Music

Music is at the heart of worship. Worship services provide many opportunities for everyone in the congregation to lift their voices in praise. Our choirs and instrumentalists provide support for congregational singing and add to the service with anthems and other special music. Whether in our online virtual services or at our in-person services, music continues to be integral to our worship experience.

If you would like to be a part of the Music Ministry at Good Shepherd, contact the church office.

Rewind - Music and Anthems

Are you interested in hearing samples of our choir and instrumental anthems? Click here to hear our past Anthems!

Sanctuary Choir

Sanctuary Choir

The Sanctuary Choir sings throughout the year during certain Sunday services. The choir is open to adults, as well as high school and college-aged students who have a love for singing and some experience with choral groups.

The choir sings a large range of music, from traditional and classical to contemporary, Gospel, and spiritual pieces. Rehearsals are held on Sunday mornings. The Sanctuary Choir also sings during occasional midweek services and presents one or two concerts during the year.

Listen to past Anthems here

Praise Band

The Praise Band began as the musical support for our PRAISE/Contemporary service and has grown into its own service offering, which is held on the 2nd and 4th Sundays of each month at 11 a.m. 

Check out the Praise Band during any recent service by going to our recorded Sermons and Devotions. 

Find our more about our Praise Band -- and praise music -- in our "About the Music" podcast. You can find that podcast (and our sermons and devotions) on your favorite podcast app by searching for GSLCVA.

Handbell Choir

Handbells

Our three-octave bell choir rings in worship once a month, usually on the fourth Sunday. Other playing times include Reformation Sunday, Christmas Eve, and Easter. Repertoire emphasis is on liturgical bell-ringing and hymn-based settings, but the choir continually strives to explore more complex music, sometimes incorporating the choir and other musical interments.

Pipe Organ

Our pipe organ was assembled by Martin Ott in St. Louis, Missouri, and installed in June 2009. Ott was born, raised, and received his training as orgelbaumeister from his Uncle Paul in Göttingen, Germany. The organ contains 2 manuals, 33 ranks, and 1,872 pipes, which are housed in an oak case with raised mahogany panels. The wooden pipes, made of cherry and spruce and hidden inside the organ case, were hand-crafted in Ott's workshop in St. Louis. The metal pipes that fill the front façade of the case and the large majority of the inside chamber were built by two of Ott's lifelong friends in Portugal and are made of copper and tin.

We are thankful to Peter Duys of the A.E. Schleuter Pipe Organ Company in Lithonia, Georgia, for tuning, voicing, and tirelessly maintaining our organ.

Read more about the organ in the program produced for its dedication in October 2012.


Staff

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