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Happy bright, chilly November morning everyone,

I hope you had a great week.

Well done Junior Choristers on singing a beautiful Evensong on Tuesday. Remember what you learned from Ms. Kelley – Chapel Manners – Sacred Space. We still need to work harder on being still and quiet. These are the foundations that the music grows out of. Success at this will increase your listening skills and ability to learn and remember from our time together.
And……it’s emotionally healthy for you!
CHORISTERS who sang so beautifully yesterday for the funeral. You gave a great give of comfort and gentle joy to everyone

Please continue to keep Elizabeth and her children Hunter and Sasha in your prayers.
​ This is an espeically important time to remember them while everyone goes back to the daily routines. This is when they can feel most alone.​

THIS SUNDAY 19 NOVEMBER: EVERYONE IS ON and REQUIRED

9:45 Call All Senior Choristers REQUIRED
10:15 Call for Junior and Novice Choristers Optional
11:00 a.m. service

CONGRATULATIONS ON THE BEST PIE SALE FUND RAISER YET!

Mary Cannon, Henrietta Pertuz and Terri Chase have communicated that this has been the best sale yet, details will be forthcoming.

The Choristers have made their sales goal and will be enjoying an ice cream sundae bar after the Community Carol Sing on December 6.

THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR HARD WORK AND SUPPORT of the Choir Special Projects Fund through this effort. Please join me in THANKING our Three Chairs for all their work and enthusiasm in inspiring our community to success.

SUNDAY MORNING 3 DECEMBER: THE NOVICE AND JUNIOR CHORISTERS WILL BE LEADING THE MUSIC OF THE MORNING SERVICE AND SITTING IN THE CHOIR STALLS. The Senior Choristers are off today preparing the GCS Play for the coming week. THIS IS A REQUIRED SUNDAY FOR ALL NOVICES AND JUNIORS. 9:45 a.m. arrival time for all choristers.

SUNDAY EVENING 3 DECEMBER: THE ANNUAL CHOIR CHRISTMAS PARTY IN THE GCS DINING ROOM. LOOK FOR THE OFFICIAL INVITATION it will be coming out early next week. THIS IS SPECIAL – don’t miss it!

WHITE SMOKE: WE HAVE DATES AND LOCATION OF THIS SUMMER’s CONCERT TOUR TO SPAIN! All interested in their chorister/family participating in the tour please respond in the coming week to the information email that was sent out. We need to get an approximate number hoping to go for planning purposes.

IF YOU HAVEN’T DONE SO YET – PLEASE Write an email to PA letting him know the potential of your families participation in the Tour to Spain. There is no financial commitment in this response we just need to know in general who many to plan for. If we plan for 35 and 50 apply, we will have to turn away 15 participants and so on. This planning number directly influences the cost of the tour to each participant. The more who participate, the cheaper the trip for all. WE NEED YOUR RESPONSES BY TUESDAY 28 NOVEMBER at 5:00 p.m. Below is a photo from the Italy Trip just for fun and good memories.

A FUNDRAISING OPPORTUNITY! Thank you Cara Wall. Cara has offered the Choir Community a new long term fundraising opportunity through her store Clementine Consignment. A letter from her is attached with the details of how it works. She will have a fill in the blank tax donation letter for you to receive and fill in the amount you think the clothes are worth for your tax purposes. You receive the letter when you drop off the donations at the store. Again Thank you Cara for suggesting this great opportunity for the choir community. The choir will receive money from the store based on a percentage of what the clothes sell for. These monies will go into the Choir Special Projects Fund.
Important Links:

Kathy’s Special Goggle Calendar – Choir Schedule Link Page: http://www.gchoirsched.info/schedules.html

Sign up Genius for Choir Parent Helpers: www.SignUpGenius.com/go/9040B4CA9A72DA64-choir3

Remember always ask lots of questions! and it is never too late for recruiting!

Be safe, and my warmest wishes to you and yours for a Joyful THANKSGIVING.

all my love, Patrick

Patrick Allen, Organist and Master of Choristers
Grace Church in New York
802 Broadway
New York, NY 10003 USA
212.254.2004

Organist, Chapel of the Good Shepherd
The General Theological Seminary

www.gracechurchnyc.org
www.patrickjamesallen.com
www.gts.edu

Choir Family News
Sunday, 17 November 2017

THIS SUNDAY 19 NOVEMBER: EVERYONE IS ON and REQUIRED
9:45 Call All Senior Choristers REQUIRED
10:15 Call for Junior and Novice Choristers Optional
11:00 a.m. service

NO Lunch or after service rehearsal today.

FACE BOOK: Did you know there is a Music at Grace Church Facebook page?
There is. We use it to get the word out about all the musical offerings that take place at the Church especially those of the choirs!
HELP US build the community of followers and listeners to the choirs – FRIEND THE Music at Grace Church page and let the word spread 

RECRUITING is never over!
We have an amazing group of novice choristers for the fall term but…
If anyone asks, it is never too late to join the choir and they should reach out to me at: helfensteinch@yahoo.com.

For entering 4th and 5th graders it is also not too late to join as novices, we have had good luck at getting them up to speed quickly as your children are the best teachers. What schedule a 4th or 5th grader might follow would depend on the child and their family.

