May 2010

This past September at our first choir rehearsal of the season I announced that this would be my last year serving as choir director. In November I met with one of the church committees to make my announcement formal. Part of the reason I am writing this is to keep everyone in the loop, as it is very possible many people do not know that our church is currently looking for a choir director, and a piano accompanist for the fall, or maybe someone can be found who feels comfortable doing both. Just a brief background, I started directing the choir on September of 1985. Over all those years we have always done two anthems for each service for ten months of every year. During those years from my beginning in 1985 I have been privileged to work with a solid core choir who have carried us through times, thick and thin. The people who were among that original choir that are still generously giving of their time today are (I sure hope I don’t leave anyone out) Dave and Deb Battistoni, Jean Bowers, Gary Enderle, Karl and Phyllis Hodge, and Maggie and Wally Watson. Many devoted people who sang in the choir have come and gone. Some due to job relocation and moving, others retiring, some due to family obligations, and a host of other reasons and situations. I wish I could name all the people who have been in choir over my tenure, but I know I would leave out too many. I cannot leave without mention of two very important ladies; Shirley Pugh was our accompanist for many years until she retired and moved away. She was a wonderful lady and the choir and I were so fortunate to have her accompany. I was especially fortunate, as she many times carried the choir with her amazing accompaniment during my green years. Likewise we were so fortunate to have Joyce Enderle follow Shirley. With that transition we didn’t miss a beat. Joyce accompanied the choir for many years until she felt she could no longer do justice to the music. But even at what she thought was her low point she was still a marvelous accompanist. Today’s choir also has many loyal and self-less members who I cannot leave out in my farewell address. Thank you to our bass section, which also includes Marshall Allen, & Paul Tsujimoto along with before mentioned Gary. Our tenors I already mentioned in the lifelong choir, Dave and Karl, with Wally as switch hitter, singing either bass or tenor where ever needed. Donna Lawton, and Shirley Mosher hold down the alto section with Maggie, while Pastor Sunny, Jean Bowers, and Judy Hughs help Deb and Phyllis fill the air with soprano sounds. This year we have several of our youth singing with us, I do hope they are able to continue, Jasmyn Dorsey, Joshua Tsujimoto, and Joseph Hughes. (Lord help me if I forgot someone, if I did it just proves my time has come!) Thank you all for your support of the choir over the years. I truly hope this tradition will continue in some form or another in our church. Sing-cerely – Louis Petroni