Christ Church Hosts the Spirit of Life Chorus

The Spirit of Life Chorus brings its Christmas program to Des Plaines on Sunday, Nov. 13, when the 100-member ensemble will fill Christ Church with song. The concert begins at 4 p.m.; the church is at 1492 Henry Ave. at Cora Street.

Choral Director Marc Stiehr said the program, “His Light Still Shines,” tells the musical story of the baby who led wise men and shepherds alike in search of a king.

“The story of a baby who would become the light of the world in ancient times is just as important for us to hear today,” he says.

In its 22 years of existence, Spirit of Life has grown from 16 musicians to a chorus of 90, plus the director, seven instrumentalists and a sales team of three. The chorus does two concert tours each year in the spring and fall, each tour consisting of eight concerts in churches around the Chicago area. They record and sell CDs of each program for $12.

The singers are volunteers and do not have to audition, but because the chorus is not professional they rehearse rigorously for eight weeks leading up to each tour.

“If you love the Lord and want to sing his praises and do it with a smile on your face, come and sing with us,” says Stiehr.

Choristers come from all over the Chicago area to rehearse each week at Trinity Lutheran Church in Roselle.

Stiehr, who took over as director in spring 2010 from Spirit of Life founder David Barth, said the chorus has done an occasional cantata, but most programs are mixes of new music, new arrangements of existing music, and old favorites.

“I like to do Christmas programs in the fall and in the spring a combination of praise concert and patriotic concert or Easter concert,” he said.

Sunday’s concert at Christ Church will be followed by a small social in Wobbe Hall, where the audience can mix with the chorus. The concert is free, but a freewill offering will be taken to support the chorus. Concertgoers are asked to bring a nonperishable food item for the Des Plaines Self Help Closet.

For information about Sunday’s concert, call Christ Church, United Church of Christ at (847) 297-4230; for more about the chorus, visit spiritoflifechorus.org.

Upcoming Spirit of Life concerts:

• 4 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 20, St. Pius X Catholic Church, 1025 E. Madison St., Lombard.

• 4:30 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 27, Lutheran Church of the Master, 580 N. Kuhn Road, Carol Stream.

• 4:30 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 4, St. Walter Catholic Church, 201 W. Maple Ave., Roselle.