Previous Messages from our Director

Welcome, Dear Ones-- Sisters & Brothers in Christ, Fellow Artists, Choristers, NCMCC Friends & Families, and First-time Visitors,

We pause, first, to acknowledge our Savior and Lord-our Messiah-- on this Good Friday, and we [like the unnamed jointly-crucified thief] understand that eternal life "has to do with what Jesus [did for us]-- how He [gave] His own life so that the undeserving could be welcomed into heaven by God."

We echo-- Remember [us] when you come into your kingdom.
We know that "our lives matter because God first [loved] us," and we pray that we matter in the lives of those with whom we come in contact as we lift high His cross.

We wish to express our gratitude to our web minister, Richard Remaley, who has graciously & tirelessly designed and posted these beautfiul new web pages. We hope you will take the time to peruse the site and contribute to it as often as you like. Simply click the contact "button." Our thanks also go to those of you who have already supplied valuable information-- especially to Louise Durlesser, Carrie Walls, and Margaret Sopkovich.

On this 323rd birthday of J.S. Bach (another giant pillar of the Baroque era and Handel's contemporary) we humbly dedicate this site and our "mission" In Soli Deo Gloria-- to the sole glory of our God.

Dear Friends and Members of our Messiah Community,

Welcome back--if you are returning to our site; welcome--if this is your first visit. We hope you will return from time-to-time.

Please visit us often. Richard Remaley, our web minister, hopes to add to the site as new contributions come his way, and he plans to find new ways to keep the web pages as fresh and engaging as possible--with your help, of course!

Soon--on Monday evening, October 6th at 7 PM (at the FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, downtown New Castle,) we commence our 68th performance season. During our opening reception (from 8:15 until around 9 PM) we will have the opportunity to reacquaint ourselves and meet our new singers. Mr. Remaley plans to also present a website orientation and will offer some technological ideas for our journey into the 21st century.

Won't you consider joining us this season? Our November 30th performance is scheduled for 3 PM at the EPWORTH UNITED METHODIST CHURCH in New Castle. No auditions are required, and scores can be purchased for $8.00 at our practices.

Field and forest, vale and mountain, flowery meadow, flashing sea,
Chanting bird and flowering fountain call us to rejoice in Thee. -van Dyke

We look forward to rejoicing in Him as we prepare yet another memorable performance of The Messiah, and we hope you can be with us this Advent season. Enjoy the rest of your summer, be safe, be healthy, and please consider joining us in October.

May God's blessings be with you and yours,

Dear Friends, Website Readers, Listeners, and Visitors,

We, of the NEW CASTLE MUSIC CLUB Chorus, are honored to present our annual performance of Handel's Messiah this coming Sunday, November 30, at 3 PM at the EPWORTH UNITED METHODIST CHURCH in New Castle.

Four soloists, an organist, a pianist, a trumpeter, a 70-member chorus, and a sign-language interpreter will present their 68th season's rendition of this grand masterwork.

In his 1977 HANDEL'S MESSIAH: A Devotional Commentary, Joseph McCabe wrote,

Dear Readers, Friends, and Supporters,

Our Messiah 2008 season is now behind us, and it is important to thank those many folks who helped to make our performance year possible and successful.

Special thanks go to---Ed Petrus, our assistant conductor, Sharon Eisenhuth, treasurer, Dolores Despetorich, our secretary, to Margaret Sopkovich and her family for handling our PR responsibilities, to Carol Prentice and her social committee, to Richard Remaley, our web minister, to Susan Jackson, Debbie Johnson, Larry Daly, to Kathy Miller, organist, to Karen Toth, performance pianist, to Andy Erb, our trumpeter, to our wonderful soloists and choristers, to Reverend Rex Wasser and the host staff and congregation of the EPWORTH UNITED METHODIST CHURCH, to our listening audience, and to all of our financial supporters.

A great deal goes into the planning for this annual event; we are presently securing a performance site for 2009. (If you or your church is interested in hosting a Messiah performance in the future, please contact us. You can easily access this chorus through this website.)

The beautiful message of The Messiah so permeates our souls; it sustains us throughout the year. To all of you who attended this year's performance, we hope you were also touched by this perennial masterpiece, and we look forward to seeing you again in November.

