Christmas Eve At Shandon
December 24, 2024
Sharing God’s Creative Gifts
Music and Arts is significant in the life of the church. It is powerful, engaging and inspiring and creates meaningful experiences that connect people closer to God and to each other. At Shandon you’ll find a dynamic music and arts ministry for all ages offering lots of ways to experience music and to be involved through the arts.
Choirs and Ensembles
All choirs and ensembles are open to anyone who would like to share their talents and time building the body of Christ through the arts. No auditions are required, just a commitment to serve.
Children's Choir
Shandon’s children’s choirs introduce children to the wonderful world of expressing their faith through music. The choirs sing at various services and special events.
- Cherub Choir – K5-1st grade. Rehearsals: Wednesdays, 6:00-6:30 p.m. in the 1st-grade classroom (DuBose Rm 215)
- St. Nicholas Choir – grades 2-5. Rehearsals: Wednesdays, 6:00-6:45 p.m. in the Children’s Choir Room (DuBose Rm 213).
Register: https://bit.ly/choirs923 (NOTE: The start date was originally published as September 6 and has been changed to September 13)
Chancel Choir
The Chancel Choir performs a variety of music including classical, traditional, hymns and spirituals. The choir sings in worship weekly and performs with orchestra several times a year. The Chancel Choir has performed at outside events such as the Biltmore Estate in Asheville, NC and the Piccolo Spoleto Festival in Charleston, SC.
Our Chancel Choir will begin Wednesday rehearsals on Wednesday, August 16, at 7:00 p.m. Now is a great time to join the choir, as we will be working on music for the fall. On November 5, our Columbia UMC church choirs will present the Rutter “Requiem” with an orchestra.
Celebration Choir
Our Celebration Choir rehearsals will begin on Wednesday, September 6, at 6:00 p.m. in the Music Suite on the second floor of the Bruner Building. No audition is required! All teens and adults are invited. The Celebration Choir leads the music once a month for 8:45 a.m. worship and rehearses twice a month on Wednesday evenings.
Wesley Ringers Handbell Choir
Shandon’s adult handbell ensemble rings for various worship services late August-May and occasionally for special services. They also participate in the SC Fellowship Bell Festival.
Wesley Ringers will begin rehearsals on Monday, September 11, from 5:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. Anyone interested in participating in our music ministry at Shandon, please email Eddie Huss, Minister of Music, at ehuss@shandonumc.org.
Youth Choir
In Shandon’s Youth Choir, teens share their creative gifts and express their faith through music. The group is open to all 6th-12th graders interested in music, both singing and instrumental. They perform during various worship services and for special programs and events. Our Youth Choir will begin rehearsals on Sunday, September 10, at 4:00 p.m. in the Bruner Bldg. 2nd floor Music Suite.
The Arts at Shandon sponsors a variety of arts events and projects to discover God’s presence through sharing artistic creativity. These projects include numerous pieces of commissioned art and worship items located throughout the Shandon campus including stained glass, painted and fabric art pieces, wind sculptures and more. They also feature live-painting during special worship services and rotating art exhibits in the Gallery by a variety of artists. The Patricia Beckler Art Gallery is located on the first floor of the Bruner Building.
Calling all Visual Artists who are members of Shandon: help us Build the Body of Christ through God’s Creative Gifts! The Visual Arts Council is creating of roster of all visual artists to increase the use of the visual arts in how we serve, worship and share our faith. Please take a moment to complete the form and share your gifts.
Upcoming Events
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If there’s anything you want to know that’s not covered here, let us know! We’re here to answer your questions.
Rev. Eddie Huss
Minister Of Music And Arts ehuss@shandonumc.org(803) 722-1034
Our Organ
The Sanctuary Organ
The Sanctuary Organ was designed by the Moller Organ Company of Hagerstown, Maryland, in 1949. It was installed in early 1950 when the Sanctuary was completed, with additions in 1976 and 1994. The 1994 additions and refurbishment were completed by the King of Instruments Organ Company. Tonal work was done by Mr. Daniel Angerstein, of Hendersonville, North Carolina, and installation was supervised by Mr. Marc Conley of Atlanta, Georgia. Dr. William Bates, organ professor at the University of South Carolina in Columbia, served as organ consultant. The 2020, an antiphonal division of 427 pipes (7 ranks) was installed in the balcony, playable from the console located in the choir loft. The current organ contains 3977 pipes (69 ranks) over three manuals (keyboards) and pedal. The antiphonal division and console upgrades were made possible through a generous gift in memory of John D. Beckler by his wife, Patricia Beckler, and family.
The Carillon
Located in the steeple of the church is a carillon of 24 bells installed by the Christoph Paccard Bell Foundry of Charleston, South Carolina. The bels were cast in Annecy, France, in 2001 by the Paccard Founderie de Cloches. Begun in 1796, the Paccard Fonderie de Cloches is one of the oldest bell foundries in the world. In addition to ringing on the hour, the carillon can be played from a keyboard located in the Sanctuary.