Come Make Music With Us!  The Sanctuary Choir and Handbell Choir invite members of all ages, including youth, to join and participate. Auditions and musical attainments are not required–only a desire to perform traditional sacred music which has inspired millions over the centuries is needed. The staff and the other professional musicians are as courteous and helpful as they are talented.

 

 

Mission

The Choirs at First Central Presbyterian Church support and enhance the weekly and special worship services of the congregation through the presentation of traditional sacred music.

 

 

Times

Wednesday Choir Practice

– The Handbell Choir at 6:30 p.m.

– Sanctuary Choir at 7:30 p.m. 

 

Sanctuary Choir – Worship Service

The Sanctuary Choir sings for the 11:00 a.m. worship service, as well as during other special services during the year.

 

Handbell Choir

The Handbell Choir performs throughout the year, performing offertories and special music at selected services and participating in other special musical occasions.

 

 

Leaders

 

Music Director

Dr. Dee Romines joined our staff as Choir Director on September 1, 2019.  Dee is well known on the music scene in Abilene. He is presently associate professor of Music Education at Hardin Simmons University. Soon he will be directing the HSU concert choir. Dr. Romines is the conductor of Abilene’s Classical Chorus. He has earned the degree of Doctor of Musical Arts from the University of Missouri-Kansas City.

 

Dee is an Eagle Scout and presently serves as the troop committee chair for Troup 206.  He has two children. Daniel is at Wylie High School and Rebecca is a junior at HSU.  Dee grew up in Knoxville, Tennessee.

 

Organist
Dr. Larry Wolz has served as Professor of Music History and Literature as well as Vocal Pedagogy at Hardin-Simmons University.  Dr. Wolz also served as head of the department of Music History and Literature on the faculty at Hardin-Simmons since 1978.  A member of both the Fort Worth and Big Country chapters of the American Guild of Organists, Dr. Wolz earned the Guild’s Service Playing Certificate in 1986.  

 

As an active member of the Hymn Society in the United States and Canada, he is the book review editor for the Society’s journal, The Hymn.  An accomplished writer and author, Dr. Wolz has composed and published arrangements for the organ, as well as numerous scholarly articles concerning church music.

 

Dr. Wolz has served as the organist for the First Central Presbyterian Church of Abilene since 1981.

 

 

Special Services

Special Services that feature enhanced musical performances include music-focused Sunday services at various times throughout the year, including Maundy Thursday, Easter, Advent, and Christmas Eve.  Of special note is the yearly Christmas Cantana, an Advent season service that features a stunning full-service musical program.

 

 

Scholarship Program

The Sanctuary Choir maintains a scholarship program for performance major students at area colleges.  The church presently offers four scholarships to students who perform with the choir and also sing as a quartet at the 8:30 a.m. service.