Chepachet Free Will Baptist Church -- Music at the Meeting House

Our Music at the Meeting House series takes place at the historic Chepachet Meeting House, built in 1821, and home to the Chepachet Free Will Baptist Church. It is located at 1213 Putnam Pike in Chepachet—just west of the stop light in the center of the Village.

Typically the annual series consists of six concerts, three in the fall and three in the spring. They are open to the public at no cost, although at intermission we do pass the collection plate for a free–will offering which is given to the performers.

We try to arrange a diverse variety of quality programs for general enjoyment. During our sixteen seasons, we have had organ concerts on the church's century–old Lane tracker pipe organ, string quartets and other instrumental ensembles, choir music, gospel music, choral presentations (both secular and religious), a capella groups, bell-ringers, brass bands, soloists, special Christmas programs, and other musical features.

Sunday, April 6, 2008
2:30 PM
"An Afternoon at the Opera"
Presented by Rhode Island College, Department of Music, Theatre and Dance
The twenty-two students in the Opera Workshop of the Department will perform staged scenes from Norma, Carmen, Fidelio, The Marriage of Figaro, A Game of Chance, The Ballad of Baby Doe, and The Picnic, along with a selection of arias. Pianists for the occasion will be Christina Breindel and Richard Anatone with co-directors Edward Markward and Susan Rodgers. We are very excited about this program as it will mark a "first of its kind" (both staged performances and opera music) for Music at the Meeting House!

A time of fellowship and refreshments will follow the program. A donation of $5.00 or more is suggested for the freewill offering. For more information, call (401) 568-4351.

Sunday, April 20, 2008
2:30 PM
"The Nautical Notes and the Sea Chanteys"
of The Newport Navy Choristers
The Newport Navy Choristers are made up of approximately 50 active duty reserve and retired members of all branches of the Armed Forces, Department of Defense employees and their spouses, The Nautical Notes and the Sea Chanteys are two subgroups of the Newport Navy Choristers, all of whom are under the direction of JoAnn Loewenthal. We are very fortunate to have them come and be a part of our spring series. Their accompanist is retired Navy Captain John Allen.

A time of fellowship and refreshments will follow the program. A donation of $5.00 or more is suggested for the freewill offering. For more information, call (401) 568-4351.

Sunday, May 4, 2008
2:30 PM
"Music from Spain, Cuba, South America, Japan and England"
Rhode Island College Guitar Studio
Come and enjoy music from around the world. Eight students will perform solos, and the guitar ensemble will also perform. The concert will also showcase the instructors, Eric Christensen and William Maker, who have performed as a duo for several years.

A time of fellowship and refreshments will follow the program. A donation of $5.00 or more is suggested for the freewill offering. For more information, call (401) 568-4351.

Sunday, December 2, 2007
"An Advent Celebration"
2:30 PM
A program of joyous celebration including the singing of Advent and Christmas carols, special readings, a performance by the Greenville Choral Ensemble - and some surprise performances! A donation of $5.00 is suggested for the freewill offering. A time of fellowship and refreshments will follow the program. For more information, call (401) 568-4351.

Sunday, October 21, 2007
"ENCORE - For Your Pleasure"
2:30 PM
This program will feature "Encore--For Your Pleasure", with Rud Porter, director and accompanist. The outreach chorus has performed for M at the MH three times in the past and have been invited back by popular demand. It was organized in 1991 for the purpose of bringing music to various facilities where people may not always be able to get to a live performance. They have performed throughout Rhode Island,and Southeastern Massachusetts and recently celebrated their 400th performance. This time they will be singing favorites of the 30's, 40's and 50's and also a few inspirational numbers. A donation of $5.00 is suggested for the freewill offering. A time of fellowship and refreshments will follow the program. For more information, call (401) 568-4351.

