"Music is celebratory. All you have to do is look at Psalms - 'Make a joyful noise,'" said Portia Brian, a member of Donegal Presbyterian Church. That's just what the church will do to mark its 300th anniversary. A concert will be held at the church, 1891 Donegal Springs Road, Mount Joy, on Sunday, May 22, beginning at 6:45 p.m.
Sponsored by Project 300, a group of people who have spent the past year highlighting the church's long and colorful history, the concert is a way to mark the church's longevity, said Debra Ronning, who is helping to organize the concert. "This is the culminating concert of our 300th year celebration," she noted. "It will feature a variety of music and many styles - vocalists, saxophone, piano, flute, clarinet and more."
The Stone Soup Band, composed of members of the church, will perform Americana and folk music in the narthex, followed by the full concert in the sanctuary. A featured piece will be a selection composed by local musician and educator Ralph Lehman. Lehman wrote "The Witness Tree" for a chamber orchestra and he will debut a new arrangement for an instrumental quartet at the concert. The piece's title refers to a tree once located on the church grounds, where church members met in 1777 when George Washington sent a message asking for men to muster and travel to Philadelphia for the Revolutionary War effort.
Other concert participants will include soloist Alison Mekeel and instrumentalists Rick Nye and Sara Male. A hymn written by the Rev. Larry Chottiner and harmonized by Linda Mains especially for the 300th anniversary will also be featured.
Brian emphasized that the concert is an opportunity for people to come together to enjoy a night of music. "The concert is open to the public, and we invite everyone from the community to come," she said. "Come see the beautiful church grounds."
Reaching the milestone of 300 years as a church is something worth acknowledging, said Ronning. "This concert is all about celebrating," she stated. "Music is a connection to God. This concert is about rejoicing."
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