Music at Grace Church (Dayton, Ohio)

Grace United Methodist Church; Dayton, Ohio

photograph of Grace United Methodist Church

music at Grace Church

A number of the great events recorded in scripture were accompanied by music. Think of Paul and Silas praying and singing hymns prior to their miraculous release from prison (Acts 16:25-26); the trumpeters marching circles around Jericho (Joshua 6); and all in heaven and earth singing praises to God in John’s revelation (Revelation 5:11-13).

Thus the psalmist instructs us, “Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth; break forth into joyous song and sing praises!”

Here’s a taste in pictures of adults, youth, and children at Grace Church doing exactly that.

Ashley Smith (photo right) soloed
during the Urban Praise service
on Saturday, February 9, 2008.


The Stivers Ringing Tigers (directed by Grace’s own Cissy Matthews) performed at the 10:30 worship on the first Sunday of Advent, 2007.

	Below, baritone Dorian Arnold (foreground) soloed in “I’ve Just Come from the Fountain” with Lois Ramey (left), Sharlyn Stephens Radcliffe, Gary King, and Elizabeth Swisher shown as well. (Sunday, January 13, 2008)

Amanda Ramey, a college music major and lifelong member of Grace Church, often offers her gifts to God in worship and did so on a December Sunday, playing a selection from J. S. Bach at the 10:30 worship on her violin.

At the same service, soprano Emily Jones sang “Jesus, You’re the Center of My Joy.” Emily, a sophomore at the University of Dayton, is active in the Campus Crusade for Christ.

Effie Sue Kemerley is Grace’s organist. Here, she is stationed at the grand piano, playing on Rev. Dr. Bryan Palmer-Smith’s retirement Sunday, June 6, 2004.

Gary Johnson is our Director of Music Ministries. Below, he accompanied with the guitar as his wife Donna played the piano and sang “Praise the Lord, He Never Changes”.
Gary and Donna Johnson

two choirs together
Above, the Sanctuary and Youth Choirs combined to begin our worship with the introit “We Fall Down”.

Children participate in the music program at Grace.

Directed by Mrs. Carol Jones, the children’s choir performed on Sunday, February 5, 2007. Carol’s son Stephen accompanied on his guitar.
Stephen Jones accompanies children's choir

Some of the music at Grace is not even at Grace! As a case in point, the Grace Urban Praise Band performed in Thal Park (adjacent to Grace) on the afternoon of Sunday, August 7, 2006. Based at Grace and led by Director of Music Ministries Gary C. Johnson, the band offered a diverse program of old favorite and new contemporary gospel and praise selections.

Folks from Grace and our neighborhood waited for the music from blankets and lawn chairs -- photograph courtesy of Larry Ramey

On one number, Rev. Marla E. Brown joined Gary and band members Elizabeth Swisher, Pastor Melody J. Williams, Dan Martinez (keyboard), Kelly Goenner (drums), Al Jackson, (bass), and Bill Brockman (saxophone and flute).

Grace United Methodist Church; 1001 Harvard Boulevard (on Salem Avenue at Harvard Blvd.); Dayton, Ohio 45406-5098; (937) 278-4731
Services are broadcast each Sunday at 7:30 a.m. over WHIO radio (1290 AM and 95.7 FM).
This page was last edited on Saturday, February 9, 2008.
Corrections and suggestions regarding these pages are most welcome. Please contact our webmaster Jim Vance at <jvance@math.wright.edu>.