For the first time in many years, three local church choirs came together Sunday night to form the Celebration Christian Choir and offered the gift of a spectacular night of Christmas music to New Carlisle.
The well-attended event also supported the local IMPACT Bethel mission.
Over fifty musicians from New Carlisle’s First United Methodist Church (UMC), Church of the Brethren, and Honey Creek Presbyterian Church, as well as from the New Carlisle Community Choir and other local churches, joined together under the direction of Jerry L. Yoesting and Taylor Ball to present Joseph M. Martin’s Christmas cantata, “A Celebration of Carols.”
Yoesting directs at First UMC; Ball directs at Honey Creek; and Kelly Williams directs at Brethren.
The free, hour-long cantata combined scripture, Christian Christmas carols, soloists, and audience participation to walk listeners through the Biblical story of Christmas.
A love offering collected before the cantata will help support the ongoing work of IMPACT Bethel. The religious organization offers programs and services to community members to promote and support residents’ physical, mental, spiritual, and financial health.
During the Christmas season, IMPACT Bethel hosts a “Circle of Blessings Toy Drive.” The program offers assistance to families referred to the organization by the Tecumseh Local School District. Those families can shop for gifts for their children from IMPACT Bethel’s Christmas store. They also receive groceries to make a special holiday dinner.
Reaction to the evening was outstanding from both the musicians and audience members.
Several choir members remarked how much they appreciated working with other church choirs. They also liked hearing not just their voices, but the voices of the congregation joining in the carols as well.
Audience members, Kasey and Rebecca Wiseman thought the concert was “wonderful” and commented their young daughter, Ellie, “liked the audience participation best.”
Many audience members say they hope the event becomes a regular part of the Christmas season in coming years.
