It was a concert to Welcome December at Westminster Memorial United Church in Kamsack on December 10 when the Kamsack Community Choir presented its annual Christmas concert.
After welcoming everyone to the concert, Susan Bear, the director and emcee for the concert said that “tonight we would like to share our music with you as we welcome in the month of December, winter and the Christmas season.
“Today is the first Sunday of Advent which is the beginning of the Christian Church year. It is the beginning because it is the time of expectant waiting and expectation of the coming birth of the Saviour and the anticipation of His coming again,” Bear said.
“We would like to begin our concert with an Advent observance. Our song is titled Where the Promise Shines.”
Next, Zennovia Duch and Kathie Galye sang a duet of Welcome December.
Other songs performed by the choir were: The Little Cradle Rocks, Prophets Knew, I’ll Be Home for Christmas, Winter Wonderland of Snow, Glory on a Christmas Morn, Go to the Manger and Do You Hear What I Hear?
Ashley Hollett performed As Long as There’s Christmas.
Susan Bear performed a solo, Heirlooms, accompanied by herself on guitar, prior to an intermission where dainties and refreshments were available for the crowd.
The quartet of John Adamyk, Kathie Galye, Zennovia Duch and Susan Bear performed One Small Lamb.
The trio of Adamyk, Galye, Duch and Dieneke Spronk performed Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, Run to Bethlehem and Calypso Lullaby.
Spronk, on flute and vocals, accompanied by Bear on guitar, performed Silent Night in the Dutch language.
The trio of Bear, Duch and Spronk performed Alleluia.
Deb Cottenie accompanied the choir on piano.
After receiving a standing ovation from the crowd in the near-filled church, the choir sang one last song “to lift your hearts,” called Morning Promise.
“I would like to thank all of you for coming out tonight to share in our Christmas music and for your support for the Community Choir,” said Bear. “And I would like to extend an invitation to anyone who would like to try choral singing to join us in the spring when we start rehearsals again.
“I would like to thank the members of the choir for their dedication, the fun times, and for putting up with me. They truly do love singing. Thank you to Deb Cottenie for her wonderful piano accompaniment and to Dieneke Sprong for her addition of the flute and cello accompaniment.
“Thank you to Ashley Hollett for joining us again this year. And thank you to the man at the door and the guy who puts up with me not being home on any evenings, my husband Doug.
“It would be great to find another accompanist to help us out so if you are willing or you know someone who might be able to, please let me know. We are always looking for musicians of all types to help out so if you play any kind of instrument including percussion think about joining us.
“Lastly, we would all like to wish you a very Merry Christmas and the best to you in the New
Year,” Bear said.
