Risen Savior Lutheran Church will hold its 2015 Community Christmas Concert on Sunday afternoon, December 13. Given the overwhelming response to the last year’s inaugural concert, this year’s event has been expanded to two performances. The first performance will begin at 2:30 p.m., followed by the second at 4:30 p.m. Both performances will be held in the church sanctuary and will last about an hour. Risen Savior is located on Alma School Road, just south of Safeway.
The public is cordially invited to attend the Community Christmas Concert, which benefits the Chandler Food Bank. The admission fee is a donation of two cans of food per adult which enables us all to share God’s blessings by providing needed food assistance to many of our less fortunate neighbors. Last year’s standing-room-only audience donated more than 1,000 pounds of food to Chandler families in need.
Those who attended last year’s concert will be quick to tell you that it was not your typical Christmas Concert. Instead, it was a fun-filled, hour-long celebration of Christmas highlighted by performances from a gifted cast of musicians who also accompanied the audience in singing popular Christmas Carols throughout the concert. The Master of Ceremonies (a/k/a Rev. Ron Burcham, Risen Savior Senior Pastor), promises that he will once again set the mood to be light-hearted and filled with laughter, combined, of course, with special moments recalling cherished memories of Christmas’ past.
The program will feature lots of Christmas favorites performed by a talented cast of vocal and instrumental soloists and groups. Featured performers will include renowned trumpet soloist and international recording artist, Timothy Moke; as well as principal symphonic harpist, Pamela Hahn; and symphonic cellist, Sharon Crawford.
Performing groups will be the Risen Savior Concert Choir and Hand Bells, and the Risen Savior Band. The Concert Choir will be conducted by master organist and director, Bill Bade, along with organist, Carla Robertson, who accompanies the choir on piano/organ and directs the Hand Bell Choir. The Band will perform under the leadership of Director of Worship, Joel Endicott.
Rev. Burcham commented, “We are excited about presenting our 2015 Community Christmas Concert. Although we ask the members of the audience to join us in contributing food to the Chandler Food Bank, Risen Savior bears all of the costs associated with hiring guest musicians, advertising, and managing the performances. We view this concert as our gift to the community in return for their enthusiastic support of the many philanthropic programs that we conduct each year. I am extremely proud of and most appreciative for the efforts of our many members and guest musicians who have joined together to create and produce this momentous event. If you enjoy well-performed Christmas music, like to sing Christmas Carols, and want to have a good time, you should truly enjoy this audience-friendly celebration of Christmas.”
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