Music Ministry (Director - Shawn Gingrich)

Join in Singing Praises to God at First UMC, Hershey

Worship is the focus of musical life at First UMC, Hershey. Our congregation sings hymns and songs from a wide variety of traditions and backgrounds. Instruments used to support our singing include the pipe organ, piano, keyboard, guitars, drums and more. 

Opportunities to participate in a singing choir are available for all ages. Nine choirs involving over 230 children, youth and adults enrich our worship. 

Other instrumentalists are invited to help lead worship by providing special musical selections as well as by supporting the congregational song. In the summer months all are invited to share their gifts in providing special music for worship. Highlights include the singing of our Vacation Bible School and our Summer Worship Choir which rehearses prior to worship each week.

Our Music Leadership Is Provided By:

  • Shawn Gingrich - Director of Music Ministry 

  • Sarah Curry - Director of Cherub Choir 

  • Ron Louder - Co-Director of Youth Handbell Choir

Rehearsal Schedule

Registration for Children's Choirs - Children who will be entering K to 5th grade are eligible.

Children's Choirs

  • Cherub Choir (Kindergarten-Second Grade): Sundays 10:40 a.m.-11 a.m.
  • Chapel Choir (Third-Fifth Grades): Wednesdays 4-4:45 p.m.
  • Children's Handbell Choir (Third-Fifth Grades): Wednesdays 4:45-5:30 p.m.

Youth Choirs

  • Youth Handbell Choir (Sixth-Twelfth Grades): Sundays, 4:15-5:00 p.m.
  • Youth Choir (Sixth-Twelfth Grades): Wednesdays, 7:30-8:15 p.m.

Adult Choirs

  • Praise Team: Thursdays 7-9:30 p.m.
  • Trinity Choir: Alternate Thursdays 6:30-7:30 p.m.
  • Adult Handbell Choir: Wednesdays 6:15-7:30 p.m.
  • Sanctuary Choir: Wednesdays 7:30-9 p.m.

Cherub Choir 

The Cherub Choir welcomes children from kindergarten through second grade. Through Cherub Choir, children are given an introduction to group singing and worship. This choir sings for worship once each month. Rehearsals are Sundays 10:40 a.m.-11 a.m. Sarah and Nick Curry direct the Cherub Choir.

Click on the below images (by Bill Fraley) to see more Cherub Choir performances.

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Chapel Choir 

The Chapel Choir welcomes children from third through fifth grades. The Chapel Choir learns rudimentary music reading and simple part singing. This choir sings for worship once each month. Rehearsals are Wednesdays 4-4:45 p.m.

 

(Photos by Bill Fraley)

Children's Handbell Choir 

The Children's Handbell Choir is for children from third through fifth grades who love music and enjoy the fellowship of ringing bells. Rehearsals are Wednesdays 4:45-5:30 p.m.

Youth Handbell Choir 

The Youth Handbell Choir welcomes students in sixth through twelfth grade. The youth are divided into two groups rehearsing on Sundays from 4:15-5:00 p.m. All groups play music that employs the five-octave set and the three-octave set of Malmark handbells and the five octaves of Malmark HandChimes. Donna Brown and Shawn Gingrich are Co-Directors of the Youth Handbell Choir. 

(Photo by Bill Fraley)

Youth Choir 

The Youth Choir is an informal choir of sixth through twelfth grade students. The choir sings for worship once each month. Rehearsals are Wednesdays from 7:30-8:15 p.m.

(Photo by Bill Fraley)

Praise Team 

The Praise Team is a choir for adults that sings for our 9:15 a.m. celebration worship service. Rehearsals are Thursdays from 7-9:00 p.m.

Trinity Choir 

The Trinity Choir is a choir for adults that sings for our 8 a.m. traditional worship service twice each month. Rehearsals are alternate Thursdays from 6:30-7:30 p.m.

Sanctuary Choir 

The Sanctuary Choir is a choir for adults that sings for our 11:00 a.m. traditional worship service every Sunday as well as other special worship services. Rehearsals are Wednesdays from 7:30-9 p.m.

Adult Handbell Choir 

The Adult Handbell Choir is for adults. This group play music that employs the five-octave set of Malmark handbells and the five octaves of Malmark Hand Chimes. Rehearsals are Wednesdays from 6:15-7:30 p.m.