Sunday, October 7, 2007
Blackstone Valley Tourism Council's "Footsteps in History"
The Life & Ministry of Rev. A. H. Morrell
2:30 PM

Rev. Alexander Hatch Morrell

Once again, the Chepachet Free Will Baptist Church, 1213 Putnam Pike (Rt. 44, west of the traffic light), in collaboration with the Blackstone Valley Tourism Council's Columbus Day weekend "Footsteps in History" celebrations, will participate by offering our first program in the Music at the Meeting House fall series on October 7, at 2:30 pm, at the church, when they will celebrate the life and ministry of Rev. Alexander Hatch Morrell.

Rev. Morrell was pastor at the church from 1881 to 1886 and he led a most interesting life, which influenced not only the local church, but in the Free Will Baptist tradition of equality of all peoples, also had an impact on the history of the whole country.

The church's Pastor Emeritus, Jeff Brooke-Stewart will narrate the story, which will be illustrated with the singing by the audience, of 19th century mission hymns that would have been very familiar to Rev. Morrell and the congregat ion of 1882. Marilyn Knight, church organist will accompany the hymns on the church's historic E.W. Lane tracker pipe organ.

A couple of years ago, a lady was walking near her local town refuse site in Maine, when she saw a book lying amongst the trash. On investigating it, she realized that it was the diary of a minister from Chepachet, Rhode Island. Noting the references to the Free Will Baptist church, she was kind enough to send us the book. This has provided a fascinating snapshot of the church and village life from May to July 1882. Further research by Pastor Emeritus Jeff Brooke-Stewart uncovered the enormous impact that Rev. Morrell and colleagues, and indeed the entire New England Free Will Baptists, had upon the outcome of the Civil War and the subsequent education of freed former slaves.

Rev. Morrell and the Free Will Baptists, believed that the practice of one man owning another, and the behavior of breaking up families by selling family members was fundamentally wrong and that the nation had a responsibility to provide education for the freed people. Morrell worked selflessly to these ends, ruining his health in the process. He was deeply involved in the founding and organizing of Storer College in Harpers Ferry WV - one of the first schools for the freedmen and their families. His health was so bad in 1881 that he was forced to leave Harpers Ferry and take up the Chepachet pastorate. By 1886 however, he was determined to return to the work at Storer, and the Chepachet congregation released him for that purpose. Sadly, his health was so bad that he died in New Jersey enroute to Harpers Ferry.

On October 7th Jeff Brooke-Stewart will tell both the broad story of Rev. Morrell and the Free Will Baptists association with emancipation, and the fascinating look at life in Chepachet and the Blackstone Valley region as given in the diary fragment. During the presentation, many local residents will find references to their ancestors. Everyone is invited to join us for this fascinating program.

This program will also be the beginning of the seventeenth year that the church has presented the series—three in the fall and three in the spring—as their outreach to the surrounding communities and beyond. We are delighted that it has grown so popular that people now come from all of Rhode Island, Southern Massachusetts and Southeastern Connecticut, and we are looking forward to greeting everyone again.

Although no tickets are sold, a donation of $5.00 is suggested for the freewill offering. The church does not fund these programs, so it is those that attend and the freewill offerings that make them possible. A time of fellowship and refreshments will follow the program. For more information, call (401) 568-4351.

Sunday, May 6, 2007
2:30 PM
The Brass Odyssey
Winners of the 2007 UCONN Brass Quintet Competition, The Brass Odyssey was formed in early 2006 by Sammy Costa, Evan Gravell, Josh Kane, Jenna Ramos and Jay Stelle, all music students at Rhode Island College. Within a semester of coaching, under the watchful eye of Professor Joseph Foley, a founding member of the Atlantic Brass Quintet, The Brass Odyssey has become one of the most recognized groups on the Rhode Island College Campus. They have participated in masterclasses with Eric Ruske, Bala Brass and others. Members have performed with such groups as The American Band, The Rhode Island Symphonic Band, The Rhode Island Philharmonic, all the major ensembles at Rhode Island College and have been featured soloists with the RIC Brass Ensemble. They have shared the stage with Alan Baer (Principal Tuba, NY Phil.) as well as many Rhode Island College Faculty members. The Brass Odyssey is also one the touring groups at RIC and has performed at high schools in near by Connecticut and Massachusetts, as well as malls and nursing homes throughout Rhode Island.

