Music and Arts…

….have been deeply intertwined with worship at First Baptist since our earliest days. Dynamic choral music, handbells, and robust congregational singing have become the backbone of our musical worship over the past century with as many as six choirs undergirded by one of New England’s foremost pipe organs.

The First Baptist Chancel Choir is a skilled sacred arts choir consisting of around 30 singers. Comprised of both parishioners and WPI Choral Scholars and organ students, they are Directed by Minister of Music and the Arts, Wesley Hall, and serve as the backbone of musical worship at First Baptist as they have done for many generations under the directorship of T. Charles Lee, Barclay Wood, and William Ness. in addition to their work during Sunday services, the Chancel Choir has participated with numerous other organizations for joint events with the choirs of All Saints and Trinity Lutheran, and for concerts with groups like the Rhode Island Civic Choral and Orchestra, and WPI Festival Chorus. The choir excels at singing a wide range of music required by our liturgical needs, and they are equally at home singing Gospel Music, Bach, Durufle, or new compositions like those of our long-running Choral Anthem Competition. Perhaps most notably, each December the Chancel Choir continues the 80+ year old tradition at First Baptist of presenting the Service of Lessons and Carols, patterned after the famous service at King’s College, Cambridge.

If you are interested in joining the Chancel Choir or learning more about Music and the Arts at the First Baptist Church of Worcester, contact Wesley Hall at wesleyh@fbc-worc.org