And you’d be surprised how much a child hears while she is coloring a picture during worship.
Children serve as acolytes during worship. Acolyte is a Greek word that means “helper” or “follower.” The acolytes carry in and carry out the cross, the candlelight and the Bible at the beginning and end of worship, reminding us to follow Christ’s cross, to be aware of the presence of the Holy Spirit in our midst and to be people who live by the word of God.
Children also read scripture, collect the offering, sing with their choir, and help out with other aspects of worship. Parents are encouraged to help their child learn the Lord’s Prayer, sing the Doxology, find the hymns in the hymnal, read the spoken parts of the service with their family. Each week there is also a children’s program that invites them to think about the lectionary gospel text for the week through a series of activities. It is also a good thing to bring a blank sheet of paper and a few markers. Encouraging children to draw what they see in the sanctuary, or to draw something they heard in the Bible story, or in the pastor’s sermon can often lead to interesting lunchtime discussions.
For more information about Children in Worship, Click here for a copy of our guidebook in PDF format.
