Galilee Lutheran Hosts Cantata at Sunday Service

Galilee Lutheran Church hosted a special service Sunday featuring a cantata performed with the assistance of orchestral musicians from outside the church.

The musicians came from Catholic University of America and the U.S. Naval Academy Band.

"At least once or twice a year I hire professional musicians and we do a cantata based on either Holy Week or Easter itself," said the church's music director Joel Borrelli-Boudreau. "We usually add about 13 instrumentalists."

Borrelli-Boudreau said that while originally the cantatas were not especially popular, he increased interest in them by coupling them with a spaghetti dinner and later by incorporating them into the service itself. The money for the cantata came from the church's operating fund.

"It was better than the usual service, something special for the church," said congregation member Ray MacFarlane."People tend to look forward to this and get excited for it."

Borrelli-Boudreau said that another concert is planned for May 15 featuring pianist Todd Simon.

"We run concerts from September all the way up until May for community outreach," said Borrelli-Boudreau. "The concerts are free, but if people want to donate that's fine too."