Music for Children and Youth

The student choirs will have their first rehearsals on Wednesday, Sept. 7. All St. James children and youth are eligible to join. The Children’s Choir rehearses 3:15-4 PM, and is for all boys and girls grades 2-5. The Youth Choir meets at 5:15 PM, after any school extracurricular activities, and is for all middle school and high school students. Contact Karen Eshelman (music@stjamesgreenville.org). 

Student Instrumentalists needed for the 4:30 PM Christmas Eve service. Planning is already underway, and we are looking for student musicians to share their talents during the prelude. Any student who has played an instrument for at least a year or two should register with Karen Eshelman this month. In the past small groups of students have shared Christmas carols before the service. Dr. Karen helps the students find music and practices with them. Whether your student plays flute, trumpet, clarinet, guitar or piano, to name but a few, don’t wait! Sign up today! 

Adult Volunteers needed for Children and Youth. In compliance with Safe Church guidelines, at least one additional adult (in addition to the choir director) must attend each Wednesday rehearsal. Volunteers also help with other support tasks.

The St. James Choir 

The St. James Choir sings every Sunday, helping to lead worship at the 10:30 AM Eucharist. New singers are welcome to join! We help all choir members learn to read music, and aid learning by making recordings available whenever possible. Meet new friends and experience church in a new way! Rehearsals are on Wednesdays, 7:30 – 9 PM, starting September 7. There is also a short warm-up rehearsal each Sunday at 9:45 AM. Contact Karen at music@stjamesgreenville.org to find out more.

More about the Children’s Choir:

The St. James Children’s Choir has a flexible structure designed to help students find their singing voices and learn music basics (melody, rhythm, and harmony). By singing in choir, children learn about worship, teamwork, and – most importantly – they learn to live their faith when they sing about it together!

More about the Youth Choir 

The St. James Youth Choir sings regular choir music as well as a variety of new and traditional hymns and spirituals; time is also spent on the music curriculum workbooks from the Royal School of Church Music. The Youth Choir participates when possible on Sunday mornings, sometimes joining with the Adult Choir for a special anthem, and they are traditionally a feature of St. James’ annual Advent Lessons and Carols service. High school students who are not able to attend youth choir rehearsals due to afternoon time conflicts are invited to join The St. James Choir, which rehearses on Wednesday evenings and sings every Sunday.

More about The St. James Choir

The St. James Choir welcomes singers from high school and college age on up. In addition to singing every Sunday the choir prepares special music for Holy Days and extra worship services, such as the annual service of Advent Lessons and Carols. Being in the choir and learning music is fun, therapeutic and uplifting; our choir is friendly and supportive, and we make it easy to learn new music! Whether you currently sing in your high school choir, or if that was ‘once upon a time’ and you want to pick it back up, come and join us! Questions? Talk with Karen Eshelman after church (come up to the organ), or send her an email at music@stjamesgreenville.org. 

Did you know?

In addition to our major work of music ministry, the St. James Choir also sends funds to Education=Hope, supporting schoolchildren in Ecuador. 

Want to help in other ways? Music librarian assistance is also needed filing music, cataloguing new music, updating folders, and updating the music library spreadsheet.