The Concordia Seminary Chorus, under the direction of Rev. Henry V. Gerike, will visit Lutheran churches in Missouri, California, Arizona and Nevada on its 2009 Spring Tour. The Chorus will provide sacred concerts in the form of choral Evening Prayer that includes prayer, Scripture readings and congregational singing.

In addition, the Chorus will perform the newly commissioned piece by Dr. Ralph C. Schultz, former president of Concordia College, Bronxville, N.Y., a setting of “O Christ, Who Art the Light and Day.”
Dr. Schultz set selected stanzas of an ancient evening hymn along with quotations of Jesus being the Light of the world and arranged them for male chorus and viola. Underwriting this commissioned work is a gift from Dr. William and Nancy Raabe of Columbus, Ohio. In two congregations, the Chorus will offer vocal selections during Sunday morning worship services.

The itinerary for the Seminary Chorus’ 2009 Spring Tour is as follows:

Sunday, February 15, 3:30 p.m.—Holy Cross Lutheran Church, St. Louis, Missouri
Sunday, February 22, 9:00 a.m.—St. Paul Lutheran Church, Pomona, California
Sunday, February 22, 7:00 p.m.—Grace Lutheran Church, San Diego, California
Monday, February 23, 7:00 p.m.—Christ Lutheran Church, Yuma, Arizona
Tuesday, February 24, 7:00 p.m.—Christ Church Lutheran, Phoenix, Arizona
Thursday, February 26, 7:00 p.m.—First Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, Las Vegas, Nevada
Friday, February 27, 7:00 p.m.—Faith Lutheran Church, Capistrano Beach, California
Saturday, February 28, 7:00 p.m.—Abiding Savior Lutheran Church, Lake Forest, California
Sunday, March 1, 9:00 a.m.—Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, Hacienda Heights, California
Sunday, March 1, 5:00 p.m.—First Lutheran Church, Venice, California
Monday, March 2, 7:30 p.m.—Christ the King Lutheran Church, Newbury Park, California
Sunday, March 15, 4:00 p.m.—Immanuel Lutheran Church, Perryville, Missouri

The Concordia Seminary Chorus, which includes the Spring Tour Group, numbers about 60 seminarians, who commit to balancing full course loads with weekly rehearsals and special tour rehearsals. The seminarians are preparing for full-time service as pastors in The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod. Pastor Gerike has conducted the Chorus since 1992 after serving as its student conductor for five years.

For more information or to order CDs of Chorus recordings, contact the Concordia Seminary Bookstore at 314-505-7315 or bookstore@csl.edu.