​THE IMPORTANCE OF MUSIC & THE ARTS
At St. Margaret’s Episcopal Church, music and the arts are not decoration, they are proclamation. Rooted in the Anglican tradition and shaped by the beauty of the Book of Common Prayer, we believe that beauty is a pathway to God. Through choral music, sacred art, architecture, and liturgy, we engage heart, mind, and spirit in worship that is reverent, expansive, and alive. Because we follow Christ who became flesh, we honor the sacredness of sound, color, word, and silence. The arts help us pray when words fail, rejoice in hope, and find meaning in times of sorrow. They form our faith, deepen our community, and open our doors to the wider world. At St. Margaret’s, creativity is not an accessory to faith, it is one of the ways we encounter the living God.

MUSIC
Music plays a vital role in the life of St. Margaret's. It is through music that many people find their way to the Episcopal Church. Our music program at St. Margaret's exists first and foremost to serve worship through leading in the liturgies of our church. The importance placed on the high quality of music lifts our worship experience to greater heights. There are numerous ways for parishioners to participate in the music program through choral singing, participating in worship and attending our concerts produced by St. Margaret's Friends of Music.

CHOIR
The St. Margaret's Adult Choir sings for the 10:00 am service most Sundays, September through June, and for special services during the year including the very popular Lessons & Carols services. Rehearsals are on Thursdays with occasional special rehearsals scheduled throughout the year. New members are welcome to join this choir after appointment and audition with the Music Director.

CHORAL SCHOLARS
Each school year, our choir is joined by two High School students with exceptional talent who benefit from high quality choral training and the support of the adult singers in the choir. These students are provided with a small stipend to be used to further their musical training.

HANDBELLS
Established in 2023, the Handbell Choir rehearses each Wednesday at 11:00 am. New members are always welcome to join. We currently ring three octaves and are hoping to expand in the future. Contact David Christopher, Director of Music, at [email protected] for more information.

OUR QUIMBY ORGAN
Dedicated on St. Margaret’s Day in 1998, the St. Margaret’s organ is Opus 50 of the Quimby Pipe Organ Company of Warrensburg, Missouri. This company has built organs in several prominent venues in the nation, and in recent years was responsible for the total restoration of the great organ in the Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine in New York City. 
St. Margaret’s organ is a 4 manual and pedal instrument comprised of 58 Stops, 71 Ranks, and 4,291 Pipes.  In addition to a majority of new pipe work, a number of beautiful color stops built by the famous early 20th Century American builder Ernest M. Skinner have been incorporated.  Additionally, 20 digital stops (18 ranks plus Harp and Chimes) were added to provide more support for congregational singing in the rear of the Nave and the balcony, and to provide accompaniment for occasional soloist and choir singing from the balcony. The organ was designed to accompany the Anglican service and to successfully and authentically play centuries of organ literature, all of which has been explored through a yearly series of recitals since the installation.
​Organ Specs

David Christopher, MM, CAGO | Director of Music & Organist
For more information about our music program or joining the choir at St. Margaret's, contact David at [email protected]

Choir Resources

John Wright, Director of Music & Organist Emeritus