St Giles Exhall ~ THE CHOIR

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	The Choir is a dedicated group of people, whose main function is leading worship and providing music at Sunday morning and evening services and many other week day services throughout the year. In addition they also sing at most of the weddings that take place at the church.

The Choir has been a member of the Royal School of Church Music since 1967 and uses the RSCM training scheme, teaching Choir members the rudiments of music, liturgy of the Church and helping to understand the Church calendar via the music written for the Church’s seasons.

RSCM's local functions are fully supported and consist of informal musical evenings and formal Choir festivals. These festivals have enabled the Choir to experience the thrill of singing in many different places including Coventry Cathedral, Princethorpe School Chapel and Rugby School Chapel.

Activities outside the church building cover the running of the tombola at the Church Summer Gala and Christmas Bazaar; social events with other organisations and organising the Christmas carol singing.

The Choir meet on Friday evenings when the hymns and psalms for the following week are rehearsed and music is learnt for forthcoming special occasions.

The work load is high but the rewards offset this and this has resulted in a small but stable number of people giving their time every week. The Choir does however need more junior members and men who could supply a tenor and bass line would be most welcome.

Most people enjoy singing so why not come and give your support.

Anyone who is mildly interested should talk to any member of the Choir and see how they and you could enjoy worshipping God via music and as part of a very dedicated group of people.

Henry Wagstaff ~ Organist at St Giles'

Kathryn Unsworth ~ Deputy Organist at St Giles'

The organ at St Giles was installed in 1993.

The picture above was taken at Rev William Smith's party on the occasion of his departure from St Giles after 12 years. The choir sang a specially written psalm to him reproduced below.

A Psalm for William

We are here to mark the departure of our / Vicar / William

who is moving/ on to / pastures / new.

Not being satisfied with / managing one / church

he has decided to / go and look / after / five!

William has a great / fondness for / chocolate

but doesn’t / bother to / buy his / own.

The choir always know when he’s / been a / round

as their sweets and biscuits mys / teriously / disap / pear.

William’s son Benedict has followed in his / father’s / footsteps,

skilfully sniffing out / food at / every oppor / tunity!

Also like his Dad he leaves his coat in all / sorts of / places,

not yet having worked out / what a coat / hanger is / for.

William has become a / bit of a / “techy”.

His use of laptop and pro / jector is / very ef / fective.

It’s a pity he needed an / old boy / scout

to tell him that the Union Jack in his / garden was / upside / down!

We were all amazed when he / flew off to / India.

We didn’t / see him as a / world-wide / traveller.

Even his holidays on the / family / boat

didn’t usually take him much / further than / Stratford On / Avon.

William has helped with our / annual / pantomime,

skilfully drawing each piece of / scenery for / us to / paint.

In order to ensure that our painting didn’t / ruin his / work

he would label each / part with the ap / propriate / colour.

William has brought us together in all / sorts of / ways;

Bonfires, talent auctions and / inter-faith / cricket / matches.

We have all gained from his / various / talents.

Except when his liking for atmospheric / lighting . left us / in the / dark!

Paul Daniels would be impressed with William’s / sleight of /hand

Astounding wedding congregations / with his / magic / tricks.

Such is his skill at the / two he / knows

We’re surprised he isn’t a / member . of the / magic / circle.

We wish him good luck in his new / Parish of / Stoke

and many blessings on his / family / in the / future.

Written, composed and performed by St Giles choir at Williams farewell party.

For more information on the choir or to join contact:-

Henry Wagstaff on (024) 7633 2660

This page last updated on Monday November 30, 2009 at 17:32:18

Curate John Horton on 024 7631 8844 ~ Webmaster Pete Aldersley on 024 7636 2995

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