This year we will have a trial season for 2nd grade novices! These brave 2nd graders will remain novices the entire year and have their whiting at the normal time in their 3rd grade year. The pioneer class is smart and strong. It will be very exciting to have them in the choirs.

SIGN UP GENIUS: Melinda Weir has organized our sign up for helping with choristers activities through sign up genius. She does an amazing job at this, make sure you say Thank you! Sign up Genius has been very practical in making the sign to help as a choir parent helper easy and efficient.
www.SignUpGenius.com/go/9040B4CA9A72DA64-choir3

HOMEWORK FOR SENIOR CHORISTERS:

Please locate a recording with your parents approval and listen to:
1. BOYS: Rejoice in the Lamb, B. Britten
2. GIRLS: A CEREMONY OF CAROLS, B. Britten
3. BOTH: J.S. Bach Motet: “Der Geist hilft unser Schwachheit auf” BWV 226
WEBSITE: www.gracechurchnyc.org
CLICK: MUSIC
CLICK: login
User Name: helfenstein
Password: Stanfordlives1894

CHOIR SCHEDULES 2017 – 2018: REMEMBER Kathy’s Link to our Goggle Doc Schedules, they are ready to go for 2017-2018:
http://www.gchoirsched.info/schedules.html

NEXT WEEK’S SCHEDULE:

• Sunday November 19 – Sunday Service-The Combined Choirs Today – GCS Sunday

• 9:45 Call Senior Choristers REQUIRED
• 10:15 Call for Junior and Novice Choristers REQUIRED
• 11:00 a.m. service

NO LUNCH OR AFTER SERVICE REHEARSAL TODAY

• Monday November 20 – PIE PICK UP AS DETAILED BY THE PIE SCHEDULE.

• November 21 (Tuesday) – Regular Morning Rehearsal. Senior Boys, 7:00 – 8:10 a.m.

• Tuesday November 21 – PIE PICK UP AS DETAILED BY THE PIE SCHEDULE.

• November 21 (Tuesday) – Regular Afternoon Rehearsal Schedule for Girl Novices 3:30 – 4:30 p.m.

• November 21 (Tuesday) – Tuesday Rehearsal for Boy and Girl Junior Choristers 5:00 – 6:30 p.m.

• November 21 (Tuesday) – Tuesday Evensong for Boy and Girl Junior Choristers in the Church 6:00 – 6:30 p.m.

• November 22 (Wednesday) – Regular Morning Rehearsal. Senior Girls, 7:00 – 8:10 a.m.

• Wednesday November 22 – PIE PICK UP AS DETAILED BY THE PIE SCHEDULE.

• November 22 (Wednesday) GCS THANKSGIVING SERVICE in the Church, 11 a.m.

• November 23 (Thursday) – HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

• Sunday November 26 – Sunday Service-The Adult Choir singing.

• Week of November 26 – Regular Weekly Schedule.

SPECIAL LISTENING PROJECT:
Please find a time to watch and listen to these YouTube excerpts. They are from some of our fellow choirs around the world and are lovely and fun. They can help give us all a better idea of our tradition and celebrate the 1000 year old heritage that we participate in. I was in Wells this week and really, the church and choral tradition is just shy of it’s 1000th birthday! This year is the 120th birthday for our choir foundation.

King’s College Cambridge
“All Bells in Paradise”
“O Holy Night”

Wells Cathedral Choir
“God is Gone Up”(Finzi) — Choir of Wells Cathedral
“The Twelve Days of Christmas” – Choir of Wells Cathedral
“Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” – Choir of Wells Cathedral
Wells Cathedral Choir – General Search

St. John’s College Cambridge,
A Guest in Cambridge
St. John’s College Cambridge

Salisbury Cathedral
Salisbury Cathedral Choir : Sanctus (Walter Alcock)
The Choristers of Salisbury Cathedral Part2 – 2007

FIN – THE END
Please forgive the length of this newsletter. You all have lots of wonderful questions and this is my attempt to get us organized and put as much information as you have asked about in one place.

Have a wonderful safe remainder of the summer! The rain has stopped, the Swan has moved on to another boat and it’s time to head to the market for the shopping.

With all my love and anticipation of a great new season, Patrick

ONGOING INFORMATION SOURCES:

*Like us on FACEBOOK! Music at Grace Church in New York

*The Goggle Choir Schedule Calendar Link: http://gchoirsched.info/home.html

*Sign Up Genius for Choir Parent Volunteer Sign Link:
www.SignUpGenius.com/go/9040B4CA9A72DA64-choir3

*Accessing the Secure Choir Family Area of the Music Website:
www.gracechurchnyc.org
CLICK: MUSIC
CLICK: login
User Name: helfenstein
Password: Stanfordlives1894

*REMEMBER: If your contact information changes or you notice a typo in a communication don’t hesitate to let PA (P. Allen, not the Parents Association) know. “If you see something, say something”

*REMEMBER…please keep an eye out around the house and make sure you cash all choir checks you have received. When the books are closed at the audit for each operating budget year checks can no longer be redeemed or replaced.