*Feb.   LC ~   Love Concert;   Feb. 25th  -Ash  Wednesday
                   *Apr    LC ~   Lenten Cantata (Vesper)

                  PERFECT ATTENDANCE:   NAOMI  F. DAMIAN  (SOPRANO)
                        99%  (1 ABSENCE):   MILDRED  S.  GANADEN  (ALTO)

                [Note: This cantata was offered by Alex Cortez, in behalf of the Choir as
                symbolic  offering during a Simbang Umaga 1997.Alex personally selected
                this piece.]
Apr. 9th, 10th & 12th   Red-letter days for the Choir. The members came full force
                (well, almost!). Dean Paguio decided that the Choir would sing some of the
                songs on Good  Friday with the “orchestra.” (It was grand!). Naomi Damian
                and Gamy Viray each sang a solo. The Choir sang Handel’s “Hallelujah”
                with the Parish of the Holy Sacrifice Choir in the Easter Salubong at the
                Sunken Garden, and the  Easter Service Introit with  the Children’s Choir at
                the CRL Easter Service.

Activities lined up for the next quarter:  April 19th- Choir outreach at the Edificada Church in Malabon; Spiritual Enhancement/Retreat in May; Centennial celebration on June 14;  Choir outreach at San Pablo UCCP in June;  the 2nd Quarterly Fellowship in June under the leadership of the Tenors; Choir outreach at Nueva Ecija Edificada Church in July.
 

1.   Welcome to the Choir Family:  Heather Amit and Joy Toyco, who are both welcome  addition to the Soprano Section;  Helen Diaz, who also sings in the Pilipino Choir;   and the mother-daughter tandem of  Glo and Punay Caccam, who are balikbayans   to the Choir. Glo, who sings Soprano 2 has now embarked on the recruitment of  new members for the soprano section. The Choir will truly benefit from your  joining us. May  you stay on despite all odds!

2.   We’re missing the following:  Iris Daproza, Ging and Jojo Gutierrez, Aline Lagura, Ruth Ruiz, Nini Cipriano Pangan, Luz Cristobal, Raquel Espartero, Richard Larida, and the other choir members who have been “on vacation” for quite sometime.We need “in touch” volunteers to keep in touch with members who are absent or those who have not been coming.

3.    Congratulations to Joyce Ting for a successful graduation recital last March 21.  Joyce will graduate from the masteral program of the College Music this April.  She’s  been singing with the Choir since she enrolled in UP some two or three  years back. Would you believe that she has been  Sop 2, Alto, substitute conductor, substitute pianist in our choir? Well,  for now, she sings Alto but sits in the border, just in case the Sop 2 needs help.

Best wishes to Nini Cipriano who is now Mrs. Rey Pangan. The CRL  sanctuary was turned into a garden of  roses on her wedding day, March 14th.

4.    Condolences: to Manong Pope Covar on the death of his brother last February; to Manang Sofing Espartero whose sister died of cancer last March; and to Manang Phoebe Cruz whose niece died first week of April.

The Choir condoled with the the families of R. Gaffud and Prof. R. Demitillo by singing  during services held in their memory on Feb. 14th &16th for the former  and March 28th & 31st for the latter.

5.   Volunteers:  Puring Lozare, Secretary of the Working Committe, volunteered to keep track with our birthday and wedding anniversary celebrants. She’ll be our official  greeter.  Helen Diaz and Phoebe Cruz are our new choir gowns in-charge. If you have problems with your choir gowns, talk to them nicely and  don’t forget to say “Please.” They graciously accepted the request of the Working Committee. Our Liaison Officer, Letty Morales takes on another responsibility as treasurer of the  Choir. This is in preparation for projects we plan to undertake in the near future.

By the way, if you see Tim Aquino cleaning up the choir pews every after Sunday  worship, don’t be surprised. He makes it his business to do that regularly without  much ado. Alex Cortez volunteered to choose the choir pieces for May since Dean Paguio will go on vacation.

Thanks a lot to the volunteers. May your “type” increase.

6.    From the Spiritual Enrichment Committee Chairman:  The following take charge of the   meditations after of choir practice - Puring Lozare, May; Alex Cortez, June; Miriam Covar, July;  and  Jessie  Rubrico,  September.  If  you want  to  share in  any  of  these meditations, please volunteer  to the person in-charge for the month.

Important Reminder:  Please do not bring home your music folders without signing them out.And please remember to deposit your folders at the Music Room. Don’t just leave them anywhere.

7.    Music Coordinator. If you have noticed, the smooth proceeding in our rehearsals and worship singings, as well as in our outreaches and in the internal linkages at CRL,  you have one woman to thank -- Naomi F. Damian. She is our Music Coordinator  and she does a mean job. So let us support her by doing our  little parts, like putting  our music folders in the proper place and by heeding her requests from  time to time. She coordinates the Music Ministry of the Church.

8.  “Thank you for the food we eat!”  If you still don’t know by now the woman who always manages to provide us with delicious, yet within the budget, snacks and dinner during rehearsals and concerts, then you must be new in the Choir. She did that, too, last year. She wanted to give it up this year, though but, thanks be to God,  she relented to the request of  the Working Committee. Well, a round of applause to show our appreciation to Madame Miriam “Via Mare” Covar.

We also thank food donors for the quarter:  Ruth Ruiz,  Luz   Cristobal,   Puring  Lozare,  Angeling  Cipriano, Auring Pia, Miriam Calaguas, Tina and Tim  Aquino,  Reuben   and Mildred, and Belly Yanga. We also thank Glo Caccam who sometimes prepares a special pancit molo for us.

9.  Survey Forms   will be distributed. Please accomplish your form in the best way possible so you can help in the planning of our activities. After you do that, please return them to the president. Your cooperation is highly appreciated.

10.  “Sortie in the South.”  There is a proposal being floated around for a Choir tour to key cities in Mindano --Davao, Iligan, Cagayan de Oro-- passing by Silliman U. at Dumaguete in May next year.  What do you think about it? We need your comments, suggestions, and opinions regarding this. Please communicate.

ALL FOR NOW, FOLKS!  Just remember: Be informed and be involved. And as you sing to the Lord, listen as the Lord sings into your heart!