The FUMCR Music Ministry warmly invites you to join us for the inaugural First Light Concert Series, a celebration of faith, artistry, and community featuring the gifted musicians of our church. Through these performances, we hope to inspire worship and share the transformative power of music.
• We open with Broadway Café: The Greatest Show in Earth, bringing the excitement of the circus ring to life through show-stopping Broadway favorites.
• On All Saints Sunday, the FUMCR Orchestra and Chancel Choir offer a moving reflection on memory, legacy, and eternal peace, honoring those who have gone before us while offering comfort and hope.
• Our annual Christmas Concert features the Christmas portion of Handel’s Messiah, performed by choir, orchestra, and soloists, celebrating the season with its timeless message of hope and light.
• In 2027, we will present selected movements from some of history’s most powerful requiems, creating space to reflect on earthly sorrow and the promise of eternal life.
• The season concludes with a celebration of American composition, featuring Elaine Hagenberg’s Illuminare alongside works by Moses Hogan, Aaron Copland, and other celebrated composers.
It is a joy and privilege to launch the First Light Concert Series. We hope these performances deepen your faith, enrich your appreciation for sacred and choral music, and remind you of the light that shines through every season of life. Thank you for joining us. We look forward to sharing these meaningful musical experiences with you.
Caitlin Molechat
Director, Music Ministry
First United Methodist Church Richardson
Broadway Café
THE GREATEST SHOW ON EARTH
September 24 & 25, 7pm • September 26, 3 & 7pm
Worship & Arts Center
Step right up to a spectacular showcase where the magic of the theater meets the vibrant energy of the big top. This carnival-themed spectacular brings the dazzling lights and dramatic shadows of the circus ring to life through a thrilling collection of show-stopping Broadway hits. Audiences will be swept away by a high-flying musical journey that explores the bright joys and mysterious depths of the human experience. Come experience the wonder, the spectacle, and the pure brilliance of the stage in a performance you won’t soon forget.
General Admission: $25
Students: $15
All Saints Concert
Sunday, November 1, 6pm
Sanctuary
Join the FUMCR Orchestra featuring the Chancel Choir for a profound musical reflection on memory, legacy, and eternal peace. This sacred concert serves as a brilliant beacon of remembrance, honoring those who have gone before us while offering comfort to those who remain. Through rich, transcendent orchestrations, the music navigates the tender shadows of grief and elevates the spirit into a space of radiant, enduring hope. It is an evening designed to illuminate the unbroken connection between earth and heaven, sorrow and comfort.
Christmas Concert
Friday, December 4, 7pm
Sanctuary
Celebrate the season of anticipation and joy with the timeless majesty of the Christmas portion of Handel’s Messiah. This beloved masterpiece beautifully mirrors
the winter season, charting a musical journey out of deep darkness and into the glorious, triumphant light of hope. The Chancel Choir, soloists, and orchestra capture the
profound awe of prophecy and the radiant celebration of fulfillment. It is a transcendent experience that perfectly embodies the true, illuminating spirit of the holidays.
Good Friday
SELECTIONS FROM REQUIEMS
Friday, March 26, 7pm
Sanctuary
On this solemn night, immerse yourself in a poignant musical meditation on sacrifice, mortality, and grace. Featuring selected movements from some of history’s most powerful Requiems, this performance dwells in the deep shadows of the cross to contemplate the gravity of Good Friday. Yet, even within the somber weight of lamentation, the music whispers of an impending, unconquerable dawn. This reflective service offers a sacred space to experience the profound tension between ultimate darkness and the quiet promise of eternal light.
An American Tapestry
END OF SEASON CONCERT
Sunday, May 16, 6pm
Sanctuary
Our season draws to a close with a vivid celebration of the diverse traditions and powerful voices shaping American composition. From quiet, shadowy depths to brilliant,
optimistic highs, this performance explores the American spirit—capturing the resilience and rich diversity of our shared heritage through modern composition. Join us
for an unforgettable finale that honors the complex, luminous beauty of the American musical soul. Featuring Illuminare by Elaine Hagenberg as well as pieces by Moses
Hogan, Aaron Copland, and others.
