The Lakewood Area Choral Society, now in their 39th season, will present their annual Christmas concert entitled Rejoice and Be Merry on Sunday, December 15, at 3:00 p.m. in the sanctuary of Central United Methodist Church in downtown Lansing. Under the direction of Robert C. Oster, the choir will perform a variety of sacred and secular seasonal classics including John Rutter’s Rejoice and Be Merry, and the perennial favorite, Do You Hear What I Hear. Also included will be a setting of the Austrian Carol, Lullaby For the Christ Child by Jim Ailor, and Molly Ijames’ How Far Is It to Bethlehem,
conducted by assistant conductor, Cindy Olson. The concert will continue with Good People All Rejoice with Bring a Torch Jeanette Isabella with soloists Kristen Kennedy and Larry Ott, followed by a rousing arrangement of It’s Beginning to Look Like Christmas and the spiritual Rise Up Shepherds. The choir’s three concluding selections include This Holy Night with soloist Lisa Sterkenburg and cellist Rachel Burcz, Handel’s Hallelujah Chorus, and a beautiful setting of Silent Night, again featuring cellist, Rachel Burcz. In lieu of tickets a free-will offering will be taken. During the freewill offering, there will be performances by The Cindy Thelen Ensemble, soloist Warren Bishop, and LACS accompanist Ethan Holmes on the 62-rank Jaeckel pipe organ. Concert doors will open at 2:30 p.m.

Don’t want to miss the LACS Christmas Concert, but don’t want to drive? We hear you!

This concert is approximately 40 miles away for our local fans. The weather is unpredictable and the return to Hastings is after dark, so we are offering a bus ride to the concert, with pick up at Grace Lutheran Church, 239 E North St, Hastings. The cost will be $25 – $30, depending on how many riders we have. To sign up for the bus, contact your friends in LACS or go to Hodges Jewelry and Gifts, 122 W. State St. Hastings. The deadline to sign up is Dec. 3.