Christmas concert to benefit Carroll area Serra Club

By RENEE WEBB, Globe editor
Posted December 12, 2002

CARROLL - The Christmas season is a time for joyous activities and sharing gifts with others. It is in that spirit that two Carroll parishioners and one former parishioner decided to offer their musical talents for the enjoyment of others.

Mari Hall, a cantor at Holy Spirit Church in Carroll, has sung at hospitals and nursing homes to lift the spirits of others. This year she wanted to spread the Christmas spirit to others in the community.

"I love to sing and I wanted to share that with our community," she said.

The Christmas concert will be held at 3 p.m., Dec. 22, at Holy Spirit Church. Refreshments will be served following the performance.

As Hall is a new member of Serra Club, she opted to have proceeds of the concert - raised via a free-will offering - benefit the club. This is a group that prays for new vocations to the priesthood and religious life as well as affirms present vocations.

"We have so much to be thankful for - we have so many wonderful priests," she said. "This is somewhat of a thank you for all that they do for our community."

Marcy Anderson, music director at St. Lawrence Church in Carroll, will provide the piano accompaniment. In the past, she has provided musical accompaniment for Hall and Marc Schapman, another vocalist performing that evening.

A graduate of Kuemper High School, Schapman is Hall's nephew. He is currently a graduate student at the University of Indiana, studying vocal performance.

Hall and Schapman will perform solos and duets throughout the program.

The Christmas concert, noted Anderson, "will be offering up a Christmas prayer."

The three have worked together in selecting music for the evening. The musical program will offer a mix of pieces, heavy on traditional Christmas songs such as Silent Night, O Holy Night and On That Holy Mountain.

"We thought we would also throw in some lighter ones and have some caroling with the audience," said Anderson. "This will be a light, fun concert to put people into the Christmas spirit. We are offering are gifts to the community for the benefit of Serra Club."

The performance is open to the general public.

Hall encourages everyone to attend in order to "share their spirit of Christmas with us. I am really grateful that we are able to share our talents with the community. We are hoping that people will come out and celebrate with us. Together, we can create community and celebrate Christmas."