On Sunday, January 14th, the congregation bid farewell to the wonderful Lauren Geist, our soprano section leader since Fall of 2022. She has decided to take a step back to focus on her quickly growing teenage children and her career as a clarinetist in the Navy Band. We will miss her greatly.

*Lauren speaking with Alton Frye after the service on January 14th, carrying a bouquet from the flower committee*

Lauren has been an enlivening part of this congregation’s musical life ever since she joined, and will certainly return now and again as she’s able. During Joys and Concerns on Sunday, one of our sopranos, Sophie, remarked about how the most compelling part of working with Lauren over the last couple years has been “her heart”, which came through during every moment she spent patiently helping the section through trouble spots in rehearsal.

We’ll miss this sense of heart, but also her brilliant clarinet playing, her willingness to contribute as an accordion player and conductor, her creativity in music selection, and of course her soaring clear soprano voice! That Doxology descant won’t be the same without her!

*Accordion trio with Alec Davis and Lizzy Graham*

Here are some videos from one of her first weeks with us. As soon as we can, we’ll edit together some of the wonderful music from January 14th and add it here!