Concordia music students participate in guest organist-led hymn festival at St. John Lutheran Church

A hymn festival, led by organist Robert Hobby, took the place of the 11 a.m. worship service at St. John on Sunday.

Photo credit: Paul Soulek

By Michaela Gibbs

A hymn festival at St. John Lutheran Church on Sunday created a music-filled worship service led by guest organist Robert Hobby from Ft. Wayne, Indiana, that featured the voices of nearly 100 Concordia choir members.

The festival served as St. John’s 11 a.m. worship service and incorporated the talents of students in the Cantamus women’s choir, led by Dr. Jeffrey Blersch, and Male Chorus, led by Prof. Paul Soulek.

The annual hymn festival led hundreds of St. John congregants through a service of many hymns, with the organ, choirs, and a handbell choir accompanying the congregation. Some hymns were straight from Lutheran Service Book and several others were arrangements by Hobby. There were also reflections on the musical selections read by Soulek, who also serves as the church’s cantor.

Soulek said he thinks hymn festivals impact the Seward community and Concordia students by joining their worship in a collective voice.

“They can see the church’s song is something that’s wider than just what we teach here [at Concordia] and how it can go out, but they also get to see it in the context of a congregation,” Soulek said. “Today it was especially cool because we had a baptism during a hymn festival. So, all the things we sing about we’re actually seeing happen right in front of us, too.”

Junior Ella Brandt, a member of Cantamus, said she appreciated her experience under Hobby’s direction.

“I think it’s a really unique experience to get to sing something and communicate directly with the person who arranged or composed it, and I think it’s helped me grow as a choir member to have to sing under different directors and have unusual circumstances that we adapt to,” Brandt said.

Concordia and St. John have brought in guest organists for the hymn festival for the past two years, and they have also collaborated with the American Guild of Organists and the Association of Lutheran Church Musicians, along with some gifted musicians at St. John. When there is no guest organist, Soulek and Blersch “share the bench,” said Soulek.

Robert Hobby currently serves as Director of Music for Trinity English Lutheran Church in Ft. Wayne. He has over 150 compositions in print. His music can be heard on national radio stations such as “The Lutheran Hour,” “Pipe Dreams,” and “Sing for Joy.” His compositions can be found in the hymnals Evangelical Lutheran Worship and Lutheran Service Book.