The Brass Odyssey

Sunday, April 29, 2007
2:30 PM
The Coventry Senior Center Harmonica Band
This ensemble consists of harmonicas, a concertina, drum, keyboard, and guitars. These very lively performers have an average age of 71. "Uncle Roger" Vanasse is their manager and master of ceremonies. Please come and encourage these mature artists as they present a fine concert of traditional and contemporary music.

The Coventry Senior Center Harmonica Band
Front row, L t oR: Cass Malezewski, Frank Varrioa. Back row L to R: Norman Roy, Frank Pari, Al Rouchfort, Roger R. Vanasse. Missing from picture: "Bob Buttons" Loughmiller

Sunday, April 15, 2007
2:30 PM
"Eight Hands and a Piano"
A piano recital featuring four young classical pianists from Rhode Island College, with selections from Chopin, Debussy, Beethoven, Liszt, and others. Each will play two selections alone, and then two will simultaneously play a 4-hand selection! Please come and encourage these young artists as they pursue their chosen careers in music.

The Ocean Bones Trombone Ensemble
Photo courtesy Ocean Bones

Sunday, October 8, 2006
2:00 pm
"John Colby and the Development of the Northern Rhode Island
Church in the Early Nineteenth Century"

Pastor Emeritus
Jeff Brooke-Stewart

Marilyn Knight,
Church organist

The event will include the singing of hymns from the period, with Marilyn Knight playing the organ. A free will offering will be taken and there will be a time for fellowship and refreshments following the presentation. The public is cordially invited.

May 21, 2006
2:30 pm
"The Hymns of Isaac Watts" narrated by Pastor Emeritus Jeff Brooke-Stewart with Marilyn Knight, Organist

Our third and last program in the series will be a continuation of the very popular 'Composers of Hymns' series, which our church's Pastor Emeritus, Jeff Brooke-Stewart, started a few years ago. This year's presentation is "The Hymns of Isaac Watts." Isaac Watts has been called 'the father of the English hymn,' and for sure, a selection of his hymns can be found in just about any hymnal in the English-speaking church — and translations in other language hymnals. Watts' writings reflect his faith and the turbulent times that he lived in; times of religious dissension and persecution.

At the age of seven, young Isaac wrote an acrostic poem based upon his first name:

I	am a vile polluted lump of earth
S	o I've continued ever since my birth;
A	lthough Jehovah grace does give me,
A	s sure this monster Satan will deceive me.
C	ome therefore, Lord, from Satan's claws relieve me.

Perhaps not the most delicate of writing! But the young Isaac would grow in the faith and life's experience and later write some of our most favorite hymns.

The format of this program will be familiar to our regular attendees. It is a combination of narration on Watts' life illustrated by the singing of many of his hymns. Jeff Brooke-Stewart will provide the narration and Marilyn Knight will play the organ.

A Freewill Offering will be taken. Fellowship and refreshments will follow in our church vestry.

Our second program in the series will feature The Horace Mann Dixieland Pops, playing authentic Dixieland music. Horace Magnam, who passed away several years ago, originated the "Dixieland Pops" more than fifteen years ago and though the group membership has changed over the years, the quality of their programs have remained constant. The group consists of seven to nine members of very talented musicians, all of whom are expert Dixieland jazz musicians.

They play old favorites, the Big Band sound, a bit of Broadway, Patriotic tunes and sing-a-long songs. They also perform both vocal and instrumental solos. The "Pops" have been an entertaining and educational group for many years and are well-known for their special programs for elementary and middle school students throughout Rhode Island. We know that you will enjoy them.

A Freewill Offering will be taken. Fellowship and refreshments will follow in our church vestry.