Music Ministries
Randall Stubbs , Director of Music Ministries


Our mission is to glorify God through the gift of music
in order to minister to the church
and provide outreach to the community.

This is accomplished through:

Celebration of God's promises with those around us,
Proclamation of God's message by all ages through the music from many cultures, and
Education opportunities for choir members, congregation, and community.


Click here for a copy of the Music Ministry brochure

Click here for the First Lutheran Church Home Page

Music Staff

Randall Stubbs, Director of Music and Organist, has been at First Lutheran Church since 1987. He has Bachelor's degrees in music education and piano performance and Master's degrees in choral conducting and organ performance. Mr. Stubbs directs the Adult Choir, the Adult Handbell Choir, junior high and high school ensembles and assists with the children's music program. In addition, he coordinates the Community Fine Arts Series and Lenten Organ Recital Series offered by First Lutheran Church.

Carol Stubbs, Children's Choir Director, started First Lutheran's Children's Music Program in 1991. She has a Bachelor's degree in music education and Master's degree in vocal performance. Mrs. Stubbs is also the founder and music director of the Northern Illinois Children's Chorus.

Travis Erikson, Associate Organist, came to First Lutheran in 2003. He has a Bachelor's degree in piano performance and Master's degrees in piano performance and in music theory. He has been the Choral Director at DeKalb High School since 2002.

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Adult Music Programs

First Lutheran's five-octave Handbell Choir presents an average of 25 anthems per year during worship. First Lutheran's Handbell Choir has participated in several Handbell Festivals in the Chicago area and they performed at the Northern Illinois Synod Assembly at Augustana College in 1999. The Handbell Choir also was a co-founder of the DeKalb/Sycamore Handbell Festival in 1993 and performs annually in that festival. In June of 2005 the Handbell Choir participated in the AGEHR National Handbell Festival in Springfield, Missouri.


The Adult Choir averages 25 members. They present about 70 anthems in addition to assisting in the leading of hymns and liturgy at 39 worship services. The repertoire ranges from Gregorian chant to gospel and includes music of cultures from around the world. The Adult Choir also presents a major choral/orchestral work each year. In 2003 nine members of the choir performed Mozart's Requiem at Carnegie Hall with a mass choir conducted by John Rutter. In 2005 15 choir members performed the Mozart Requiem with the Kishwaukee Symphony. Additional choir activities include an annual retreat each February, Spring and Fall potluck gatherings, and monthly food and fellowship events following rehearsal. They meet in the Music Room each Thursday at 7:30 p.m. from September through May. New members are always welcome.

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Children's Music Programs

The Children's Music Program includes two children's choirs, a Christmas production, Spring musical (every two years), and an annual summer Sacred Dance Camp all led by Carol Stubbs. The children's choirs (Pre-Kindergarten through second grade and third through sixth grades) rehearse on Wednesday evenings during the school year as part of the Prime Time Wednesday programing. The choirs rehearse separately between 6:00 PM and 7:30 PM, alternating with bible lessons, puppet shows, and Kindness club. The older choir sings in church about every four weeks. New children are welcome at any time.

In the Sunday School Music Program the First through Sixth graders meet weekly for an opening celebration during the school year. Tiny Tots/Pre-Schoolers and Pre-Kindergarten/Kindergarten classes each meet for music and movement activities led by Carol Stubbs. In addition, the entire Sunday School is involved in an annual Christmas production the Sunday before Christmas.

The Children's Choirs (Pre-Kindergarten through second grade and third through sixth grades) rehearse on Wednesday evenings during the school year as part of the Prime Time Wednesday programing. The choirs rehearse separately between 6:00 PM and 7:30 PM, alternating with bible lessons, puppet shows, and Kindness club. The older choir sings in church about every four weeks. New children are welcome at any time.

The Sacred Dance Camp is held in June each summer. The five-day camp for girls in first through sixth grades included physical warm-up/stretching, sacred dance activities and routines, bible study regarding body image and dancing, banner making, and a healthy snack. Routines are incorporated during worship the Sunday following the camp.

The Confirmation Music Program is for seventh and eighth graders. The confirmation choir rehearses 4:45-5:30 PM on Wednesday evenings during the school year. Additional activities for confirmands include running sound and powerpoint presentations for the informal praise service, singing on worship team and with the adult and children's choirs, handbell playing, and liturgical dance. The confirmands also learn about instruments used in worship, including a tour through the pipe organ; and learning about worship resources. Confirmands can also assist behind the scenes with lighting, sound, sets, and costumes for the Christmas Play and Spring Children's Musical.

The High School Youth participate in the adult choir, handbell choir, and drama activities, and assist with A/V at the church throughout the year.

First Lutheran Church also provides rehearsal and office space to the Northern Illinois Children's Chorus (NICC). Carol Stubbs is Founder and Music Director and Randall Stubbs is Executive Director of this separate not-for-profit organization serving the children of DeKalb and Ogle Counties. There are currently 43 children ages 7-17 involved in the twochoirs in the NICC. The mission of the NICC is "to encourage children to pursue excellence through the rehearsal and performance of quality choral literature."

The NICC has given over 200 performances since it's inception and included over 625 different children. In addition to self-produced concerts each winter and spring, the NICC has performed throughout Northern Illinois for schools, churches, business functions, retirement facilities, and special community events.

The NICC Concert Choir has performed with the Kishwaukee Symphony, and Northern Illinois University's Concert Choir, University Chorus, Philharmonic, and Wind Symphony. They have collaborated with the Kantorei (Singing Boys of Rockford), Cantate Chorus from Hungary, The Soul Children of Chicago, and the Children's Choir from the Moscow Musical Pedagogical College (Russia). They have also participated in children's chorus festivals in Florida, Illinois, Iowa, Washington, D.C., and Ontario, Canada.

 For more information on this community chorus, please e-mail or call the NICC at (815) 758-3836.


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Page last updated 10-26-05