Our Worship Music
Joyful Noise for Every Taste and Talent
Graham Memorial Presbyterian Church uses music to engage and unite the faithful whenever they gather for worship. Music includes anthems and solos based on scriptural texts, cantatas and oratorios which tell the biblical story, and psalms, canticles, hymns, and spirituals that present the truth of biblical faith.
Each of our three distinct Sunday worship services offers its own style of music to suit the flavor of the liturgical program and the tastes of those in attendance. Sunday worship services begin with the most traditional hymns at 9:00am and progress to the most contemporary praise music at 5:00pm. Our director of music ministries is a versatile leader of a wide variety of instruments, including voice, organ, piano, handbells . . . even chamber orchestra during an annual Christmas concert. Our Sunday Worship Styles»
Additionally, on Heritage Sunday in February, our Scottish descendents dress in their clan kilts and play bagpipes to begin the worship service and to escort the pastor from the pulpit at the end of the worship service—as much a delight to see as to hear!
The church sanctuary underwent electronic enhancement in 2007 and now offers state-of-the-art sound management and video projection, ensuring all who worship an equally good listening and viewing experience.
About Our Interim Director of Music Ministries
Jantina Perry was born in the Netherlands and grew up in Michigan, where she earned her bachelor’s degree and directed the Women’s Chorus at her alma mater, Calvin College. She received her master of arts degree from Point Loma Nazarene University and her doctorate from United States International University, now Alliant International University. Jantina recently retired from teaching music and coordinating the music program in the Newport-Mesa Unified School District, where the Orange County Music Teachers Association honored her excellence with a Music Teacher of the Year award.
Currently, Jantina sings in the Point Loma Nazarene University Choral Union, the San Diego Master Chorale, and Musica Vitale chamber ensemble. Jantina’s long-time participation in the Graham Memorial Presbyterian Church Chancel Choir and related music ministries began in 1983, under the direction of Robert Schmorr. She considers the opportunity to lead Graham Memorial Presbyterian Church music ensembles during the 2009 Thanksgiving and Christmas seasons to be an inspirational experience.
About Our Organist and Pianist
Sonja has been sharing her gift of music with Graham Memorial Presbyterian Church since 2005. She finds the time spent with the Chancel Choir both fun and a personal challenge to better the music and create more meaningful worship for the congregation.
Sonja's childhood offered numerous opportunities to learn and perform music in the school. It came as no surprise to friends and family that she majored in music education at the Iowa State University, where she received her baccalaureate. She later earned a master's degree in music from Northwestern University in Evanston, IL.
Sonja is certified to teach gifted and talented students. After relocating to Coronado from the Midwest, Sonja taught instrumental music to local elementary school students. Currently, in addition to teaching music in private lessons, she instructs two orchestras at Aviara Oaks Middle School in Carlsbad.
Chancel Choir
Always lauded, frequently applauded, the Graham Memorial Presbyterian Church Chancel Choir guarantees its members 100% spiritual return on investment. If you can hum a lullaby or sing the national anthem, you're capable of filling the sanctuary with audible joy each Sunday morning.
Our director of music ministries is a master of innovation and coaxes musical magic from every Chancel Choir member. And our fabulous state-of-the-art audio/visual system enhances Chancel Choir sound and records the worship music for everyone to sample online.
Convinced? Then show up at any rehearsal session, and voice your interest!
| Rehearsal Schedule | Th 7:00–8:30pm Sep–Jun Su 8:00–8:30am before worship service performance |
|---|---|
| Performance Schedule | Su 9:00–10:00am traditional worship service Su 10:30–11:00am blended worship service Christian and select other holidays |
| Location | Center for Christian Education 949 C Avenue, Coronado Download a Campus Map |
| Invitation | open to the community men and women, 15 years of age and older no auditions no prior choir experience |
| Purpose | lead the congregation in musical worship |
| Advantages | good ear for pitch ability to read musical notation |
| Training | Get Started class available |
| Cost | sheet music and choir robes provided at no cost |
| Interim Director of Music Ministries |
Dr. Jantina Perry |
| Contact | Email or (619) 435–6860 x 17 |
Handbell Ensemble
Many sixteenth-century cathedrals had tower bells, some as many as six, to ring in different sequences to signal times of day or the starting of events. To provide convenient practice for those responsible for ringing the patterns—called bell changes—churches employed use of small hand-held bells.
So successful was this method and so pleasing to the ear was the music produced during these hand-bell practice sessions that someone, unrecorded by history, decided to tune the handbells to the musical scale. Thus was the birth of handbell choirs that toured throughout Europe in the 1500s.
Although the single bell in the Graham Memorial Presbyterian Church belfry doesn't require bell change practice, we have a beautiful set of handbells and a talented group of players who confess to having a ball ringing bells to glorify God during special worship services each year.
Sit in on any rehearsal session. We're pretty certain you won't be able to resist chiming in!
| Rehearsal Schedule | T 8:30–9:30am Sep–Jun Su 8:00–8:30am before worship service performance |
|---|---|
| Performance Schedule | Su 9:00–10:00am traditional worship service Su 10:30–11:00am blended worship service Christian and select other holidays |
| Location | Center for Christian Education 949 C Avenue, Coronado Download a Campus Map |
| Invitation | open to the community men and women, 18 years of age and older no auditions no prior choir experience |
| Purpose | provide alternative worship music |
| Advantages | good ear for pitch ability to read musical notation |
| Training | Get Started class available |
| Cost | sheet music and choir robes provided at no cost |
| Interim Director of Music Ministries |
Dr. Jantina Perry |
| Contact | Email or (619) 435–6860 x 17 |
Kidz Choir
The Graham Memorial Presbyterian Church Kidz Choir is on vacation until further notice. This group of young voices from preschool through grade six relies upon the availability of staff as well as the meshing of busy family schedules. When timing is right, the Kidz Choir leads both the traditional and blended worship services in one joyfully animated song on the first Sunday of the month.
Several years ago, the Kidz Choir was the fortunate recipient of an extraordinary gift made by the Women's Coordinating Team. A complete set of Suzuki Orff instruments gives children the opportunity to learn to accompany their voices with the pleasant percussive sounds of mallets meeting metallophones, glockenspiels, and xylophones.
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Praise Band
The Graham Memorial Presbyterian Church Praise Band is a group of volunteers who rock the musical worship during the Contemporary Praise Service each Sunday evening. The number of band members performing each week varies, but the enthusiasm is as constant as the good vibrations, amplified by the state-of-the-art sound system installed in the church sanctuary.
The Praise Band is relaxed, informal, and always open to emerging talent.
| Rehearsal Schedule | Su 3:00–4:45pm Jan–Dec |
|---|---|
| Performance Schedule | Su 5:00–6:00pm Contemporary Praise Worship Service except the last Su each month |
| Location | Graham Memorial Presbyterian Church sanctuary 975 C Avenue, Coronado, CA Download a Campus Map |
| Invitation | open to the community church membership not required 14 years of age and older |
| Purpose | lead the congregation in musical worship |
| Eligibility | willingness to serve love of the Lord and music musical ability casual but respectful attire informal audition |
| Talent | drummers, guitarists, keyboardists, vocalists, and other musicians |
| Contact | Director of Music Ministries to schedule an audition |