Music
The Choirs of St. Michael's
St. Michael's Adult Choir leads music at the 10 AM Choral Eucharist on Sundays as well as other appointed services. Those who enjoy singing, can carry a tune, or read music are invited to speak with our choirmaster. Choir membership requires dedicated commitment to attend rehearsals, learn the music and sing at appointed services.
Organist / Choirmaster: Jon Roberts
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Our Mission
The St. Cecilia Guild supports the music ministry at St. Michael’s Episcopal Church. Through gifts of time, talent, and financial resources we strive to maintain our rich Anglican musical heritage at a high level while encouraging and exploring new types of musical experience. A longer term goal is to provide outreach to the community by offering our sanctuary as a venue for aspiring musicians and to have our musicians perform with other groups as opportunities arise.
St. Cecilia Music Guild
St. Cecilia is the acclaimed patron saint of music – specifically of western music, church music, musicians, composers, instrument makers and poets. In the Roman Catholic, Anglican, Eastern Orthodox and Eastern Catholic churches her feast day is celebrated on November 22. The little information we have on St. Cecilia stems from a biography from the 4th century. She was born in the 2nd or 3rd century. She was purportedly the only child of a noble Roman family and is said to have heard heavenly music in her heart when forced to marry a pagan, Valerian. On their wedding night she discloses to her husband that she had devoted her virginity to God and that an angel watches over her. He wishes to see the angel, so St. Cecilia sends him to Pope Urban (223-230). Valerian sees the angel and is baptized by the Pope. Upon his return he sees St. Cecilia praying and an angel holding two crowns of roses and lilies which he places on their heads. Tibertius, brother of Valerian, enters the room and seeing the crowns is also converted. The brothers devoted themselves to burying martyrs and they, too, suffer martyrdom.
St. Cecilia converts many to Christianity and dedicates her house as a church. Arrested, she is sentenced to die through suffocation by steam but when, days later, the doors are opened she is found alive. She is then beheaded. Three times the axe falls without severing her head. She lives for three more days, converting many. Icons picture St. Cecilia singing, with flute, roses, violin,harp, harpsicord