Chapel Choir

Chapel ChoirThe Chapel Choir has a rich history at First United Methodist Church. Since 1960, this choir led Sunday worship at the 9:30 service during the school year. They now collaborate with other choirs during the 10:00 a.m. service. The Chapel Choir is open to all high school youth regardless of musical abilities or background. You can start at any time throughout the year! 

For the past 48 years, the choir has participated on a week-long Spring Break musical trip spreading God’s message in words and song to congregations throughout North America, including such places as New York City, Boston, Denver, St. Simon’s Island, Memphis, Pensacola, Nashville, Toronto, Myrtle Beach, Orlando, Philadelphia, Virginia Beach, Ft. Worth, New Orleans, Atlanta, Washington D.C., Wilmington, and many communities in between. The 2020 tour was suspended due to the coronovirus pandemic and will likely not take place in 2022. 

Choir members practice Sunday morning after the 10:00 a.m. worship service in preparation for concerts. Members also give their time through fundraising and mission trip activities at church. The youth are actively involved at their schools in athletics, speech, band, choir, dance, and many clubs.

The Chapel Choir goals are to:

  • Share our faith in Jesus Christ through our music and our actions.
  • Learn to participate in the leading of a Worship Service.
  • Grow in our music skills through our rehearsal and performance schedule.
  • Develop new relationships within our own group
  • Learn to participate in and contribute to a large, diversified group.

The Chapel Choir typically rehearses on Sundays from 11:15 to 12:00 p.m.

Choir Director: 
Nick Loos, Director
Accompanist: 
Kevin Zehme
Rehearsal Time: 
Sundays, 11:30pm to 12:15pm
Rehearsal Room: 
Chapel Hall
Performance Dates: 
Sunday, September 26, 2021 - 10:00am
Sunday, October 3, 2021 - 10:00am
Sunday, October 10, 2021 - 10:00am
Sunday, October 17, 2021 - 10:00am
Sunday, October 24, 2021 - 10:00am
Sunday, October 31, 2021 - 10:00am
Sunday, November 7, 2021 - 10:00am
Sunday, November 14, 2021 - 10:00am
Sunday, November 21, 2021 - 10:00am
Sunday, November 21, 2021 - 10:00am
Sunday, November 28, 2021 - 10:00am
Sunday, December 5, 2021 - 10:00am
Sunday, January 9, 2022 - 10:00am
Sunday, January 16, 2022 - 10:00am
Sunday, January 23, 2022 - 10:00am
Rehearsal Schedule: 
Repeats every week every Sunday until Sun May 29 2022 except Sun Apr 17 2022.

News and Events

40th Annual Chapel Choir Tour

The Chapel Choir started their 40th Annual Spring Break Tour on Sunday evening at Gary Memorial UMC in Wheaton. It was a great night. The youth group at Gary Church greeted us warmly with a pizza dinner. They sat at table with our students and strangers became friends. It felt like we were really on tour.

On Saturday, March 26 we will pack two 45 passenger motor coaches, the technical term for buses, and head east!

  • First stop the University of Michigan for lunch and tee shirts. Then to the Pontiac MI area, a concert at Waterford Central UMC Saturday evening.
  • Worship at both Grace & Peace UMC and Four Towns UMCs on Sunday and an afternoon at the Henry Ford Museum.
  • Monday we cross the border at Sarnia ON, Lunch in London and singing at St Paul’s United Church in Oakville ON.
  • Tuesday we play in Niagara Falls.
  • Wednesday we arrive in Toronto for a concert at Humber Valley United Church.
  • For years, the choir has wanted a beach, so on Thursday we’ll goback to Niagara Falls and spend the morning at an indoor water park. A concert at First Baptist Church of London ON Thursday evening will be our last in Canada.
  • On Friday, we enter the USA at Port Huron MI. Our last tour concert will be at First UMC Birmingham MI.

Watch for updates on the DGFUMC web site!!

Come see the Chapel Choir perform their tour concert here at home on Sunday, April 3 at 4:00pm and 7:00pm.

Housing Needed For Visiting Youth Choir

The saying is that everything is bigger in Texas and the Custer Road UMC Revelation Choir is a great example. The 125-member high school choir will present a concert in our sanctuary on Tuesday, June 14 and we are soliciting housing for as many of the youth and their chaperones as possible. While they are prepared to roll out sleeping bags on the gym floor and use our showers if necessary, we would like to provide homes for as many of their group as possible. Home stays have always been a memorable part of our Chapel Choir tours. Host families will need to provide breakfast on the 15th. Please check your calendar and contact Don Dunham regarding how many youth you are willing to host, if you have pets and whether you have a gender or age preference.

Pre Tour Reminder

The Chapel Choir Pre Tour concert is this Sunday, March 20 at Gary Memorial UMC in Wheaton IL. The concert is set for 7:00 pm. We hope to see you there!!!

Pages

Copyright © 2023 First United Methodist Church, Downers Grove. Please report any problems to webmaster@dgfumc.org.