A Brief History
The Carey Ecumenical Choir is a large community ensemble that presents an annual concert of sacred Advent and Christmas music each year on the second Sunday of December. Begun in 1971 as an inter-denominational collaboration, the Choir has presented a Christmas concert nearly every year since. Four local choir directors came together to lead the first Christmas concert:
- John Raymaley, director of the Christ Lutheran Church Choir and music teacher at Wynford High School;
- Ronald Croy, director of the Grace United Methodist choir and director of music at Vanlue Schools;
- James Roynon, director the Youth Choir of Memorial Methodist Church; and,
- Brother Paul Faroh, OFM Conv., director of the Shrine Chorale at Our Lady of Consolation.
The choir was accompanied by Mrs. Lyle Orians of Christ Lutheran Church, Sister Andrea Inkrott of Our Lady of Consolation, and Donna Orians of Grace Methodist. The first choir of over fifty singers presented a concert of a cappella works as well as some accompanied by organ and piano. That first concert on December 19, 1971, attended by almost 800 people, was a splendid success.
The Choir had the honor—just one year after its founding—of being the first ecumenical choir to lead music for the Diocese of Toledo’s taped Christmas Day Mass with Bishop John Donovan as the celebrant. In past years, the Ecuemnical Choir was also featured on WBGU’s annual Christmas program. In 1988 and 2025, the Choir performed special spring concerts in honor of Jubilee Years in the Catholic Church.
In 2024, the Choir celebrated its 50th Anniversary Concert. During the concert, former member/director Matthew Armstrong conducted one of his own pieces that he dedicated to the choir in 1993. The Choir also world premiered “Of the Father’s Love Begotten” composed by current director, Anthony Gallina. And finally, the Choir welcomed back John Raymaley, the only surviving original director, to conduct the final piece of the concert.
Repertoire
The Choir has historically performed all types of genres and styles of Advent and Christmas music throughout its history. Everything from classical, chant, jazz, gospel, African, sacred choral, and more have been performed. Concerts in the 1980s through the 1990s sometimes lasted over two hours with vary eclectic repertoire!
In the early 2000s, the decision was made by directors Patricia Murphy and Jack Gerding to transform the concert into more of a para-liturgical service, which invovled shortening the concert to approximately an hour while also incorporating readings from sacred Scripture. This proved to be a very effective format as the choir and audiences grew after several years of waning.
See the last three years’ programs below.
Membership & Rehearsals
Singers from all over the northwest Ohio area from many denominations of Christianity have been and continue to be part of this choir. Membership is open to everyone high school age and older. No audition is required to join the choir and no experience is necessary. The membership for the past three years has been between 50 and 70 singers. In the late 1990s, it maxed out at 133!
Rehearsals begin in mid-October, alternating between Tuesdays and Thursdays, leading up to the second Sunday of December. Rehearsals are from 7:00-9:00pm at Christ Lutheran Church (116 W. Findlay St., Carey). All choir members are expected to attend the majority of the rehearsals, including the two dress rehearsals at the basilica the week prior.
Rehearsals for 2026: October 22, 27; November 5, 10, 19, 24; December 3, 7, 10