(Photo by Bill Fraley)

Music Factory

 Music Factory is a week-long choir day-camp for kids which began in 2000. We are currently evaluating and reforming this ministry and will be taking a hiatus in 2010. Watch for news about our 2011 session in the future.

Past presentations include "Life of the Party: The story of Mary and Martha" (2009), "Singing the Seasons: The Greatest Shepherd” (2007), "Elijah" (2006), and "Imagine God!" (2005).

Concert Series

Sacred Concert Series 2010-2011

 For our 2010-2011 Sacred Concert Series we welcome back the handbell duo “Bell a deux” for the first concert on October 24, 2010. The pending installation of the new pipe organ has moved us to engage several internationally-known organists to provide concerts this season. Joan Lippincott will play the inaugural recital on January 9, 2011 and Tim and Tamara Albrecht will lead a hymn festival on March 6, 2011. For the final concert we will have numerous musicians from our congregation along with Dr. Karl Moyer, who played the first recital on our former Kilgen pipe organ in 1959 to provide a variety concert. Please consider helping sponsor this concert series using the Concert Sponsor Sheet.

New Organ

May 2009 - We are pleased that our contract with Letourneau Pipe Organs of Saint-Hyacinthe, Québec, Canada has been enacted and we will have a completed pipe organ by the end of December  2010. The new instrument will initially contain 33 ranks of pipes (reusing 8 ranks from the Kilgen organ) as well as 2 digital 32’ stops in the pedal and 3 digital percussion sounds playable from a three-manual console. It will have preparations for 6 more ranks of pipes across the manual divisions. Our instrument will be the company’s Opus 121. For more information on the organ builder, visit Orgues Létourneau Ltée.

(Organ picture by Orgues Létourneau Ltée)

Sounds of Bronze

Orders for the recording of the church handbell concert are now being taken. We will produce them beginning June 15 and we are only making 150 copies. Order yours today by filling out your request and submitting it with your payment. Fill out the order form and return it with your payment ($9 each). The free Adobe Reader needs to be installed to print the form.

This is a live recording from the Church Handbell Concert on April 17, 2005 by the Children's Handbell Choir, Praise Ringers, Exaltation Ringers, Adoration Ringers, Adult Handbell Choir and Hershey Handbell Ensemble under the direction of Donna Brown, Will Curry and Shawn Gingrich. Titles include: Processional Jubilee (Page); My Lord, What a Morning (arr. Thompson); A Gentle Chorale (Burroughs); Peace Like a River (arr. Eithun); Awesome God (arr. Bettcher); Shout to the Lord (arr. Bettcher); Thy Word (arr. Bettcher); How Majestic is Your Name (arr. Cota); Joshua (Hascall); Come Christians, Join to Sing (Hymn); Lamb of God (arr. Waldrop); Walk in the Light (Buckwalter); Siyahamba (arr. Ward); Dorian Dance (Joy); Serenity (Smith); and Elite Syncopations (Joplin / arr. Gingrich).


Registration for children’s choirs is now open. Please download the registration form.

Sacred Concert Series 2010-2011 - The pending installation of the
new pipe organ has moved us to engage several
internationally-known organists to provide concerts in the 2010-2011
series. Read more about this future concert series. Please consider helping sponsor this concert series using the Concert Sponsor Sheet.

Inkjet Cartridge Recycling Program provides funds to the handbell fund to purchase new equipment. There is a collection box in the narthex. Most major brand cartridges are accepted.

“Moo Money” Needed for Organ Fund - Products like milk with the special “Moo money” sticker on the lid are sold only at Turkey Hill Mini Markets. A box is located on the counter beside the Welcome Center.

Music Ministry Opportunity for Children & Youth – Any piano or instrumental student wishing to play a sacred or classical selection appropriate for Worship, please contact Shawn Gingrich at 533-9668.

Sounds of Bronze Form

Handbell Fund Established – A number of special gifts have been given to purchase treble bells. Anyone wishing to give a bell as a memorial, contact Shawn Gingrich at 533-9668. Cost range from $215 for treble bells to $2,200 for bass bells.