Music In The Church

The Choir
The choir in its present form has been in existence since 1990, with a membership of about 15 – all who feel they can play a part are welcome to join the Choir.  We feel it is important that the Choir is a fellowship which encourages the congregation in worship.  It has regularly taken part in morning worship and more recently has had a wider role with more substantial contributions to special occasions such as Remembrance Sunday and our Carol Service.  An extended choir has, in recent years, performed ‘Joseph and his Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat’, ‘We were There’, ‘The Feast of Life’, a musical written by Garth Hewitt on behalf of Christian Aid for the Millennium, and ‘The Gift’ by Graham Kendrick.  Some of the Choir members also sing in the Knaresborough Choral Society, which was founded so that members of those churches in Knaresborough without large choirs would come together to sing major choral works.

The Praise Band
Introducing and leading new songs is mainly the responsibility of the Praise band.  The nucleus of the Band leads the contemporary worship songs each Sunday, whilst the traditional hymns are accompanied by the organ.  At full strength we can count on three singers, keyboard/piano, recorder, two violins, saxophone, two guitars, bass and drums.  Several members have been to Spring Harvest and bring back the joy and new worship from that overwhelming experience.  The Band took part in ‘Feast of Life’ in 2001 and ‘The Gift’ in 2004 and is keen to take its witness outside the church.

The Organ
The organ is an Alhborn Angelus computer organ, installed in 1991.  It contributes to the variety and versatility of the worship as it can be pre-programmed and used to accompany the choir while the Music Director conducts, or to play for worship in the absence of an organist.

Musical Outreach
The Choir and Band are always keen to take their forms of worship to other places and to share our resources and talents with other churches who may not have the same opportunities for music to be led in their services.  They also present occasional concerts and entertainment for the congregation and have entertained in old people’s homes and sheltered housing complexes.  We accepted invitations to lead the music worship when one of our church members was inducted as a minister in Nottingham, to lead Worship Plus for Churches Together in South Leeds at Beeston Hill, for a harvest thanksgiving service and supper at our local Anglican Parish Church, St John’s, and at a small Methodist chapel at Goaby Marwood in Leicestershire.

Individual musicians also make themselves available to accompany at other churches on occasions.