Our worship ministry seeks to engage our church in rooted, beautiful congregational worship.

If you have musical or other creative gifts, we would love to help you find ways to contribute to our worship to the glory of God. Take a look at the current opportunities below to see how you might get plugged in!

All our choral and special musical opportunities will be shared in our quarterly newsletter. Sign up for the newsletter here:

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Choral Arts

Core Choir

Love to sing? We are seeking all those who have a heart for worship and a desire to lead the church in praise to participate in our choir. We have a core choir that rehearses every Thursday evening at 7pm. Our core choir provides the nucleus of our choral arts offerings at Third. They present a musical offering at all three services on the first Sunday of each month and help to bolster and lead the congregational singing during the 11 o’ clock service each week.

Opt-in Choral singers

Have you always wanted to sing in a choir but are unsure of your singing voice, ability to read music, or availability for rehearsals? Third’s choir is opening its ranks for people just like you!

You can now sign up for a limited commitment to sing on specific Sundays and events tailored to your needs. We want everyone who loves to sing to have the opportunity to contribute in our worship! If you love to sing but are busy, we want you to find a few times each year to participate! Take a look at the various upcoming opportunities to join with the core choir for special pieces and the corresponding rehearsals.

Interested in singing? Contact Kim Taulbee: kimt@thirdrva.org

 

Upcoming choral opportunities:

  1. March 5 - ASH WEDNESDAY: “What Wondrous Love is This” This is a beautiful setting of the beloved hymn, with some modern harmonic styling. Click to Preview. This will be our first choral music offering for the season of Lent. To join us, plan to attend the rehearsal in room 105 at 600 Forest: February 27. Sign up to sing “What Wondrous Love is This.”

  2. March 16, Sunday Worship: “My Eternal King” This beautiful and challenging setting of the anonymous seventeenth-century poem is an enduring favorite of choirs and choir directors. The text is stunning and the music is both passionate and reflective. Click to preview. It is medium difficulty, so we ask that singers come to two (one is OK if you have sung it before) of the following rehearsals in room 105 at 600 Forest: February 27, March 6 & 13. Sign up to sing “My Eternal King.”

  3. April 6, Sunday Worship: "When Jesus Wept” This renowned piece by William Billings (17c) is considered a canon, where a single melody is sung by different voice parts at staggered intervals, creating a rich, interwoven texture, and reflecting the emotional depth of Jesus' weeping over the death of Lazarus in the Bible; the piece is particularly noted for its simple yet powerful expression of grief through its unique musical structure and text painting. Click to preview.

    If you want to join us, plan to attend at least one, (preferably two) of the following rehearsals: March 6, 13, 20 & 27. Sign up to sing “When Jesus Wept”.

  4. April 12, Saturday morning: Learn to sing Handel’s “Hallelujah Chorus” Each Easter Sunday before the choir performs this magnificent expression of praise, we invite all-comers to join us in the chancel to sing with us at the end of the service. Because Handel’s “Hallelujah” is a fabulous but complex piece of music, we believe singers will enjoy learning/practicing the parts and rehearsing how we will interpret the score.

    Sign up to learn/rehearse Handel’s “Hallelujah.”

  5. April 13, Palm Sunday: “Paradox Divine” This original piece by Kim Taulbee explores the mystery and paradox of our relationship with God. “God invites us to His feast. Thorns and nails we bring.” The choral arrangement is still under construction but you can preview the solo version. To join us, plan to attend at least two of the following rehearsals: March 13, 20 & 27, April 6 & 13. Sign-up to sing Paradox Divine.

  6. April 10, Easter Sunday: “I Know that My Redeemer Lives” Medium difficulty, you will love to dig into this driving rendition of ANTIOCH from the Sacred Harp collection. Dan Forrest presents this arrangement with a nod to the Sacred Harp singing. Click to preview. We will also sing the “Hallelujah Chorus” from Handel’s “Messiah” at the end of the service. If you would like to join us, on “I Know That My Redeemer Lives” plan to attend at least two of these rehearsals: March 13, 20 & 27, April 6 & 13. Sign-ups open soon.

About our choir rehearsals:

  • We rehearse in room 105 at 600 Forest on Thursday nights from 7:00 PM to 8:30 PM.

  • Everyone is welcome no matter your skill level or ability to read music.

  • Free voice lessons! Singing skills are built into every rehearsal.

  • Emphasis on unity! At every rehearsal, we work to improve the blending of many voices into one.

  • We typically will work on two to three anthems.

  • We care and pray for one another whenever we meet.

 

Worship Team

Third’s Worship Team provides an array of musical styles from contemporary to traditional worship songs. The flexibility and talent of this music group allows the congregation to connect in a fresh and inviting way each week. The rhythm section and vocalists rehearse Wednesdays at 7:00 p.m. and lead each Sunday morning service along with the Choir.

Interested? Contact Brooke Wright: brookew@thirdrva.org

Churchestra

Our worship orchestra, also known as our Churchestra, performs 3 or 4 times a year at designated times. If you play a string, brass or wind instrument, we’d love for you to join. Typically, the Churchestra rehearses for two Saturdays preceding the service they will play in.

Interested? Contact Brooke Wright: brookew@thirdrva.org