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!
The Saint Paul Handbell Choir
The Handbell Choir generally plays in worship one Sunday per month, from August through May. This is a great way to get involved in music ministry if you have a little musical background but “singing” isn’t your thing.
If you’re interested in joining one of our ensembles or play 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.
Join us for an evening of Christmas spirit as the Saint Paul Chancel Choir presents our annual Christmas Concert on December 14 at 7 p.m. The program begins with Francesco Durante’s Magnificat—a multi-movement Baroque work long cherished by choirs all over the world. Accompanied by a string quartet, this elegant setting of Mary’s song from Luke chapter 1 runs approximately 12 minutes. After the Magnificat, some of our musical friends from the community, including members of the Westminster Presbyterian Choir, will join us on stage for a set of classic Christmas songs — and you’ll have a couple of chances to sing along! Bring your friends, family, and holiday cheer. Admission is free and everyone is welcome.
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!
