Chancel Choir
Chancel Choir: For all voices, ages 18 and up.
Rehearsals: Thursday evenings from 7:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. The rehearsal schedule is flexible.
Do you love to sing and enjoy meaningful fellowship through music? The Chancel Choir invites you to be part of a vibrant and welcoming community of singers! We would love to have your voice join us as we prepare music for worship, special services, and seasonal events. Each year, we present a large choral work. In 2025-2026, we sang Faure’s Requiem and Tim Sharp’s joyful Bluegrass Mass. This year, we have been blessed to sing Parts 1 and 2 of Handel’s Messiah and John Rutter’s Requiem. Whether you’re a seasoned vocalist or looking to reconnect with choral music, there’s a place for you here.
For more information about the Chancel Choir, contact Director of Music Philip Everingham at peveringham@granpres.org.
Angel Choir for Youth
The Angel Choir is open to all Youth in grades 7 through 12.
Along with singing for Sunday morning worship once a month from September through May, the group presents a program for Granville’s Christmas Candlelight Walking Tour every year on the first Saturday of Advent. The Angel Choir also gives various concerts in and around the community. In addition, high school members of the group traditionally take a weeklong Summer Singing Tour every other year.
The choir meets regularly for part rehearsals on Sunday evenings from 4:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. — girls from 4:30 p.m. to 5:15 p.m., and boys from 5:15 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. Roughly once a month, there will be a crossover rehearsal, with the girls staying until 5:30 and the boys arriving at 5 p.m. With the increased time required to prepare program material in late fall for the Christmas Candlelight Walking Tour, and in a touring year, rehearsals tend to last slightly longer and become a bit more numerous late in the semester.
The choir is directed by Joy Hire, who founded the group in 1993, and Meredith Needham has served as the group’s virtuosic accompanist for more than two decades. Both are active in the Granville music community, and both are alumnae of The Denison Singers, a select chamber ensemble at Denison University widely known for performing a diverse repertoire of choral music. Participation in the Angel Choir is not restricted to church members.
For more information about the Angel Choir, please contact Joy Hire at jhire@granpres.org.
Children’s Choir
The mission of the Children’s Choir at First Presbyterian Church is to bring young singers into the broader community of faith through song. The choir is a fun and enthusiastic ensemble filled with the angelic voices of young singers ranging from kindergarten through sixth grades. The choir rehearses on Sunday mornings immediately following morning worship from 11:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. in the Youth Choir Room.
Dr. Aaron Wilburn, children’s music director at First Presbyterian, oversees the choir, and he invites all children who like to sing to join this growing group! Ultimately, the church children’s choir at First Presbyterian serves as a testament to the power of music and youthful fellowship to uplift, inspire, and unite. Through their voices, these young singers offer a glimpse of hope and beauty, touching the hearts of all who have the privilege of listening.
For more information about the Children’s Choir, contact Aaron Wilburn at awilburn@granpres.org.
JuBellee and Festivo Handbell Choirs
JuBellee Ringers: All ages welcome. Beginning skills learned and developed in this choir.
Festivo Bell Choir: Advanced choir using many different bell techniques, playing a wide variety of repertoire.
Rehearsals: JuBellee rehearses at 4:00 p.m., and Festivo rehearses at 7:00 p.m., both on Wednesday afternoons and evenings.
We meet from late August through the first week in May. JuBellee, our more basic bell choir, plays in church services two to four times a year. Festivo Bells, our choir that tackles beginning to advanced level compositions, plays once a month in worship. We have been blessed to play at The James Comprehensive Cancer Center during the holiday season for the last three holiday seasons, as well as the annual Granville Christmas Candlelight Walking Tour.
For more information about the Bell Choirs, contact Director of Music Philip Everingham at peveringham@granpres.org.