Welcome to Christ Church Stroudsburg!
205 North Seventh Street
Stroudsburg, PA 18360
(570) 421-7481
Email: christchurchsburg@verizon.net
Our Mission Statement
“A welcoming, compassionate and healing community.”
The Rev. J. Douglas Moyer, Rector
On-site: Wednesday through Sunday
(610) 737-4807 /revjdmoyer@verizon.net
Louise K. Bach, Administrative Assistant
Susan Stillo, Organist / Choir Director
| The service music is primarily drawn from the Episcopal Hymnal of 1982. Recently it has been supplemented by another Episcopal Hymnal: Worship, Wonder, Love, and Praise; and Negro Spirituals contained in the “Lift Every Voice & Sing” (LEVAS) book. Each of these publications provide a wide selection of music for any occasion and are almost certain to include at least one of your favorite hymns. One interesting aspect of Christ Church’s musical tradition has been the integration of a wide variety of musical instruments and performances within our services. In recent years, the congregation has been blessed with music from the harp, recorder, piano, trumpet, flute, guitar and even finger cymbals. Sometimes these instruments have been incorporated to accent and accompany the performance of our church choir. At other times, they have been showcased with solo performances. Similarly, vocalists and small ensembles have also been used to add a special touch to our service gracing us with their diversity of genre and culture. |
| The center piece of most church music is the organ. Christ Church maintains a traditional pipe organ that was constructed in 1969. This is a modest instrument of 603 pipes, supported by trumpets, horns and other solo instruments. Its four octave range allows it to cover a wealth of music from classical composers such as Bach and Beethoven to more modern composers. Like most church organs, its primary function is supporting the singing of hymns by the congregation and anthems by the choir. While the organ performs these tasks in a richness that is marvelous to behold, it is perhaps most beautiful when used unaccompanied to play the prelude and postlude that surround the service. |
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| A special treat for the congregation is a performance of the Handbell Choir. This dedicated group of amateurs practice for months in order to learn a handful of songs for a single service. A handbell performance has been justifiably described as the “ultimate experience in teamwork” as each ringer learns to synchronize his or her movements to the rest of the choir down to a tiny fraction of a second. Moreover, some of the bells are large enough to require two hands to swing. The result of their perseverance is a sound that can only be described as angelic. |
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The singing of the congregation is lead by a traditional choir. This diverse group of men and women includes talented high school students, professional musicians and enthusiastic amateurs. Their dedication to the music of the service is most visible during the offering as each week they sing another glorious anthem; ranging from the bold tones of Bach to the mellow notes of an African American spiritual. The choir refresh their memories with a Sunday morning rehearsal at 9:00 AM and practice and learn new music following the 10:15 AM service on Sunday. Please see our choirmaster if you are interested in joining our choir.
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