Rev. Brian Summers
music@fbmarion.org - Minister of Music
Thank you for visiting the Marion First Music Ministries page! Our prayer is that you will recognize the importance of music in today’s corporate worship. The gift of music is from God and He has entrusted this powerful medium to us to lift Him up and give Him the praise only He deserves.
Our worship style at FBC Marion is blended, incorporating traditional hymns as well as current praise & worship songs. Through the use of state-of-the-art technology, video and visual presentations are routinely integrated into weekly worship. At Marion First, we do not equate musical style with worship. Worship is so much more than music, and yet God has given us the gift of music to use for His praise, His pleasure, and His glory. Our goal is not to be contemporary or traditional…but to be authentic and thoroughly Biblical.
It is our prayer that the worshipper will be engaged in worship rather than simply assuming the role of observer. God has called each of us to actively give Him praise through song, prayer, reading of His Word or fellowshipping with each other.
We welcome you to join us each Sunday at 10:00 am and 6:00 pm for corporate worship. Small group Bible Study for all ages starts at 8:50 am, prior to morning worship. Till the Next Measure…
Celebration Choir
As Psalm 7:17 states, it is our desire to “give thanks to the Lord because of His righteousness and…sing praise to the name of the Lord Most High.” God has commanded us to “Sing to the LORD, you saints of His; praise His Holy name.” (Psalm 30:4) Words of praise and music fill the Scriptures, and it is our responsibility and privilege to worship the LORD through song. FBC’s Celebration Choir is a group of dedicated singers from all walks of life who join together for the purpose of giving glory to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
The FBC Celebration Choir sings weekly for Sunday morning services and some Sunday evening services. Weekly rehearsals are held every Wednesday evening in the choir room at 7:00 pm. In addition, the Celebration Choir sings in several special presentations throughout the year, including the annual Palm Sunday, Easter & Patriotic services, the Marion area Christmas Musical performances at the Marion Cultural & Civic Center, as well as participating each year as the Southern Illinois Music Festival Chorus and featured choir of the National Day of Prayer Southern Illinois Regional Service. People from all walks of life and all abilities are invited to come join and be a part of the Celebration Choir.
In order to become a member of the choir, we ask that you be a professing Christian, a regular attendee of First Baptist Marion, attend a minimum of two Wednesday night rehearsals, and give prayerful consideration to giving your time and talent to the Lord through the ministry of music. After your second rehearsal, one of Rev. Summers’ assistants will assign you a robe and folder.
Thank you for seeking information about our Celebration Choir. Further information may be obtained by calling the church office at (618)997-9386 during regular office hours (9-4:30 M-F) or e-mailing me at music@fbmarion.org. May God richly bless you as we proclaim the Glorious Gospel through His gift of song!
Rehearsals: Wednesdays @ 7:00 pm in the Choir Room (located adjacent to the main Sanctuary)
J.O.Y. Singers Gospel Choir
The acronym J.O.Y stands for “Just Older Youth.” This indeed describes the vitality and enthusiasm of Marion First’s Senior Adult Choir, The JOY Singers. This group of dedicated and God-loving Christians sets the pace for the young members of Marion First through their love of Christ and infectious desire to spread the Gospel through the medium of Southern Gospel music. The choir performs extensively throughout the Southern Illinois and tri-state area and is one of the featured groups at the DuQuoin State Fair in DuQuoin, IL. In addition, they have toured the Midwest and the South including Ridgecrest Conference Center, Fort Myers area churches and many venues through the Midwestern United States.
Membership is open to all senior adults from throughout Southern Illinois who are dedicated Christians and have a desire to lift up their Lord through the medium of Gospel music. Membership in Marion First Baptist Church is not a requirement for this group.
The JOY Singers also enjoy numerous fellowship events throughout the year including fish frys, steak-outs, road trips, and the ever-popular donut holes & coffee receptions prior to our weekly rehearsal time.
Rehearsals: Tuesday mornings at 10:00 am in the Choir room.
Coffee & donut holes fellowship begins at 9:30 (Adjacent to the main Sanctuary. Enter through the outer north door to the choir room.)
FBC Sanctuary Orchestra
Welcome to the FBC Sanctuary Orchestra! I hope you will enjoy the fellowship and friendly spirit we feel each time we meet. My prayer for you is that you will continue to grow in your spiritual life, grounded in faith, fighting the good fight, fulfilled more and more in Jesus Christ, finding our security, our significance and our sufficiency in Him!
The FBC Orchestra is made up of ordinary people from all walks of life…bound together by the calling to proclaim the Good News of Jesus Christ through the gift of instrumental music.
To become a member of the FBC Orchestra, you must commit and be faithful to the orchestra’s rehearsal and performance schedule. Minimum age requirements are 14 years of age except by special permission.
Visitors are encouraged to participate in the orchestra rehearsals, and all orchestra members are encouraged to bring friends and visitors to orchestra rehearsals whenever possible. Visitors who are interested in joining may speak to me following any regular rehearsal. All regular and prospective players must provide their own instrument. The only exceptions to this are certain percussion instruments owned by the church.
Thank you for seeking information about our FBC Orchestra. Further information may be obtained by calling the church office at (618)997-9386 during regular office hours (9-4:30 M-F).
Rehearsals: Sunday 4:30 to 5:30 pm in the Sanctuary
FBC Handbell Choir
The FBC Handbell choir is comprised of 12 ringers who play a 4-octave set of Shulmerich Handbells. Periodic openings may become available each semester. Membership is assessed & decided by the Minister of Music in August and January.
