Our Music Program
Music plays an integral role in worship: It’s a visceral celebration of our love for God and one another. Each Sunday we express our faith through the singing of hymns, rehearsed choral and handbell arrangements, organ and piano selections, and other ensemble offerings. We enjoy sharing a wide variety of music so there’s always something for everyone. If you are a vocalist or instrumental soloist with talent to share, we would love to hear from you. Contact Matt Mainster.
Director of Music
Matt Mainster, Director of Music, received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Organ Performance, Piano Performance and Sacred Music from Lebanon Valley College in Annville, Pennsylvania. He went on to earn a Master of Music in Organ Performance from the Yale School of Music in New Haven, Connecticut. Matt has held Director of Music and/or Organist positions at several churches in Maryland, Pennsylvania, and Connecticut. He was on faculty at the Maryland Conservatory of Music, and now he teaches private lessons locally.
Matt is also an author of books for children and adults, some of which are available on Amazon.com.
Negro Spiritual Royalties Project
About the Spirituals, Frederick Douglass said:
When on their way, the slaves would make the dense old woods, for miles around, reverberate with their wild songs, revealing at once the highest joy and the deepest sadness. They would compose and sing as they went along, consulting neither time nor tune… I have sometimes thought that the mere hearing of those songs would do more to impress some minds with the horrible character of slavery, than the reading of whole volumes of philosophy on the subject could do.
The Sanctuary Choir of FCC of Camden is the first church choir in Maine (to our knowledge) to support the “Negro Spiritual Royalties Project”, which recognizes the history and significance of Negro Spirituals sung in our worship services. With great respect and deep gratitude for the tremendous musical contributions made to American music by Black people, we offer our thanks and praise to God for the creators of the Negro Spiritual and their descendants and affirm their continued artistic and spiritual worth in our world today. We pledge that each time we sing Negro Spirituals in our worship we will sing them with holy reverence and open hearts; we will honor the unnamed enslaved people who composed them in our prayers; and we have chosen to make an annual “royalty” payment from the church music fund to “The Gospel Music Hymn Sing Foundation”, an organization dedicated to the preservation of Negro Spirituals and promotion of young Black artists and musicians. We understand that the debt owed to Black musicians and artists can never be fully repaid.
Choral Bells
Also under the direction of Matthew Mainster, Choral Bells is our handbell ensemble. From September through May, the group rehearses one scheduled Monday a month, 4:30 to 6:00 pm, followed by ringing in service the following Sunday. If you are interested in joining Choral Bells, contact Matt@camdenucc.org.
The group performs on three octaves of Schulmerich handbells and three octaves of Malmark Choirchimes. The ringers share a great fellowship as we work together to create unique worship music.
Sanctuary Choir
Under the direction of Matthew Mainster, the Sanctuary Choir is a volunteer adult choral ensemble with a strong sense of community and purpose, always with hearts to sing. Our numbers vary greatly from season to season, and we always welcome new singers.
If you would like to make a joyful noise, we rehearse and sing one Monday evening and Sunday morning per month (September through May). During June and July we have a more casual “pick-up choir” that rehearses briefly on Sunday mornings before the service, and in August, we feature special soloists. All are welcome to participate! Please contact Matt@camdenucc.orgfor more details.
Friends of Music
For more than twenty-five years we have offered stunning concerts to the Midcoast community—from classical to contemporary, bluegrass to jazz. Friends of Music concerts are free and open to the public.Take a moment to review our current concert schedule and, if you are able, we invite you to support sustaining this important gift. Donations are cheerfully accepted at the sanctuary doors on concert afternoons, by check mailed to First Congregational Church, 55 Elm Street, Camden, ME 04843 noting “Friends of Music” on the memo line; Or, make a gift online!
