Coshocton Community Choir to present Christmas concert in Newcomerstown

The 70-voice Coshocton Community Choir, which includes auditioned singers from 11 Ohio counties, will share selections from its Christmas concert, The Work of Christmas, at 7 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025, at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Newcomerstown. The program will feature sacred choral music, including arrangements of familiar hymns, classical and popular works, spirituals and more.

Director Kerry Snyder said he is always looking for new ways to view the Christmas story. “This theme is a viewpoint we haven’t explored before,” Snyder said. “That first Christmas, everyone was working. From Mary to the shepherds to the angels, they were all hard at work. The work of Christmas that began that night is not done yet. There are still opportunities for us to do the work of Christmas through acts of kindness and love.”

The choir will invite the audience to join in singing several carols, including “Silent Night” and “Joy to the World.” “I think you will enjoy ‘The Shepherd’s Story,’” Snyder said. “I learned it in my first year in college at Capital University, and hearing the three soloists gave me goosebumps. While it was written in 1913, I expect the three solos and the full Community Choir to be epic.”

Snyder also highlighted other pieces, including “Mary, Did You Know?,” “On Christmas Night,” “Lift Up Your Heads” from “Messiah,” and Garry Cornell’s “One Perfect Flower.” The choir will close by surrounding the audience for its traditional Christmas concert blessing, “Stay With Us.”

Snyder said he hopes the concert offers a break from the stress of holiday preparations. “We want it to recharge your batteries and fill your soul,” he said. “May it help you do all the things on your to-do list in such a way that your work of Christmas is done with renewed enthusiasm. We look forward to seeing you and singing for you.”

The concert will be held at St. Paul Lutheran Church, 121 S. College St. in Newcomerstown. The church is wheelchair accessible. No tickets are required, but a freewill offering will be accepted to support the ministry of the Coshocton Community Choir. Additional information is available by calling the church office at 740-498-6682 between 9 a.m. and noon.

The Coshocton Community Choir is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. It relies on patron contributions and donations at concerts to meet its annual expenses. More information is available at CoshoctonCommunityChoir.org or by calling 740-623-0554.