StCecilia
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Welcome to the St. Cecilia Guild of

St. Peter's Church

An Invitation to Join the St. Cecilia Guild

Dear Friends,

Our Music Ministry is changing and growing because many of your friends are members of the St. Cecilia Guild.  I am so thankful for what they have done, for their love of St. Peter’s, and that they see how Music, Art, and beautiful, meaningful Liturgy can draw people to Christ. The St. Cecilia Guild acts much like a booster club does for a high school athletic program. The Guild supports our music ministry financially beyond what is currently possible through the annual budget. Through volunteer and social opportunities, the Guild also has the potential to create another close -knit and supportive community of music lovers within the greater community of St. Peter’s Church and the Eastern Shore.

Here are few things that The St. Cecilia Guild helped facilitate this past year:

  1. The Choral Scholars Program – together, through this program, we are adding an invaluable component to the educational experience of young musicians, not to mention, exposing them to the life-giving Love of God. These college students may work with me individually, and they additionally participate in St. Peter’s various musical groups. We facilitate legitimate musical connection to the church that they might otherwise never have the opportunity to realize. We are uniting Town and Gown.
  2. The Community MESSIAH All-Sing – Over 500 people (in person and via livestream) participated in this event brought back to our community through your generous support.
  3. Community Engagement – together through radio and print ads St. Peter’s has continued to increase visibility across Delmarva.
  4. The establishment of St. Peter’s Choir School of The Eastern Shore – 7 young people are currently enrolled in your Choir School. We started with one student last September, and the program has grown through word of mouth. Six of these young people are from families who were not previously associated with St. Peter’s Church.
  5. Goals Exceeded – 2021-2022 St. Cecilia Fund goal of raising $20,000 and having 50 members were both exceeded.

Now, here are a few of the things I have in mind for 2022-2023:

  1. Members of the Maryland Opera to present a concert on August 14th at 5:00 pm
  2. Community MESSIAH All-Sing on December 18th with professional soloists and chamber orchestra with the audience PARTICIPATING in the capacity of the chorus.
  3. St. Peter’s Choir School of the Eastern Shore will participate in a Chorister Festival led by renowned chorister trainer Bruce Neswick at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, Atlanta.
  4. The Maryland Boychoir to present a concert on Saturday November 19th.
  5. World famous Concert Organist Marilyn Keiser to present a concert in early 2023
  6. Professor Vernon Cherrix to present a piano concert.
  7. Continued Concerts and Services–
    • Advent Lessons and Carols
    • Two services of Evensong
    • Music Ministry Spring Concert
    • Monthly sung Compline
    • The Hymn Of The Day
    • 9:00 Service Musicians
  8. Expansion of our Choral Scholar Program - enabling us to transition to the traditional Anglican cathedral and collegiate double-choir experience.

St. Cecilia Guild members made an incredible difference in 2021-2022, and I ask that you now also become a member of The Guild for the program year 2022-2023. Gifts to The Guild are much like gifts one would make to a High School BOOSTER CLUB. These gifts make dreaming, changing, and growing possible.

Allow me to address a few scenarios:

  1. If you are supportive of St. Peter’s Music Ministry now is the time to invest in its future with a gift to the Guild.  Any amount enrolls you as a member. A gift to the St. Cecilia Guild should not be given in lieu of a pledge to St. Peter’s Church.
  2. If you have friends or family who have become a new, virtual participant in our liturgical, artistic, congregational life, I implore you to pass this letter on to them and encourage them to express their appreciation for our work by joining The Guild.
  3. Please share everything that is going on at St. Peter’s on via your personal social media.
  4. Most importantly, please pray for me and for your other musicians.

Exciting things are happening, have happened, and will continue to happen at St. Peter’s. I humbly and gratefully ask that you help by becoming a member of The St. Cecilia Guild. There are a number of levels in which to become a member of The Guild, and I ask that you prayerfully choose the level which best reflects your commitment to your music ministry. Step boldly, with me, into Christ’s calling to love our neighbor, and let us serve Him with gladness through excellence in Liturgy and Art.