One hundred years of history is wrapped in a musical package this Christmas at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Gillett, home to the community’s annual Christmas cantata.
“A Christmas Invitation: O Come, All Ye Faithful” is the eighth annual cantata performed at the church. For the first year, the cantata is written by a local resident, Gary Kopitzke, a former superintendent of the Gillett School District. Kopitzke, who splits his time between Gillett and Florida, has written a variety of works, but this is his first Christmas program. He said the idea of writing a cantata was pitched to him after he wrote a similar program for the Fourth of July.
“The music director came up to me at the church after it was done and said how great my program was,” Kopitzke said. “He asked if I would like to do one for the Christmas program, and well, ‘I would like to do that,’ I said.”
The cantata recounts the history of St. John Lutheran Church, which traces its roots to German settlers in the Gillett area 100 years ago.
Wayne Strei, co-director of the cantata, said the locally written narration makes the cantata more personal.
“We can include many names and even past pastors and things that people around here know about. If those weren’t included, it wouldn’t be as personal as it is,” he said.
The cantata took about three months to write, and Kopitzke’s strategy was to write little by little once he received the list of hymns to be included.
“Music was the first thing I had before writing the cantata,” he said. “Based on that, I just wrote it so the music would fit in nicely with the narration.”
Kopitzke’s research started with documents he found at St. John’s Church. After studying these at home, he had enough information to write the Christmas program.
“The most helpful were booklets put together from the 25th and 50th anniversary. They told the history of the church, and that was great,” he said.
Kopitzke said having so much information made it hard to condense it all into one program.
“But I made it happen,” he said.
Although this was Kopitzke’s first time writing a cantata, he has narrated cantatas in the past. Kopitzke said he enjoys writing and recently wrote a hymn for St. John’s 100th anniversary. He also wrote a number of programs for the church a few years ago and writes comedies and skits for clubs in which he’s involved. He’s performed in a number of musicals and plays and recently was cast in “Guys and Dolls.” Kopitzke’s interest in acting and music started in middle school, and it has continued into his retirement.
Although this is Kopitzke’s first year not attending the cantata in Gillett, he hopes to see it through a recording.
The cantata, narrated by Doug Yahnke, includes traditional Christmas songs like “Silent Night” and “Mary, Did You Know?” sung in four-part harmony. Chique Tousey-Tabor, singing in her first cantata, said the music sends chills up her spine as she performs.
The choir is composed of 22 singers and a couple of guest soloists from congregations throughout the area. Singer Angel La Crosse said the different faiths of the performers adds joyfulness of the cantata. Although they come from differing religious backgrounds, choir members are unified in the Christmas message, she said.
Singer Brenda Danielson, a four-year member of the cantata, said the best part of performing is feeling the emotion from the audience. Some are moved to tears, she said.
“I enjoy watching the faces of the congregation as they listen,” she said.
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