New direction for the Nazarene music department

Local News

December 7, 2009

OSKALOOSA — The First Church of the Nazarene music department is redirecting their Christmas musical celebration this year. According to director Tim McIntire, the large-scale Broadway dessert musical of the last three years has been put on the shelf. In its place is a program that will be taken directly to the people of the Oskaloosa community.

McIntire shared that “as early as a year ago this fall I began thinking that this was the right thing to do but at that point, I had no idea what it would look like.”

During the spring and summer months, the plan came together and the 38-voice choir, recently renamed The Gateway Singers after the street the new Nazarene Church is being built on, is set to appear at six venues throughout the city of Oskaloosa.

Their first appearance will be at Hy-Vee on Wednesday, Dec. 9, for their Chamber Open House Holiday Show. The Gateway Singers will begin singing at 6:30 p.m.

The following Wednesday, Dec. 16, The Singers will be at Smokey Row for an hour-long concert beginning at 6:15 p.m.

The other four venues include Maple Ridge Assisted Living, Crystal Heights Care Center, Northern Mahaska Nursing and Rehabilitation and Oskaloosa Care Center.

McIntire said: “Of course, the Hy-Vee and Smokey Row events are open to everyone. However, because of limited space at the care facilities, only family members are invited.”

He added that following the concerts at the care facilities, the choir will give each resident a gift bag with an assortment of items and goodies suggested by their activity directors.

“That’s going to be a lot of fun for us and, hopefully, will be enjoyed by the residents,” said McIntire. He concluded by saying: “For us, Christmas 2009 is going to have a very different ‘jingle’ and we are really looking forward to it.”