Choir and Altar Servers
The Choir
The Choir, in red robes, can be seen and heard at all the main services at St. Edmund's. Its chief purpose is to lead the congregation in the singing and to provide anthems and service settings as required. Many people find music adds a dimension to their worship and the Choir tries to help in this.
At the moment the regular Choir has 8-10 members of sopranos, altos, tenors and basses, but is often augmented by friends and former members who have moved too far away for full time attendance. They join it for events such as Carol Services and for works like the Fauré Requiem, Stainer's Crucifixion, Pergolesi's Stabat Mater, and Handel's Messiah.
They also join with local choirs in the Deanery Festival and with St. Margaret's School Choirs in Bushey. The Choir is affiliated to the Royal Schools of Church Music and has sung under its auspices in St. Paul's Cathedral.
Rehearsals are held each week on Sundays at 9.15am. We would very much welcome new members in all voices. Some singing experience would be helpful but this is not always necessary. Do come and talk to one of us if you are interested.
The members of the Choir take an active part in the general life and work of St. Edmund's.
Altar Servers
The Altar Servers assist the Clergy at services. Their function is to make sure that everything needed during services is in the right place at the right time, to carry out ceremonial during services, and to prepare and clear the Sanctuary before and after services.
The tradition and custom at St. Edmund's is to use much of the more formal ceremonial of the Church of England, so we therefore have a fairly large team of well-trained Servers.
There are few qualifications for becoming a Server: the lower age limit is somewhere around 8 to 10 years - depending on one's ability to stand still for minutes on end. There is no upper age limit, but one does need to be able to do things like kneeling , lifting and carrying. There are also few formalities in joining - a short period of training, and a brief Office of Admittance before the Vicar, and that's all there is to it - the robes are provided.
For details contact Fr Michael using the form below.