Dear Bethesda family,

Much of the summer at Bethesda is spent creatively imagining new possibilities for the coming year and beyond. How can we nourish those who are familiar, while drawing in more people to join us? And now I’d like to share my excitement about some special musical events that are coming soon. Add them all to your calendar now, and we’ll provide more details as each event grows closer.

Choral Evensong will return this year, now with choral responses. Join us on the first Sunday of October, February, March, April, and May for a 3:30 p.m. recital followed by sung Evening Prayer.

Halloween Spooktacular! On Friday, October 27, we will start with a costume party in the Garth at 6:30 p.m. Then we’ll move inside the church for a screening of the original “Phantom of the Opera” in its colorized 1929 silent form, with organ accompaniment provided by the dazzling Dorothy Papadakos.

On All Saints’ Sunday, November 5, soloists from Palm Beach Opera and an orchestra will join the fabulous Bethesda Choir at 4:00 p.m. for Mozart’s Requiem in its intended liturgical context.

On Sunday, December 3, there will be an extended organ prelude before the 4:00 p.m. Service of Advent Lessons & Carols.

On Wednesday, December 13, we’ll sing our hearts out at 7:30 p.m. during the annual Christmas Concert with orchestra.

The Boar’s Head & Yule Log Festival is a community favorite, with three performances on the first weekend of January.

And then, at 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday, February 6, the 75-member St. Olaf Choir, one of the nation’s premier a cappella ensembles, will delight us in concert.

Check out the full list of organ and choral music for the entire season in this year’s Music List booklet on our website at here. We are excited to get started!

Stuart