Choir Reunion a Hit at Homecoming 2021

McPherson, Kansas – At the 2021 Central Christian College of Kansas Homecoming, former and current choir alumni joined together for a special choir reunion. Over 80 alumni choir members took part in the weekend’s events culminating in a performance on Saturday at the Homecoming Celebration, followed by a choir alumni hymn sing and dinner in the restored (2008) McPherson Opera House ballroom.

The weekend consisted of an alumni rehearsal on Saturday morning, led by former CCCK choir director Mr. Tom Seaman (CS 1988-2002), in which choral music was sung and past memories were shared by the choir alumni. The choir performance was combined with the CCCK Concert Choir at 1:00 pm that afternoon, along with the presentation of the Outstanding Alumni of the Year Awards. During the program, the Alumni choir performed “River in Judea” arranged by Leavitt, and then combined with the CCCK Concert Choir to perform “O Happy Day” followed by the traditional CCCK benediction, “The Lord Bless You and Keep You.”

The CCCK Concert Choir, led by Dr. Brett Janssen (CC ’01), also performed works including “How Can I Keep from Singing” by Gwyneth Walker, “Lux Aeterna” by Albrecht, and “A Psalm of Praise” by Joseph Martin. Members of the CCCK Concert Choir enjoyed singing to an auditorium filled with alumni and friends and were encouraged by being a part of the alumni choir.

The evening hymn sing and dinner, catered with wonderful food by Tammy’s Country Catering, allowed alumni to share wonderful memories of their time in choir while current choir members served the meal. Following the meal, the program was highlighted with memories from several past choir directors. Tom Seaman presented some memories from past choir tours and previously-recorded videos from past choral directors recorded were shared. Former choir directors who submitted videos were Mrs. Tiffiney (Harms) Lane, Dr. Dan Hibbett, and Dr. Tom Walker. Those in attendance also enjoyed a time of singing hymns, interspersed between the videos of former choir directors. The evening concluded with “The Lord Bless You and Keep You.”

It was evident that so many alumni appreciated this reunion. Tom Seaman echoed that thought, saying,

It was so good for Jane and I to be back in McPherson for a couple of days. There was a great turnout of over 50 Choir Alumni, and the strong musical heritage of Central Christian College was very apparent.  After an hour rehearsal, The Central alumni choir walked  back onto the stage and sang with passion and power. It was inspirational to all.

With the enormous success of this event, many alumni look forward to another choir alumni event in the future.

For pictures of the choir reunion and other homecoming events go to our Flickr page.

ABOUT CENTRAL CHRISTIAN COLLEGE OF KANSAS

Central Christian College of Kansas is a regionally accredited institution offering undergraduate and graduate-level programs. Central strives to offer Christ-centered education for the whole person – heart, mind, soul, and strength. Its history dates back to 1884, and it is located in the friendly town of McPherson, Kansas. Central is a strategically small college that offers over forty areas of residential study and a thriving online program for non-traditional students. To learn more about Central go to centralchristian.edu/about. Visit the Foundation of Central Christian College to see what projects and events are coming up.