"'The Hallelujah Chorus' [contained in Messiah] stirs my soul whenever I hear it, as I'm sure it does yours. But let's be sure we do more than resonate to that magnificent music. Let's open our hearts in faith and adoration for the Messiah promised in the book of Isaiah (Isa. 9:1-7.) He has come to us in the person of Jesus Christ to be our Savior. 'Unto us a child is born, unto us a Son is given, and the government will be upon His shoulder.' (v.6)"

-Vernon Grounds, (published in Our Daily Bread, December 20, 2008, RBC Ministries)

May God richly bless you and yours, and may you enjoy a happy, healthy, and safe new year.

In gratitude,

Harry Cunningham

Spring Greetings, Dear Readers!

Our long, dark winter is behind us, spring bursts forth, and our Messiah is risen indeed. "I know that my Redeemer liveth. Hallelujah!"

We are planning for this season's performance--to be held at the SAINT VINCENT de PAUL ROMAN CATHOLIC PARISH (formerly St. Lucy's Roman Catholic Church,) New Castle, on Sunday, November 29th at 3:00 P.M. Our web minister, Richard Remaley, will post the rehearsal schedule and practice sites on the website this week. Our long-time treasurer, Sharon Eisenhuth, has resigned, and our assistant director, Ed Petrus, has agreed to serve as our acting treasurer. We are grateful to both of them.

One of our former Messiah organists, Signe Mitchell, and I have been invited to serve as the organist and choir director respectively for the annual SOUTHWESTERN PA LUTHERAN SYNOD convocation at Thiel College, Greenville, in mid June. A massed (SATB) choir will sing for the opening (10:30 A.M.) worship session on Thursday, June 18th and will participate in the closing festival/ordination service on Saturday, June 20th. Choral works by Luigi Cherubini, Felix Mendelssohn, and Jane Marshall will be offered. Three preparatory practices are planned for May--May 3rd at the First English Lutheran Church in Butler (Main St. at Brady St.) and May 17th & May 31st at the Bethlehem Lutheran Church, 1719 Mt. Royal Blvd., Glenshaw. All three practices are from 3 until 5 P.M. Our NCMC Chorus Lutherans are invited to participate in this choir, of course; you don't have to be a Lutheran to sing with us. We'll be delighted if you can.

Put a "spring" in you step, a sunny smile on your countenance, and enjoy the beauty of God's handiwork--every day.

"Peace be with you."

Harry Cunningham

As I consult our "countdown to the performance" clock, I see 130 days and 19 ½ hours remain until our 69th Messiah performance, and if you refer to our list of performers to date, you will see that we are busy recruiting and preparing for our November 29th presentation.

We hope you are all enjoying a healthy, restful, and pleasant summer, dear readers, and that you are looking forward to our opening rehearsal/social on October 5th. Wow-it will be here before we know it! (Carol Prentice-Are you and your committee ready?)

If you are on our mailing list, you will receive your invitational postcard sometime around the middle of September, but please invite those others with whom you come in contact to join us as well, and encourage them to access this web site frequently for updated information. Our schedule, rehearsal and performance sites, and directions to both are readily available there. Again- any changes that may occur will also be updated. Thanks in advance, Richard Remaley. Through Richard's devotion and persistent work, our web site continues to grow and "glow." Have you taken The Quiz yet, and might you have a question or two for this new page?

To those of you who still plan to travel, please drive safely; may God go with you and watch over you, and may you return refreshed, renewed, and grateful for the beauty of His creation- both here and abroad.

"We can say with Moses, 'Who is like You, majestic in holiness,
Awesome in glorious deed, doing wonders?' (Ex. 15:11.)

What a marvelous God we serve!" -C. P. Hia

We look forward to seeing you soon!

Harry Cunningham

Behold the Lamb of God,
That taketh away the sin of the world.
…And the Lord hath laid on Him
The iniquity of us all.

During Lent we often emphasize penitential denials, we-at least temporarily- avoid tasteless distractions, and we forfeit tempting delights. We attempt to shoulder our guilt, forget our misdeeds, and bear our burdens-as if we can. We need to understand, however, that we can't begin to self-absolve; we, instead, need to fill our "wilderness" days with repentance, praise, and thanksgiving. We need to draw nearer to the Lamb who is also our Shepherd.

All we, like sheep, have gone astray; we have turned ev'ry one to his own way.

Rather than devaluing ourselves and dwelling on our personal plights, we should turn toward the Messiah, reach out to Him and focus on modeling the Godly life with all its rich fruits- faith, virtue, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, brotherly kindness, love, and godliness.

May your Lenten journey toward His resurrection be full of happiness, blessing, and peace.

