Celebrate Christmas in Charleston concert returns Sunday afternoon

CHARLESTON, Mo. — After last year’s online-only performance due to COVID-19, the annual “Celebrate Christmas in Charleston” concert returns Sunday as a live and in-person event.

Set to begin at 2 p.m. Sunday at the United Methodist Church, 1700 E. Marshall St., in Charleston, the free event will feature the Sam C. and Jane Goodin Memorial Handbell Choir under the direction of Janie B. Young; Sallie Brown Goodin as pianist; Terry A. Parker as organist; and soloists Charlotte McNeary and Mary Katherine Branum. The bell choir also plays chimes, which are in memory of Stephen Austin.

“We hope everyone will come out on Sunday,” Parker said. “We do have an earlier starting time this year so people can go to church, then go to eat and go to the Sunday afternoon concert and then go to church at night if your church has that.”

In years past, the concert has always started at 4 p.m. because of Christmas lighting, but Parker said he’s hoping the 2 p.m. starting time will open it where those who do have Sunday night services and programs can attend the concert, too.

If anyone is uncomfortable attending in person, they can certainly wear a face mask, Parker added.

Those who attend Sunday’s event will hear musical selections that include: “Ringing of the Christmas Bells,” “Angels We have Heard on High,” “Joy to the World,” “Gentle Mary Laid Her Child,” “Joyous Spirit,” a Christmas medley of “Away in the Manger/The First Noel/We Three Kings,” “Come See the Child,” “A Christmas Selection,” “What Child Is This,” “O Holy Night,” “Ave Maria,” “Lo, How a Rose E’er Blooming,” “Bethlehem Journey,” “Hark the Herald Angels Sing” and “Adeste Fideles” as well as biblical readings of the Christmas story.

Notably missing from this year’s celebration will be the longtime concert participant, River Bend Brass Ensemble, which was directed by Kevin Miller, who passed away in September, both Young and Parker said.

Sunday’s concert is also one of a few opportunities in the area to hear a handbell choir at Christmastime. According to Parker, the community concert began as a way to showcase the United Methodist Church’s bell choir.

“We’ve been doing this since the early 1990s,” said Young, who has led the bell choir since its inception. “When we started, none of us knew anything about bells, and we’ve learned — and the Lord has certainly helped us.”

Young said it’s been a joy to be in the “Bells” over the past 30 years or so and the group and individuals have grown during that time.

Young said what she also loves about “Bells” is the camaraderie between the group.

“We have gone through death and sicknesses of members, deaths of spouses, and we’ve really grown with each other,” Young said, adding the handbell choir is a faith-based group.

Hand bell choir member Ginger Logan agreed.

“We have a real strong faith, and we pray before we begin every time — not just to play but for concerns in the group, and we are very close that way,” Logan said. “We support each other through whatever anybody is going through.”

And they remember the members who’ve gone before them. For example, a lone, silenced bell sits nearby the bell table as a memorial of hand bell member Lee Ann Cullison, who died in 2017.

“We say she can play in heaven. Her bell rings in heaven,” Logan said of Cullison.

Hand bell choir member Mary Jane Whitehead said their prayer intentions aren’t only their personal ones.

“It’s within the church or in the community, too. We pray for whoever is on our minds,” Whitehead said.

Parker said the handbell choir is like a family.

“We love it, and we have a varied age group – some years are more varied than others,” Logan said.

Playing in the handbell choir takes a lot of hand and brain coordination – and muscle memory, Young said.

“It is really an odd thing to do,” Young said of playing in the choir. “If you’re responsible for all 88 of the keys, it’s wonderful, but if you’re responsible for four notes, it’s more like being a percussionist.”

According to Young, the handbell choir starts working in September and practices weekly to prepare for the Christmas concert. She said the biggest challenge with being in the handbell choir is getting all 12 members there to practice at the same time.

“It’s really fun, and I’m not a perfectionist, and that makes it really easy,” Young said. “… It’s a team effort.”

Young said if anyone is interested in joining the handbell choir, they are looking for another member.

“We’ve really been praying for one more person to join the bell choir,” Young said.

According to Parker and Young, for many repeat attendees, the concert has served as a tradition to put them in the holiday spirit.

“The people in the community look forward to this,” Young said.

The concert usually draws attendees from throughout the area, Parker said.

“People who are limited in how they they can travel or older people who can’t travel, this concert gives them something to do on a Sunday afternoon, and they enjoy the music — and we enjoy giving it back to them,” Parker said.

Young agreed and credited Parker for organizing the concert and ensuring it happens each year.

Parker said the concert is a lot of work and can be stressful at times, but it always comes together and is definitely worth it in the end.

He said: “The Lord takes over.”