Summer Knudsen and Hallie Farnsworth of Rancho Santa Margarita
Photo taken by Margie Dayley
When Sterling Brennan, Santa Margarita Stake President from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, welcomed the Saturday audience to the 20th annual Sing Noel Concert, there was a sadness in his voice not typical of his usual personality.
He welcomed the audience to a Christmas concert celebrating the birth of Christ and then commented on the Connecticut tragedy that touched the hearts of the entire world. He spoke of his testimony of life after death and how “these sweet and innocent children are now safe and in the tender care of a loving Heavenly Father.” He plead with the audience to pray for those families who remain here to suffer their tragic loss.
Margie Dayley, Lake Forest resident and Sing Noel music director for the children’s choir, had a idea on how the performing children, ages 8-12, could help. On Sunday, while waiting for their performance time slot near the end of the Sing Noel performance, the children were told they were going to make Christmas/sympathy cards for the Sandy Hook Elementary children in Newtown, Connecticut.
“Most of the children knew about the incident and they wanted to help,” said Mrs. Dayley. Marilyn Lamb, Portola Hills resident and assistant music director, and Mrs. Dayley explained to the children that the cards needed to be filled with hope and faith. “I was really touched by the love I saw in those cards. When I laid out the cards on the floor to take a picture I was overcome with the emotion,” said Mrs. Dayley.
All the cards the children made during Sing Noel to send to Sandy Hook
Photo taken by Margie Dayley
Those emotions came in to play again when the children entered the concert in single file singing with the adult choir, “We are the children of Christmas, to the manger we have come.” “I don’t think there was a dry eye in the audience when the children entered”, said Kathleen Tobler, RSM resident and Sing Noel pianist. After the two children’s choir selections, the concert ended with two songs with three choirs totaling 262 musicians singing “Peace, Peace” and the “O Holy Night”.
Sing Noel children’s choir sing “All I Want for Christmas is a Silent Night”
Photo taken by Kärstin Lake
The adult choir, the youth choir, the children’s choir and the orchestra all had separate parts to sing in the final numbers. Sunday’s night concert ended with a standing ovation. Yvonne Sealy, Lake Forest resident and adult choir director, said, “After 20 years of Sing Noel concerts the combined choir number is always the favorite. Sing Noel brings performers and audience members together to remember the birth of our Savior.”
Karen Lake
