Cornerstone

Taking the Journey

Stacy Curtis Grows Children’s Music Ministry

Stacy Curtis loves everything about her position as Children’s Choir Coordinator and Journey Youth Choir Director. “I thank God every day for bringing me here and using me in this way,” said Stacy. “It blesses me. It’s not a job; it’s my ministry.”

Stacy became the program director this past August after working for Covenant as the Assistant to the Musical Director for five years. Following in the footsteps of former directors Alice Sessi and Kay Ross is a tall task, but Stacy said she benefits from their continued involvement in the program. “I am so inspired by Alice and Kay, and am able to learn from them and draw from their experience and expertise. We all have strengths that are completely different and complementary of each other. We make an amazing team!”

Stacy, who started directing the first grade choir in 2005, said that it is fun to watch the kids progress, from instilling good habits in pre-schoolers, to seeing them become more independent in grade school, to watching them become leaders in middle and high school. “They come in as little bitty singers and then we see leadership qualities and true musicianship emerge. It’s fun to watch them grow.”

Before working at Covenant, Stacy was a middle school band director and later, worked in human resources. After she had her first child, she took some time off, until her parents, both Covenant members, told her about the opening with Tom Brown in 2005. It wasn’t long before she was recruited to direct the first grade choir. Two years into that gig, she took over choir direction for Journey, the middle and high school choir. She now directs that group, which has doubled in size since she started and has 20 members, and the second and third graders.

“Next year will be the first year that Journey will have children from the first grade choir that I taught. It’s fun for me to see the progression. At the same time, this is an opportunity to help to create and publicize the bridge between our children’s choirs and Journey.

To that end, Stacy credits Tom Brown with growing the multigenerational feel of some services, mixing up our adult choirs with our students. She aims to create more of that and encourage kids to stick with and join choir at any age.

“I want to continue to create a greater sense of unity between the children and youth choirs and make the transition seamless. We’ve done a lot to work toward that direction, but much more can be done.”