Happy Lent… and a Joyous Eastertide to you all,

Harry Cunningham


MUSIC CLUB CHORUS of NEW CASTLE

Warm Summer Greetings, Dear Readers,

As we enjoy these gorgeous July days and nights, I recall the opening lyrics of that 17th century hymn favorite, "Beautiful Savior:"

Fair is the sunshine,
Fairer still the moonlight,
And all the twinkling starry host:
Jesus shines brighter, Jesus shines purer than all the angels heaven can boast.

As I glance at our count-down clock and as we plan for our Messiah 2010 season, I'm also reminded: our Messiah came down from Heaven, lived a perfect Earthly life, selflessly gave Himself for us, was cross-sacrificed and defeated death and His grave, and sits at God's right hand.
One day we'll join in worship with thousands of thousands and praise:

Blessing and honor, glory and power be unto Him… forever and ever!

Meanwhile, let us lift our Messiah to "the fairest" in our lives and adore Him daily as we delight in His will and walk in His glorious ways.

Harry Cunningham

Grace, Mercy, and Peace, Dear Readers (and Hearers,)

What a privilege—to greet you, this fall, with Paul’s epistle greeting. How good it is to be reminded of God’s ever-encompassing graciousness, His “tender” mercies, and His embracing peace. At this season as we prepare to perform our 70th Messiah, and as we look forward to the Advent of our “Wonderful [Lord,] Counselor, and Prince of Peace,” we are reminded: “Grace is what our holy God gives that we, as sinful people, don’t deserve… Mercy is what God withholds that we do deserve…, and Peace is what God brings to His people.”
(from Our Daily Bread, July 20, 2010)

We, as annual Messiah presenters, believe this and long for the opportunity—once again on November 28th (3 PM at the FIRST CHRISTIAN CHURCH, Kennedy Square, downtown New Castle)—to herald His grace, mercy, and peace.

Be encouraged, be enriched, and be glad!

Harry Cunningham

   March 9, 2011

  As I listen to David Jeremiah’s radio-cast, Turning Point, ( Davidjeremiah.org/radio ) on this Ash Wednesday morning, I am reminded of those folks near and dear who face uncertain and anxious days ahead:  one is healing from a serious cancer surgery and consequent infection, some are battling discouraging diseases, one faces Aortic valve replacement surgery today, and other dear souls endure life-threatening (or at least life-debilitating) maladies.

     Stinging chastising “pain-perspectives” can be transformed into life-changing “Divine appointments,” David submits.  We are reminded that He was a man of sorrows… acquainted with grief, and that we are His children.  David shares, “The Vine-dresser [God] is never nearer the branches than when He is pruning them.”  In Hebrews 11:11 we read,

For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant;
later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.

     We, throughout this Lenten season, have the opportunity once again to demonstrate our trust in God’s promise—the provision of His grace toward us, His sons and daughters. 

Trust and learn!
Harry Cunningham

October 19, 2011

Back to [Our] Future!

   We (the members and staff of the Music Club Chorus of New Castle) are back at it—our preparatory Messiah practices for our 71st performance season have resumed.  (If you aren’t already participating, you are still invited to sing with us on November 27th.  Only six rehearsals remain; it’s not too late, but our recruitment period ends on Halloween!)

   We’re “back at it”—we’re listening and learning and singing and studying and praising and praying and soliciting and celebrating, and we’re doing everything we can to secure our success as we seize the opportunity
to serve our Savior, Jesus.

Whatever is done in love for Christ
Will one day have heaven’s reward:
Today let’s do what we can for Him,
Our loving Savior and Lord.
-Hess

   I’ve just returned from attending the Pennsylvania Partners in the Arts – 2011 Awards Ceremony at the Manchester Craftsman’s Guild.  Our NCMC Chorus was among this year’s 96 recipients who were granted over $222,000. 

   In this message, we wish to express our grateful appreciation to Gov. Tom Corbett, to our PA Legislators—especially Sen. Mary Jo White and Rep. Brian Ellis—to Mitch Swain, CEO, Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council, to Philip Horn, Executive Director, PA Council on the Arts, to David Seals, Director of Communications, Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council, and to the PA Partners in the Arts panel.

   So—we’re “back at it,” and we hope you will “come back” too—to once again celebrate the prophesy, the promise, the suffering, and the thanksgiving for the death-defeating Redeeming Messiah this Advent.  We look forward to the future—with you, our dear supporting audience!

In Christ,