The choir plays as part of morning worship services and once in the fall and spring as part of the bi-annual PraiseFest All-Music Services. Under the direction of Brian Summers, the handbell choir rehearses on Wednesdays from September – May.
They are on hiatus from June-August.
Rehearsals: Wednesdays @ 6:00 pm in the old fellowship hall
FBC Preschool & Children’s Choir
Children age 4-12 have a wonderful opportunity to participate in our children’s music ministries. Under the direction of spiritually committed laity, the preschool & children’s choirs perform in Sunday services throughout the church year, as well as on the PraiseFest music services. In addition, they have participated in the annual Christmas Musical. The choirs meet weekly on Wednesdays during the school year. They are on hiatus during the summer months.
Rehearsals: Wednesdays @ 5:00 pm
Special Events
First Baptist of Marion is privileged to present four annual presentations to the public. The Celebration Choir and several dozen lay volunteers join together to make these wonderful events possible. The purposes of these events range from recognizing God & Country to celebrating the holidays to spreading the Gospel – but all center on giving glory to God!
The Annual Regional Christmas Musical is presented during the “teen weekend” (eg. 18, 19 & 20) in December. For the past 6 years, our church has been privileged to stage our presentation in the beautiful state-of-the-art proscenium theatre located in the Marion Cultural & Civic Center on Tower Square in beautiful downtown Marion, IL. This fully equipped theatre provides the technical and special requirements required for the staging of our full-scale Broadway-style productions each year.
Southern Illinois audiences have come to expect a professional quality stage musical incorporating a large cast of costumed characters performing with detailed sets and backdrops with the aid of theatrical lighting and sound. This annual FREE ADMISSION event is open to the public. Additional performances have been added through the years to accommodate the growing audiences seeking a Christian Christmas event held outside the walls of a traditional church building. Many attendees have expressed appreciation to the directors that it is much less threatening to the seeker or un-churched to attend a “Christmas Show” at the Civic Center than a “Christmas Cantata” at the local Baptist Church. However, once they arrive, they will always be presented with the true meaning of Christmas and the true Gospel message. Join the thousands from across Southern Illinois and Western Kentucky who have made the FBC Christmas Musical a part of their holiday tradition! For more information on the Marion Cultural & Civic Center, visit their website at www.marionccc.org.
This year's Christmas musical is "Two from Galilee" a Broadway-style musical. The dates are as follows:
Thursday, December 15 at 7:00 p.m.
Friday, December 16 at 7:00 p.m.
Saturday, December 17 at 2:00 p.m.
Saturday, December 17 at 7:00 p.m.
Sunday, December 18 at 7:00 p.m.
The annual Patriotic Service is held the Sunday prior to Independence Day. This worship service incorporates elements of God & Country and focuses the worshipper on the importance of placing God first in our nation. Each year, a salute to the armed forces, replete with flags of the 5 main branches of service, as well special military speakers and guests augment the service. Many visitors attend this service each year making it one of the best attended services at Marion First.
The Dramatic Reenactment of the Last Supper is staged on Palm Sunday during the regular morning service. The presentation incorporates the Celebration Choir as well as fully costumed actors portraying the events leading up to the crucifixion of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. In this poignant and moving service, the worshipper is invited to experience and contemplate the emotions, words, and impact of Christ’s interaction with his Disciples as well as His accusers. Without a doubt, one of the most moving and contemplative worship experiences of the church year, the Palm Sunday service has become a worship tradition at Marion First.
Easter Sunday at Marion First is a service celebration the resurrection of our Savior and the impact it has on the world! Incorporated into our Easter Sunday morning 10 am worship service, this high-energy service invites the Easter worshipper, led by the Celebration Choir, the FBC Orchestra and various FBC soloists and instrumentalists to recognize and proclaim Jesus Christ as the risen King. In addition to the music, our Pastor delivers an uplifting and inspiring message of hope and inspiration through the risen Lord!
FBC’s Organ
In 2006, the Organ Selection Committee, led by Rev. Brian Summers, Minister of Music & Worship, began its search for an organ to replace the worn and ailing Moeller Pipe Organ, which had served the congregational worship needs for the past several decades.
On Sunday, March 11th, 2007, the FBC Family dedicated our brand new Allen Q275 Quantum Renaissance Digital Organ. The dedication service was a wonderful Worship Concert that utilized the organ and its state-of-the-art sound and digital orchestral instrumentation.
Internationally recognized and awarded Concert Organist, Walt Strony played the concert and conducted a regional Church Organ Workshop on Saturday, March 10th. Many organists from the Southern Illinois area attended both the workshop and the Dedication Concert.
The organ enhances Marion First’s Music Ministry by supporting congregational singing and providing sensitive accompaniment of choirs, vocalists, and instrumentalists in addition to extending the bass range of our handbell choir. It also provides a spiritual environment for worship, prayer, communion, and commitment; supports the varied styles of the church’s diverse music literature – from Bach and Beethoven to traditional hymns, southern gospel, and contemporary praise & worship; and provides festive music to celebrate weddings and other occasions.
Carefully planned and designed for our new sanctuary and congregation, the new Allen Organ utilizes pull stop controls and employs 9 separate speaker arrays strategically placed and incorporated into the acoustical design of the building. In addition to the digital organ, the illuminated 50-foot steeple tower houses a new digital Maas-Rowe Carillon. This beautiful addition to the church and downtown area chimes on the quarter-hour and plays digital carillon renditions of hymns and carols year round from 8am to dusk.
FBC is currently blessed with three resident organists: Mrs. Julie Douglas, Mrs. Sandy Edwards and Mrs. Cheryl Herman. Mr. Byron Corzine serves as our resident church pianist.
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