Isle Area Community Cantata: UPDATED
“Here Is Love”
PROLOGUE: Here Is Love
PROCESSIONAL: We Will Glorify
PREPARATION: Jesus Walked This Lonesome Valley
Mark Wetzler - Soloist
THE UPPER ROOM: Fairest Lord Jesus
/You Are My All in All
GETHSEMANE: The Garden
THE TRIALS: Man of Sorrows
THE CROSS: When I Survey
/Wonderful Cross
RESPONSE: I Will Sing of My Redeemer
/Here Is Love
Debra Wetzler - Soloist
RESURRECTION: In Christ Alone
CLOSING PRAYER
Thank you for coming. May God’s love cascade through your life in sparkling joy.
Please stay for refreshments & fellowship.
SOPRANOS
Jeannine Bruesewitz
Joy Grant
Barb Johnson
Carol Kuelbs
Nancy Miller
Rose Marie Nutt
ShadiAnn Schultz
Bev Severson
Sue Temte
Cheryl Ten Bruin
Barb Walters
Debra Wetzler
TENORS
Joanne Anderson
Craig Magnan
Keith Schultz
Nick Skogen
ALTOS
Sue Borgfelt
Karen Gabriel
Diane Gibas
Sue Lyback
Barb Magnan
Elaine Norman
Carolyn Nutt
Nancy Rizer-Schmidt
Karen Tramm
BASSES
David Anderson
James Berry
Rick Gabriel
Jeff Skogen
Mike Temte
Mark Wetzler
CREW
Director Nancy Hendry
Piano Accompanist Shari Jensen
Tech Director David Anderson
Tech Crew Dale Karels, Josh Blair, Blake Karels
Danie Powell, Craig Magnan, James Muske
Slides Jeannine Bruesewitz & Danie Powell
Set Design & Construction Nancy Miller
Set Crew Dick & Sandy Pullen, David Miller
Kristi Pedersen, Dani Powell, Faith Choir & Cantata Choir
Text Editor & Coach Rick Gabriel
Publicity Team Danie Powell, Nick Skogen, Diane Gibas, Members
Refreshments Faith Connect Committee
THANKS TO:
Our Singers, Narrators & Crew for their talent, dedication, & time. They are an absolutely amazing group.
Shari Jensen for her fabulous piano playing. She is a blessing.
Nancy Miller for her imagination and sense of fun in creating our “water” sets.
Jeannine Bruesewitz for finding and sequencing the beautiful water photos to enhance our program. And to Danie Powell & David Anderson for getting them on the screens.
Our Sound & Tech Crew for their skill and many hours of work, especially to David Anderson who gives hours to planning and executing the technology.
Faith Connect Team who brought treats for rehearsals and provided tonight’s refreshments.
Ogilvie High School, Isle School, and Geneva & Sarah Eschweiler, staging & set pieces.
Cantata members for setting up and taking down the chairs and staging.
Lakeland Printers, Nick Skogen for posters.
Danie Powell and Mille Lacs Messenger for the excellent article.
A hearty thanks to Thrivent Financial for “Action Team” funds.
Annual Lenten Cantata in Isle Unites Community Through Music and Faith
By Danie Powell
The Cantata tradition in Isle, Minnesota, has been a cherished event for several years, drawing together individuals from various denominations to celebrate the Lenten season through music and reflection. In an exclusive interview with Nancy Hendry, the director of the Cantata, she shed light on the significance and impact of this annual event.
"This is our 7th Lenten cantata," Hendry shares. "We started in 2016 but took 2 years off due to COVID."
But what exactly is a Cantata? "A cantata is a longer form of music that includes soloists, choral singers, and narrators," explains Hendry. "In Christian churches today, they are often specific to Easter, Christmas, or Biblical topics, blending familiar hymns and songs with specially composed music."
Participation in the Cantata transcends denominational boundaries. "Participation changes from year to year, but we've had members from various churches including Lutherans, Baptists, Presbyterians, Evangelical Free, Catholics, and Assemblies of God," notes Hendry, highlighting the ecumenical nature of the event.
But the Cantata is more than just a musical performance; it serves as a unifying force within the community. "It provides a chance to share the similarities of our beliefs through music and speech," says Hendry. "Participants find this draws them into a deeper reflection and participation in their Lenten walk." Participants for this year's Cantata are members from Bethesda of Malmo, Faith Lutheran, Holden Lutheran, Isle Baptist and other community members.
The collaboration behind the Cantata is extensive, involving numerous volunteers and contributors. "It takes many people doing many tasks to put this program together," Hendry emphasizes, acknowledging the collective effort required to stage such an event.
For those who have never attended, Hendry offers a glimpse into what they can expect: "This particular cantata, 'Here Is Love' by Larry Shackley, dwells on the events leading up to Christ's crucifixion, death, and resurrection. It highlights the wonder of God's great loving plan of redemption."
The event is scheduled to take place at Faith Lutheran Church in Isle, MN, on Friday, March 29th, at 7:30 pm.
In the words of Jeannine Bruesewitz, a participant in previous Cantatas, "Come to the concert on Good Friday. The music and words set the stage for what happens at Easter. 'Here is Jesus' is a beautiful cantata. If you love to sing, join us next year."
The Cantata not only enriches the spiritual journey of its participants but also extends its impact to the wider community, with proceeds benefiting the Isle Area Food Shelf.
As the Lenten season approaches, the Cantata stands as a beacon of unity, faith, and reflection for the Isle community and beyond.
