This week, we celebrate GIA in Action in the home of a (very) young musician!

This adorable fan is listening and singing along to books from John Feireabend and discovering folk songs that have been loved by generations!

This week, we celebrate GIA in Action with the Celebration Choir of the Parish of the Holy Spirit in Kennewick, Washington.

Cantor and choir member, Donna Shepherd sent us this photo. Donna writes, “This picture was taken on a Sunday at the 9:30am Mass. Alongside of me is another member of the Celebration Choir, Elsa Torres, age 7 (at the time). We are both music ministers and cantors.

In the photo, Donna and Elsa are leading the congregation in singing “I Received the Living God” (#286 in the Voices As One, Volume 2 hymnal from WLP).

Donna adds, “The song is a dance-like, joyous and heartfelt communion procession that makes me happy to receive Christ with an easy flowing beat. A variety of the  9 verses can be utilized to emphasize the Gospel Readings.”

 Thank you, Donna (and Elsa) for sharing how GIA is part of your worship!  

This week, we celebrate GIA in Action with the choir of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Church in Simpsonville, SC.

Music Director Jenny Byrne, with permission, shared this photo of her choir.

She writes, “We are a small parish with only one choir that splits up to cover all three of our masses. Our volunteers are wonderful.

We just recently used a couple of octavos in the funeral of our fellow choir member, Bill Riegel. He is the gentleman in the wheelchair in our picture. He had chosen all his funeral music years in advance and that included Ed Bolduc’s In you, O Lord. It was a new piece of music to me. He had sung it at a previous choir, but we purchased it from you and we were all moved to tears when we sang it as a prelude piece. We also included our own choice of Go Silent Friend by John Bell. Both of the pieces added so much to us being able to say goodbye to our dear friend.”

The members of the choir in the photo below are: In wheelchair: Bill Riegel. Seated youth: Kaylee Fournier, Eleanor Blake. Row 2 seated: Larry Faye, Joan Blake, Laura Blake. 3rd row: Hannah Grassie, Anne Hyde, Emily Gushue, Carol Wesley, Jenny Byrne, Caroline Blake. 4th row: Dwayne Grassie, Ann Grassie, Joanna McLucas, Laura Salasek, Larry Gore. Missing: Bridget Masotti, Rosey Carpenter, Amy Chesek, Marie Girault

Thank you, Jenny and all the singers of the St. Elizabeth Ann Seton choir for sharing how GIA is part of your worship!  

This week, we celebrate GIA in Action with the Holland Ecumenical Choir in Holland, Michigan.

Choir director Bob Batastini shares this photo of his 70-voice choir, representing 20-plus churches in the area.

Bob writes, “Here, we are singing ‘Precious Lord, Take My Hand’ from the African American Church Music Series. This was an ecumenical worship at First United Methodist Church in Holland, Michigan, commemorating the Intentional Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, which fell on the day before Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, in whose honor this anthem was sung. 

Thank you, Bob and all the singers of the Holland Ecumenical Choir for showing us GIA in Action!  

This week, we celebrate GIA in Action with the Mount Carmel Motherhouse, Sisters of Charity, BVM in Dubuque, Iowa!

Diane Forster, BVM shares this photo featuring the Revival II collection by Tony Alonso.

Sr. Diane says, “I purchased both Revival volumes to provide our choir and congregation alternate accompaniment to standard hymnody.  The arrangements for keyboard, and some changes in traditional tempo, lend new character to these traditional hymns for us. One hymn (so far) that we had not used before became accessible (and acceptable!) with Tony’s arrangement.  (Comfort, Comfort, O My People).

Thank you, Sr. Diane and all at the Mt. Carmel Motherhouse for showing us GIA in Action!  

This week, we celebrate GIA in Action with St. Matthew Catholic Church in Winter Haven, Florida!

Director of Music Ministries Lee Rutan sent us this photo featuring “What Can I Leave Behind” by Adam M. L. Tice (words) and David Haas (music).

Lee says, “I needed a new choral piece for Lent, and found this one in the choral packet subscription.  I chose it because I liked the message of giving up old ‘weary’ ways of living rather than cookies for Lent!  It is also very accessible, and usable for more than just one weekend of Lent.”

Thank you, Lee and St. Matthew Catholic Church for showing us GIA in Action!  

This week, we celebrate GIA in Action with Immaculate Conception Church in Hampton, Virginia.

Director of Music Ministries (and composer!), Teresa Yoder, sent us this photo with Play for the Lord, Volume 6 which features piano duets! The Play for the Lord series from WLP offers SEVEN volumes of piano music (often with additional instruments) for liturgical use including Volume 7 for Lent and Holy Week!

Thank you Teresa and Immaculate Conception Church for showing us GIA in Action!  

This week, we celebrate GIA in Action with St. Viator Parish in Chicago, Illinois.

This parish offers what we consider to be the best of both worlds with WLP’s bilingual hymnal Celebremos / Let Us Celebrate and GIA’s bilingual hymnal Oramos Cantando / We Pray in Song in the pews!

Thank you to Raquel and St. Viator Parish for showing us GIA in Action! 

Esta semana, celebramos GIA en Acción con la parroquia de San Viator en Chicago, Illinois.

Esta parroquia ofrece lo que consideramos lo mejor de ambos mundos con el himnario bilingüe de WLP Celebremos / Let Us Celebrate y el himnario bilingüe de GIA Oramos Cantando / We Pray in Song en los bancos de la iglesia.

¡Gracias a Raquel y la parroquia de San Viator por mostrarnos GIA en Acción!

This week, we celebrate GIA in Action with the Liturgical Choir of St. John’s University in Collegeville, Minnesota!

The choir sang Marty Haugen’s Mass of Remembrance from GIA earlier this month, under the direction of John Kyler, Director of Liturgy and Music for Campus Ministry. 

Thank you to John and the St. John’s University Liturgical Choir for showing us GIA in Action!  

This week, we celebrate GIA in Action with Edgebrook Community Church in Chicago!

The choir performed “Canticle of Simeon” from WLP for Candlemas/Presentation of the Lord earlier this month, under the direction of music director (and composer!) Alan Hommerding. 

Thank you, Alan for giving us a look at a “GIA in Action” at your church.