June 2014 Closing banquet and program in Arlington Heights was great fun!

First Presbyterian Church, Arlington Heights hosted this event, the evening beginning with appetizers and dinner in the parlor and narthex of the church, just outside the sanctuary. Moretti’s in Mt. Prospect provided the food for the catered dinner. Three new board members were introduced by Dean Handley: Sharon Peterson, James Brian Smith and Steve Folkers. The program followed in the sanctuary. The program was “An introduction to the Presbyterian Hymnal, GLORY TO GOD”,  published in the fall of 2013.

A welcome and greeting was given by Royce Eckhardt, Interim Director of Adult Choirs at FPCAH. Hymn singing was accompanied by Dean Andrea Handley and three staff/former staff members from FPCAH: Chris Urban, Associate Director of Music and Organist; Adam Hendrickson, Director of Music Programs, and Lee Nelson, retired Director of Music. The 52-rank Schantz pipe organ, piano and guitar were used to accompany the hymn selections.

Lee Nelson

Lee Nelson

Royce provided a thorough profile of the new hymnal, discussing new features, table of contents, organization, liturgical section, language issues, global hymnody, and the two-volume landscape accompaniment volumes.  Lee spoke briefly of the changes from the Presbyterian Hymnal (1990), with Royce leading a discussion and singing of single-line melodies, new tunes/texts, old tunes/new texts, new tunes/old texts, global hymns and old gospel favorites.

Several dozen folk from the First Pres choir and congregation attended the program which added to the splendid singing throughout the program. The evening concluded with the evening hymn, The Day Thou Gavest.

Lee Nelson, board member

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