The Concordia Seminary Chorus, under the direction of Rev. Henry V. Gerike, is ready to depart the Seminary campus for its six-state 2003 Spring Tour. All members of the Chorus are Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, students who are preparing to serve as pastors in The Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod. The Chorus will provide evening sacred concerts which will include prayer, Scripture reading and congregational singing. In two congregations, the Chorus will offer vocal selections during Sunday morning worship services.

The itinerary for the Chorus' 2003 Spring Tour is as follows:

Saturday, February 22 - 6:30 p.m.
St. John Lutheran Church
655 Wayne Avenue
Defiance, OH 43512-2659
419-782-5766

Sunday, February 23 - 9:00 a.m.
St. John Lutheran Church
16035 County Road U
Napoleon (Freedom), OH 43545-9753
419-598-8961

Sunday, February 23 - 7:00 p.m.
Trinity Lutheran Church
2045 West 30th Street
Cleveland, OH 44113-4009
216-281-1700

Monday, February 24 - 7:30 p.m.
Zion Lutheran Church
153 Nott Terrace
Schednectady, NY 12308-3130
518-374-1811

Tuesday, February 25 - 7:30 p.m.
First Lutheran Church
299 Berkeley Street
Boston, MA 02116-2001
617-536-8851

Wednesday, February 26 - 8:00 p.m.
Village Lutheran Church
172 White Plains Road
Bronxville, NY 10708-1954
914-337-0207

Thursday, February 27 - 7:30 p.m.
Trinity Lutheran Church
40 West Nicholai Street
Hicksville, NY 11801-3806
516-931-2225

Friday, February 28 - 7:30 p.m.
St. Paul Lutheran Church
7426 Idylwood Road
Falls Church, VA 22043-2915
703-573-0295

Sunday, March 2 - 8:00 & 11:00 a.m.
Ebenezer Lutheran Church
310 South Tremont Drive
Greensboro, NC 27403-1739
336-272-5321

Sunday, March 2 - 7:00 p.m.
St. Stephen Lutheran Church
2304 Springs Road NE
Hickory, NC 28601-3066
828-256-9865

Monday, March 3 - 7:30 p.m.
Immanuel Lutheran Church
1285 Main Street
Hamilton, OH 45013-1621
513-893-6792

Sunday, March 16 - 3:30 p.m.
Immanuel Lutheran Church
453 North West Street
Perryville, MO 63775-1361
573-547-8317

The Chorus celebrated its centennial anniversary in 2002. Officially organized on Sept. 2, 1902, the Chorus originally included students, faculty and staff of Concordia Seminary, St. Louis. From its beginning, the Chorus was recognized for its excellence and was invited to sing at the 1904 World's Fair, which was held in St. Louis.

Over the past 100 years, the Chorus has traveled in 35 states, including Alaska, and in Canada on its tours. Tours usually span a weekend in Advent and nearly two weeks in the spring. "By going on these tours, we get to meet great people in congregations throughout the United States," commented Gerike. "The congregations also get a glimpse of what future pastors may be like."

Over the past 10 years, the Chorus has released seven recordings in CD and cassette format. They will be available for purchase following the concerts.

The Seminary Chorus plans to tour Europe in June 2003, including sacred concerts in congregations of the Seminary's sister church bodies in England and Germany.

For more information, contact Communications, Concordia Seminary, 801 DeMun Ave., St. Louis, MO 63105; 314.505.7374; communications@csl.edu.