Overview
Grace Lutheran Church has a long tradition of music enriching the worship experience. Currently, Grace has an adult choir, a handbell choir, and a guitar ensemble to support our worship services. All are welcome to join.
Grace Choir
The Grace Choir sings weekly at the 9:30 a.m. worship service and rehearses every Wednesday evening at 7:00 p.m. from September through May in the choir room or sanctuary. The ensemble also sings at special services throughout the liturgical year to support and enhance the worship experience at Grace. High school students and adults are welcome to join for fellowship and worship through music. The Grace Choir is under the direction Nick Pierle, the Director of Music. For more information or if interested in joining, please email music@glccu.org.
Handbell Choir
From September through May, the handbell choir meets on Monday evenings 7:00-8:00 p.m. and plays at worship service one Sunday of the month. The ensemble is made up of ringers from middle school students through adults, plays hymn arrangements and works specifically composed for handbells. For more information or if interested in joining, please contact Nick Pierle, Director of Music.
Guitar Ensemble
Year-round the Guitar Ensemble leads congregational singing of hymns and liturgy on certain Sundays. The group sets the rehearsal time and selects music. For more information or if interested in joining, please contact Claire Walworth Vail at ClaireWalworth@yahoo.com.
Organist
Michael Keeley received his first music lessons from his father, a busy church musician & choral conductor in Milwaukee. Having mastered some keyboard basics, he was asked to fill in as substitute by several desperate local organists, and took the first in a long series of church jobs while still in high school.
Formal music studies followed at Lawrence University in Appleton, WI & continued in Dallas, TX (SMU) and Evanston, IL (Northwestern), where he earned a Doctor of Music Degree in Organ Performance. A Fulbright grant in 1979 provided many amazing opportunities for organ study, performing, travel & friendships.
Michael and family moved to C-U in 1994. He has substituted at Grace many times over the past years. Mike has been the regular organist at McKinley, and in recent years has substituted at a number of local churches, including Episcopalian, Presbyterian, Catholic and Lutheran.
Organ
The Pedersen Memorial Organ at Grace is a 2-manual, 23-rank, 17-stop, tracker-action, Baroque-style instrument built in 1975 by Casavant Frères of St. Hyacinthe, Québec, Canada (Op. 3246)
