The Tucker Community Chorus has been practicing for the annual Christmas performance for many weeks and will soon be presenting this year’s concert, “On this Christmas Night,” for the enjoyment of local audiences.

The selections range from beautiful hymns and carols to upbeat arrangements of long-time favorites and show tunes. The Chorus, which is always recruiting folks who enjoy sharing their voices, meets weekly from September until the chorus date (plus occasional sectional practices) and will be performing on Sunday at 3 p.m., Dec. 7 at St. John Lutheran Church in Davis; then at 7 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 8, they will present the concert at First United Methodist Church in Parsons.

There will be several special solos and group selections, a Christmas medley on piano by Betty Sturm, as well as the outstanding and unique talent on bells (in Davis only) by Ruth Bullwinkle

The group has had several conductors over the past 40 years, including Bob and Barb Jones, Brian Flanagan, Beth Segessimin, Mark Joseph, Michael Stiles and, for the last several years, Sandy Shaffer. During the COVID pandemic, Tucker Community Chorus members gathered outside, on the steps of the courthouse, and presented a somewhat down-sized concert in order to keep some semblance of community in an otherwise radically different Christmas season.

Fourth of July Concerts were a big part of TCC’s yearly offerings for many years. Sadly, it became impossible for folks to dedicate time for the months of weekly practices needed for two concerts per year. As a result, much effort is concentrated on a joyous Christmas concert. The hope is that people will gather at one of the churches (St. Paul’s Lutheran, Davis at 3 p.m., Dec. 7, or First U.M. Church, Parsons at 7 p.m., Dec. 8) as their friends and neighbors celebrate the season in song.