A time to meditate while listening to music is among the weekly Lenten services being offered at area churches. The annual free concert series will be held at 12:30 p.m. Wednesdays beginning Ash Wednesday and ending April 20 at Second Avenue United Methodist Church, 130 Second Ave.
Prelude music begins at 12:15 p.m. and the 30-minute concerts begin with a greeting and prayer from one of the participating churches. They include Second Avenue and East End United Methodist churches and Bethany and St. James Evangelical Lutheran churches.
A free luncheon of soup and bread will be at noon. Donations will be accepted to offset costs of the series.
Article Photos
(Courtesy photo) Suzuki Friends musicians Angela Sickler and Serena Sickler perform at one of the Lenten luncheon concerts held last year at Second Avenue United Methodist Church. The group will perform March 30 and will feature violinist and pianists.
"The various guest artists provide the Christian community with sacred music in a religious space where they can draw closer to God in prayerful meditation," Asa Carns, organizer of the series, said. "Some weeks the Scripture is brought to life by sacred texts being sung. Other weeks the instrumental musical settings provide an atmosphere stimulating the senses of the listener."
During the opening concert on Ash Wednesday, Pastor Matthew Lake of Second Avenue United Methodist Church will give ashes to anyone who wishes to receive them as Carns, music director at Second Avenue, plays the organ.
Among the musicians taking part in the series are Suzuki Friends under the leadership of music teacher Leslie Beers of State College.
Beers said about 10 of her 50 students will come to Altoona March 30 to play classical works as well as "Amazing Grace" and "Sweet Hour of Prayer."
Beers teaches violin, piano, cello and viola, but only piano and violin students will be featured. She said the Suzuki Method was developed by Shinichi Suzuki, a Japanese violinist, after World War II. His goal was to nurture children to be more noble human beings, she said.
The method teaches children to play an instrument in the same way they learn a language. She said her students listen to a CD of a piece every day until they feel able to play it, just as they listen to words when learning language skills.
"They play by memory, they play by ear," Beers said. She added that the students, ages 7 to 21, also know how to read music.
Suzuki Friends gives five or six concerts, including performances in nursing homes and community events.
Bringing back favorite songs of the church on March 23 will be Joy Patchell, a soprano from Belleville. Patchell, who holds bachelor's and master's degrees in opera performance, will sing "The Palms" and "The Lord's Prayer" among her selections.
She said she will feature music her grandfather, born in 1891, and her parents, born in the 1920s, sang in church.
She said her grandfather sang solos many times in church and as did her parents who were church choir members in the Philadelphia area.
On April 6, Carns will perform organ works reflecting the Lenten journey of introspection. "The music will be best experienced in a prayerful, eyes closed, state of mind," he said.
Returning to the series are Jim White and Betty Wingert.
White, a bass-baritone from Julian, will sing hymns based on scriptural texts. The familiar biblical words will be set to different melodies.
Carns will serve as accompanist. The two often perform as a duo they call Jimasa.
Carns also will be at the organ April 13 when he teams up with Betty Wingert, pianist for instrumental duets. The two have performed together at several Lenten luncheon concerts.
"Each year we strive to find emotionally charged arrangements of favorite hymns. Then we search for duets that blend different styles and take the listener on a journey of sacred melodies paired with symphonic themes," Carns said.
Completing the series will be Judy Moore, a flutist from State College. She will present classics and literature not often heard during a church service, Carns said.
She said her grandfather sang solos many times in church and as did her parents who were church choir members in the Philadelphia area.
On April 6, Carns will perform organ works reflecting the Lenten journey of introspection. "The music will be best experienced in a prayerful state of mind," he said.
Returning to the series are Jim White and Betty Wingert.
White, a bass-baritone from Julian, will sing hymns based on scriptural texts.
Carns also will be at the organ April 13 when he teams with Wingert, pianist, for instrumental duets. The two have performed together at several Lenten luncheon concerts.
Completing the series will be Judy Moore, a flutist from State College.
Moore will perform two arrangements of works by Mozart and Bach that she has written for flute.
Other churches will also hold weekly Lenten services. They include:
Lutheran
Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church, 408 N. Sixth St., will hold midweek Lenten services every Wednesday at noon and at 6:30 p.m. Pastor Elizabeth A. Hess will conduct the services.
Geeseytown/Newry Lutheran Parish will hold midweek Lenten services at 7 p.m. the following days at the two churches: March 16 - Geeseytown Lutheran, March 23 - Newry Lutheran, March 30 - Geeseytown, April 6 - Newry, April 13 - Geeseytown, April 20 (service of healing), Geeseytown.
New Hope Lutheran Parish (St. Luke's Lutheran Church in Roaring Spring and Christ Lutheran in Claysburg) will hold a soup supper at 6 p.m. Wednesdays with worship at 7 p.m. The schedule is March 16, Christ Lutheran; March 23, St. Luke; March 30, Christ Lutheran; April 6, St. Luke; and April 13, Christ Lutheran.
Methodist
East End United Methodist Church, 405 E. Hudson Ave., Altoona, will hold Lenten services every Wednesday. Soup, sandwiches, beverage and dessert will be served at 6 p.m. with a devotional period starting at 6:45 p.m.
Pastor Arthur Shotts will speak on healthy living March 16 and April 13.
Rosemary Ellis, host of "Food for Thought" on the Altoona Public Access TV Channel, will lead services as follows: March 23, "Our Needs"; March 30, "Daniel's Diet"; and April 6, "Food and the Bible."
Wehnwood United Methodist Church, 2511 Juniata Gap Road, will serve soup and sandwiches at noon Wednesday, followed by devotions that will focus on the Gospel of John and led by local pastors. The schedule is Wednesday, The Rev. Evelyn Madison of Wehnwood; March 16, the Rev. Ed Preston of Mardorf and Broad Avenue United Methodist churches; March 23, Father Timothy Grimme of St. Therese of the Child Jesus Catholic Parish; March 30, the Rev. Joe Fleck of Greenwood United Methodist Church; April 6, the Rev. Art Shotts of Fairview and East End United Methodist churches; April 13, the Rev. Keith Schmuck, Juniata United Methodist Church; and April 20, the Rev. Dr. Dennis Otto, superintendent of the Altoona District United Methodist Church.
Second Avenue United Methodist Church, 130 Second Ave., Altoona, will hold a prayer and communion service from 6:30 to 7 a.m. every Thursday during Lent beginning March 10.
Ministerium
Juniata Valley Ministerium will hold midweek Lenten services at 7 p.m. The schedule follows:
March 16, Alexandria Reformed Church, Alexandria, with Bruce Boyles as speaker; March 23, Nazarene Church, Petersburg, with Jerry Rogers; March 30 at Creaver United Methodist Church, Petersburg, with Mark Mohnkern; April 6 at Hope United Methodist Church, with Patricia Lloyd; and April 13 at Waterstreet Evangelical Church, Waterstreet, with Steve Cort.
