Music

God has given us the glorious gift of music. He has given us voices to sing, and it is both our duty and pleasure to use our God-given talents for His praise.

With our choirs we desire to:

• Sing the praises of our Lord, Jesus Christ
• Worship through song and lead the congregation singing
• Offer choral training in musical literacy, sensitivity, appreciation and vocal development
• Provide a broad range of repertoire including different musical tastes and emphasis
• Build friendships, fellowship, and musical enjoyment

First Baptist Choir

A mostly volunteer ensemble recognized for its excellence in music making, both in worship services and in concert performances as part of our concert series. Led by Steve Potts, Music Director, the choir contributes weekly during worship service September through May, and special evening services on Christmas Eve and during Lent. Rehearsals are held weekly from 7:00 – 8:30 p.m. on Wednesday evenings in the choir room located on the second floor just west of the Sanctuary in room 204. No audition is necessary to participate in the Sanctuary Choir, however regular attendance is encouraged. New members are welcomed each week at rehearsals!

Praise  Band
Most worship services are also accompanied by a wonderful ensemble of rhythm players.

Music Makers Choir
Our children’s choir includes grades 2 through 6, with Sue Hittle, directing. In weekly rehearsals at 10:45AM on Sunday, the children learn choral repertoire, good choral production, music reading and musicianship skills, as well as what it means to worship God and minister to others through singing. In addition to singing for morning worship services, they participate in special Christmas Eve and Lenten presentations, and at area Chorister’s Guild festivals.

The Bell Choir
FBC’s Bell Choir usually performs on the last Sunday of the month and rehearses under the direction of Gwen Hardin.  For more information, contact Gwen Hardin.

The First Baptist Church Organ
The organ at First Baptist Church reflects a gift meant to “let everything that hath breath praise the Lord.” The organ was dedicated in memory of Mr. Woods A. Caperton on October 16, 1960. Marilyn Mason, former faculty member at the University of Michigan and one of the outstanding contemporary American organists of the day, presented the dedication recital. Mr. Caperton was chairman of the Board of Trustees of First Baptist Church under the ministry of Dr. Frederick E. Taylor. At the time of his death he was the General Sales Manager of the Eli Lilly Company of Indianapolis. Mrs. Sue Evans Caperton made the gift of the organ to the First Baptist Church of Indianapolis, in memory of her beloved husband.

The organ was built by Casavant Freres, Limitee, St. Hyacithe, Province of Quebec, Canada. Tonal designer was Mr. Lawrence Phelps of the Casavant Company, and installation was by Aldo J. Bertorelli Associates, Indianapolis, representatives of the Casavant company locally. The organ has led countless people in singing the praises of God.

Our organ is an excellent example of contemporary adaptation of the distinctive tonal qualities built into European instruments three hundred years ago. Wind pressure has been kept low, voicing is relatively soft, yet distinctly articulate and definitive.

Played from three manuals and pedals, the organ is actually a composite of five separate and independent divisions: Great, Swell, Positiv, Choir, and Pedal. Each division is so designed that it may be used effectively as a distinct sound of its own, contrasted with each other division; yet all the divisions blend in such a manner as to produce a veritable “cathedral of sound” when the whole organ is played “tutti.”

Altogether the organ includes 42 sets of pipes (55 ranks), totaling over 3,000 separate pipes. These range in size from large, mitered pipes 16 feet long and 1 foot in diameter, to others the size of a drinking straw. The loudest reed pipes on the organ are the set of horizontal trumpets.

The Caperton Memorial Organ has served and will continue to serve effectively through generations to come, not only in recitals and concerts presenting great organ literature of every era, but also in the leadership of worship as members of First Baptist Church raise their voices in love and praise of their Creator.