The Christmas season kicked off with the Preeceville and District Ministerial Association’s inter-community Carol Festival with many Christmas musical selections. The festival was held at the Sturgis Composite High School on December 6.
Sharon Buchinski was the master of ceremonies for the carol festival.
The intermediate and sophomore Good Spirit School Division band, under the direction of Nathan Seghers, performed Jingle Bell Tones and Midnight Madness.
The Living Faith and Word Church choir, comprised of Ginette and Vern Poworoznyk, Peter and Nancy Sikora, Dale Bashforth, Vicky Multon, Wayne Lazaruk and Carol Wasylenchuk, performed Pass it On and Jesus Is My Saviour.
The Woodland Chorus with members, Willie Jakubowski, Ray Scarth and Jack Jaques, moved the audience with their delightful combined voices as they performed Christmas songs, Children Go and I’ll be Home with Bells On.
Lynnel Person recited The Christmas Story.
The Sturgis Elementary School choir, directed by Carla Olson and accompanied by Val Hallick on piano, blended their angel-like voices to sing Thirty-Feet and Eight Little Tails and Flicker Little Candle.
The GSSD band accompanied the audience with a sing-along to Christmas tunes: Away in a Manager, Joy to the World and Deck the Halls.
The GSSD senior band, under the direction of Nathan Seghers, performed music from the soundtrack of Frozen and Holiday Bell Festival.
Jeff Davis performed a solo musical to Thankful.
Laura Chartrand joined Davis on stage to perform a duet to Silent Night.
The GSSD jazz band concluded the afternoon performing Silver Bells and Sugar Plum Rock from The Nutcracker Suite.
All the proceeds from the free will offering will go towards funding the Preeceville and District Ministerial Association’s involvement in the Carol Fest, Holy Week services in Preeceville and Sturgis at Easter time, Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, Filling the Gap/Christmas hampers, worship and visitation services at the Preeceville Health Centre Acute Care and Long Term Care, the Preeceville Private Care Home and Sturgis Care Home and the annual Veggie Exchange program. It also supports the Family Resource Centre and its various programs and other periodic community special events or needs.
Next year’s inter-community Carol Festival will be held in Preeceville.
Member churches of the ministerial association are: Evangel Tabernacle in Preeceville, St. John Lutheran Church in Preeceville, Grace United Church in Sturgis, Trinity United Church in Preeceville, St. James Anglican Church and St. Patrick’s Roman Catholic in Sturgis and the Endeavour Fellowship Chapel.
