arts & entertainment

Easter is a time for celebration, as Christians around the world commemorate the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Various traditions include the attending of religious services, the sharing of special foods and the playing of music. On Easter Sunday, April 20, the Chancel Choir of First Presbyterian Church of Vero Beach will present Come to the Cross and Remember, an Easter cantata, during the 9:30 AM and 11:00 AM services at the church located at 520 Royal Palm Boulevard, 32960. 

Come to the Cross and Remember is one of 24 original cantatas by composer Pepper Choplin. The 35-minute musical experience will be narrated by Dr. G. Timothy Womack, Senior Pastor, and interwoven with the Easter worship services. The Easter cantata will include 14 original choruses and hymns for the season, designed to illuminate the Christian Lenten journey. Attendees will hear the haunting “Go to Dark Gethsemane,” the spine-tingling “Judas, the mournful “Surely He Has Borne Our Griefs,” the transportive “You Will Be with Me in Paradise,” and the majestic “Every Knee Should Bow.” The cantata will be performed by the 45-member Chancel Choir, under the direction of Dr. Jacob Craig, who will also play the piano during the services. Additional live musical accompaniment for Come to the Cross and Remember will be provided by a chamber ensemble. Choir members Doreen Oster, soprano and Mimi Rutland, alto will be featured soloists. For more information, visit www.FirstPresVero.org or call 772-562-9088.       

Dr. Jacob Craig, Director of Music and Arts for First Presbyterian Church of Vero Beach, looks forward to sharing the Easter celebration with Vero Beach residents.

“This glorious cantata was written specifically for this holy time of Easter,” said Dr. Craig. “The music is beautiful and filled with emotion. Our Chancel Choir has been rehearsing it for weeks in the hope that the community will join us Easter Sunday for this special celebration of the resurrection.”

First Presbyterian Church of Vero Beach is known for its musical and artistic outreach to the Central Florida community. Under the direction of Dr. Jacob Craig, the Chancel Choir welcomes musically inclined adults and high school students with soprano, alto, tenor and bass voices. The 45-member group rehearses on Wednesday evenings in the choir room from 6:30-8 PM. The choir performs for all Sunday services, including special events and cantatas at Christmas and Easter. For a list of upcoming events or for more information about First Presbyterian of Vero Beach, visit www.FirstPresVero.org.

ABOUT THE CANTATA: Come to the Cross and Remember | by Pepper Choplin

Christ’s journey to the cross is filled with images of His sacrificial love for us: the Palms, the Cup and the Bread, the Nails, the Crown of Thorns, and more. These images form the centerpiece of Come to the Cross and Remember. During musical interludes, each of the images is brought forward to create a very moving tableau. Additional choruses and hymns illumine the journey, including the haunting “Go to Dark Gethsemane,” the spine-tingling “Judas,: the mournful “Surely He Has Borne Our Griefs,” the transportive “You Will Be with Me in Paradise,” and the majestic “Every Knee Should Bow.”

ABOUT DR. JACOB CRAIG
Dr. Jacob Craig is the Director of Music and Arts at First Presbyterian Church of Vero Beach. He received his Bachelor of Music Education and Piano Performance degree from Shorter University in Rome, Georgia before moving on to Tallahassee, Florida to receive his M.M. in Choral Conducting and Literature under Dr. Andre Thomas at Florida State University. As of 2019, Jacob completed his Doctorate of Sacred Music in Performance at the Graduate Theological Foundation and Oxford University. He is the Director of the Vero Beach Choral Society, ACTS Choristers, Sea Oaks Chorus, John’s Island Singers, and Silver Tones community choirs.  Jacob is also a competitive highland bagpipe player and Pipe Major for the Vero Beach Pipes and Drums.

ABOUT FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH– First Presbyterian Church of Vero Beach, founded in 1958, is a congregation of about 800 members with a vision for mission and ministry to represent the heart of the Reformed Tradition. The church serves Indian River County and beyond, covering worship and service to meet the needs of the community. It is located at 520 Royal Palm Boulevard in Vero Beach, Florida. For more information about First Presbyterian services or upcoming music or art-related events, contact the office at (772) 562-9088 or visit www.FirstPresVero.org. Under the guidance of Dr. Jacob Craig, Director of Music and Arts, the music department consists of a chancel choir, hand bell ensemble, and a comprehensive youth music program with wind ensemble, choir, and orchestra. The church also houses The Galleries at First Pres, a collection of spaces throughout the campus dedicated to a rotating collection of curated art. In addition, First Presbyterian is the home of the Vero Beach Pipes and Drums, PRIMO School of Performing Arts, and the Vero Beach Choral Society. For more information, visit www.FirstPresVero.org.