Whether it’s the majestic sounds of our tracker organ, the soaring choral and guest musician works, or the full voiced participation of our congregation, the music of Immanuel is indeed special. It’s part of who we are. We love it and we welcome your voice!

Congregational Singing

“I am not a singer and without the singing at Immanuel, I would never have the opportunity to sing. The congregation lifts me up and carries me along so that I am able to experience worshipping God with my voice. It is a glorious experience. The organ is wonderful and fills the sanctuary. I am so grateful for it all.”

“To me, the most salient feature of music at Immanuel is the sturdy congregational singing — and singing with harmony parts — and singing unaccompanied, with harmony parts! This is rare and precious … a congregation that can sing a cappella in 4-part harmony is pretty amazing.”

Choir

“The musical choices, arrangements and the many guest musicians at our services have made the musical experience almost transcendant. It’s just beautiful. It gives me the chills.”

The Immanuel choir sings a broad variety of repertoire, some a cappella, and rehearses on Wednesday evenings at 7:30 p.m. September – May. The choir is led by Jimmy Morehead.  If you’re interested in joining the choir, please contact Jimmy at [email protected].  Come join the fun!

Instrumental Music

The organ is wonderful. Designed by renowned Illinois organ builder Kurt Roderer exclusively for Immanuel, this tracker organ was installed in 1981 and has a beautiful clear and stirring sound.  Recently retired organists, Greg Hummel, puts it best, saying our organ “allows a solo line to be rendered more expressively ….. This is one of reasons I love to play Bach fugues on Immanuel’s organ since this mechanical action allows fugal entrances to be articulated more effectively. Our worship space has very good acoustics so marrying our organ’s voice into that space supports a wide repertory and great singing where hymns resound and the liturgy sparkles.”

He goes on to say how the organ and Immanuel’s music program affects him emotionally: “What might best sum up my feelings about Immanuel’s organ is that when I practice I lose sense of time literally becoming lost in the moment.” By the way, Greg’s been our organist since 1971. The man knows his music and his instrument.

The Immanuel Church Music Outreach Endowment Organ Scholar Award

The annual Immanuel Organ Scholar Award is funded through the Immanuel Church Music Outreach Endowment Fund. The award, consisting of a cash gift of $3,500, a medallion, and an opportunity to perform a full concert with reception following, is given to a student in an organ or church music degree program in an accredited school who has been nominated by the organ or church music faculty. The purpose of the award is to encourage careers in organ and church music. Please check this page for updates and application guidelines and form for the upcoming year.