Eastern Territorial Songsters at

Montclair Citadel Rally Day

Montclair Citadel’s Rally Day Weekend was capped off with a visit by the Eastern Territorial Songsters as their special guests, on Sunday, September 13th. Led by S/L William Rollins and special guest S/L Beatrice Holz, the songsters contributed to both morning worship and a 2 o’clock festival, joined by the Montclair Citadel Band and Songsters.

During the Morning Worship the ETS helped lead the service and were a part of different aspects throughout. With Col. Norman Bearcroft in the congregation, the ETS started worship with his Christ of Calvary, followed by a scripture presentation and then For the Beauty of the Earth (John Rutter). Then different ETS members contributed with times of testimony, leading in songs of worship, prayer and even a time for the children. For the offertory, the ETS sang Praise (Wildred Heaton) and after the cornet solo In the Love of Jesus (William Hammond) performed by Michael Baker with the Montclair Citadel Band, S/L Beatrice Holz sang a beautiful vocal solo, The Seeking Heart (Bruce Broughton, adapted B. Holz). Major Carole Bate then gave her sermon entitled “A New Song,” referring to Psalms 40:1-3:

1 I waited patiently for the LORD; he turned to me and heard my cry. 2 He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. 3 He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear and put their trust in the LORD.

In a time of reflection following the sermon, the ETS sang Donna Peterson's Take My Life, which put a beautiful cap on the morning’s devotional thought. To end the service, as is usual in Montclair, everyone sang the choral benediction O Father Let Thy Love Remain, with the help of the Citadel Band and an arrangement written by Dorothy Gates.

The morning worship was followed by a 2 o’clock music festival which was entitled “Praise Him with Melody, Praise Him with Song.” The festival began with the Citadel Band playing the A.R.C. Centennial March (Stephen Bulla), followed by the ETS singing Church on Fire (Dean Jones). After a welcome by Major Carole Bate and the Montclair Citadel Songsters rendition of I am Praying (Len Ballantine), S/L Beatrice Holz sang a moving adaptation of William Himes cornet solo I'd Rather Have Jesus (adapted B. Holz). The ETS then sang two items, But All Lord (Stephen Bulla) and Dry Bones (Livingston Gearhart), sandwiched in between two periods of testimony led by ETS members. Then the Citadel Band played Dean Goffin’s Prelude & Fugue - Arise, My Soul Arise! and the ETS sang S/L Bill Rollins very own Let It Shine, which everyone in the audience really enjoyed. As an instrumental offertory the Citadel Band played Dorothy Gate’s latin-influenced Cantad a Jehová. Following the doxology, the ETS with guest conductor S/L Holz, sang Brahm's beautiful and challenging How Lovely Is Thy Dwelling Place. After a devotional thought brought by Lt. Colonel Sharon Tillsley, the Citadel Songsters and ETS combined forces to sing Howard Davies’ Where I Love To Be. Finally, the Citadel Band joined the combined songster brigade to present the Hallelujah Chorus How Great Is Our God (arr. Glenn Welch), which was the perfect way to end the festival.

As Montclair Citadel was starting their new program year, the addition of the Eastern Territorial Songsters helped them refocus on the importance of worship and being thankful to the Lord for His goodness and provision. What a great way to start the year!

-- by Matt Hodgson

Montclair Citadel, NJ