Music Ministries
Sanctuary Choir
The Sanctuary Choir provides an outstanding musical program for Sunday worship service, special events and programs. Music Director Cathy Bennett leads the choir, which rehearses Wednesday evenings at 7:00 pm and Sunday mornings at 9:45 am, in preparation for worship. The choir is open to high school age and above.
Children's Choir
Children also have the chance to participate in the music ministry. Led by Kate Geroski, this group meets throughout the school year and sings about once a month in the worship service and for other special events. Children have fun with music, singing everything from silly songs to worshipful praise songs, gaining musical knowledge in the process. Many songs incorporate hand movements, and the children are learning to play songs with boomwhackers (tuned percussion tubes). Children ages 4 and up are welcome, and parents may sit in at anytime. The children's choir practices every week (rehearsal time to be announced soon) in the children's education wing. Contact the church office for more information.
Handbell Choir
Wesley's Omega Handbell Choir is open to those in the 9th grade and above. Ringing 4 1/2 octaves of Malmark English handbells and 3 octaves of hand chimes, the choir prepares music to perform during worship and for special services. Rehearsals are held on Sunday evenings from 7:00 - 8:15pm. Please contact Tim Bennett for more information at tpb55@earthlink.net.
Audio/Video Ministry
The sanctuary is fitted with a state-of-the-art sound system, with a 24 channel analog sound board with floor boxes on stage to plug in either dynamic or condenser microphones. There are speakers in the sanctuary, fellowship hall, kitchen and nursery. Wesley can host traditional music services, contemporary music concerts, drama, or special church services. There is also an outdoor sound system that can be used during outdoor services or events.
The weekly worship service is recorded and it airs on both Amherst and Hadley community television. Amherst Community TV airs the service on Sunday nights at 6:15 PM. Hadley airs the service on Sunday at 9 am and 6 pm, and then again on Monday morning at 9 am. DVD copies of any church service can be purchased for $5. Please contact the church office for more information.
Wesley Organ
In 1978, while in the former church building on North Pleasant Street in Amherst, the church purchased a pipe organ that was built in 1898 by Jesse Woodberry. It originally was of tracker design, and featured 9 stops and 9 ranks of pipes, totalling 479 pipes. At the time of purchase, the church entered into a contract with the Stuart Organ Company of Chicopee, MA to rebuild the organ. During the rebuild, the organ was encased in a new mahogany woodwork to blend with the existing furnishings of the old church. Since being rebuilt, it now features 10 stops and 13 ranks of pipe, totalling 691 pipes. With the sale of our former church building in 2005, the organ was disassembled by Bill Czelusniak of Florence, MA. It was then cleaned and rebuilt for installation in our new church building. The organ has special meaning to the entire church family, and is played during most worship services.
