Music Ministry
At Saint Paul UMC, music is more than just notes and rhythms—it’s an expression of our faith and community. Our musical ensembles play a vital role in our worship services each Sunday morning and evening. Whether you’re an experienced musician or just beginning, there’s a place for you in our music ministry.
The Saint Paul Choir
The Saint Paul Choir sings in worship on most Sundays, from August through May, and performs several additional concerts throughout the season. This dedicated group rehearses weekly on Wednesday evenings from 7-9 p.m. We sing classical, gospel, jazz, and everything in between!
If you’re interested in joining our choir or playing an instrument and would like to contribute your gifts in worship at Saint Paul, please contact Dr. Mary Young, Director of Music. We are always looking to include more music-makers in our church community.
Spring Concert
The Saint Paul Chancel Choir, under the direction of Dr. Mary Young, will present Dan Forrest’s Requiem for the Living on Palm Sunday, March 29 at 7:00 p.m. This concert is FREE and open to everyone.
A Requiem is traditionally a prayer for rest for the deceased. Dan Forrest’s Requiem for the Living, however, is a narrative for the living, addressing our struggles with pain and sorrow.
The Saint Paul Choir will be joined by an eight-piece chamber ensemble, organist Jacob Huber, and guest vocalists from local church and university choirs.
“Ever since I first sang the Sanctus from Requiem for the Living in 2014—tears streaming down my face—I’ve hoped to conduct the full masterwork one day. I’m deeply grateful for the opportunity to share it now with the Saint Paul Chancel Choir, our instrumental guests, and this community. Its journey from sorrow to light feels especially meaningful to share together,” says Dr. Mary Young, Director of Music and Worship Arts at Saint Paul UMC.
Saint Paul UMC welcomed Dr. Mary Young as our Director of Music and Worship Arts in August 2025. Mary is a conductor, clinician, lecturer, singer, and pianist from Rochester, NY. She holds a BA in Piano Performance, an MA in Choral Conducting, and a DMA in choral conducting. She has conducted high school, collegiate, community, church, and children’s choirs.
Her primary field of research is Native American choral music and she enjoys working closely with Native composers and languages. She serves as co-editor of a Native American choral series with Hinshaw publishing, and founded the First Nations Choral Festival in March of 2023.
Mary completed 100 hours of research on underrepresented composers for the Institute for Composer Diversity. She also updated and expanded Dr. Marques Garrett’s list, ‘Beyond Elijah Rock: The Non-Idiomatic Choral Music of Black Composers’ while serving as the Diversity-In-Action intern for the New York Choral Consortium.
Recent Music Highlights
First Friday Concert Series
Saint Paul UMC celebrates local musicians and artists on the first Friday of the month with concerts and displays. These concerts are FREE and open to the public. There is an optional light lunch served before and after the performance (11:30-12 and 1-1:30) for $5 per person.
All performances will be in the sanctuary at Saint Paul UMC (1144 M Street). Stop by over your lunch break and help us support local talent!
Cabaret for a Cause
This special night of music, laughter, and community featured the talented section leaders from the Saint Paul Choir, as well as guest performers from other local churches and the Lincoln theatre community. Instead of tickets, we kindly asked that guests bring a non-perishable food item for the Visionary Youth Holiday Food Giveaway. Cabaret for a Cause was the perfect way to celebrate local talent and help out our neighbors in need!
