What a joy it is to welcome Lydia Lane Stout as our Music Associate for Children and Youth! Lydia will direct our children’s and youth choirs as well as work with our Chancel Choir and Joyful Ringers to help us envision collaboration opportunities for all ages. Lydia recently received her Master of Music in Choral Conducting from Michigan State University. While working toward her degree, Lydia directed a church choir at First Congregational UCC in Grand Ledge, Michigan and two children’s choirs through the Michigan State University Community Music School where she launched a free satellite choir program in Lansing public schools.

After graduating from Oberlin in 2012, Lydia joined the Chicago Children’s Choir as an In-School Conductor, directing eighteen children’s choirs around the city. While in Chicago, she founded and directed Common Pulse, a professional vocal ensemble, as well as the Admiral Chorus, an ensemble for retired singers living at The Admiral at the Lake. In addition to her conducting positions, Lydia sang with Peregrine Vocal Ensemble and Wicker Park Choral Singers.

Lydia and her husband live in Logan Square where they share their home and music studio with their cats, Wrinkle and Time. Outside of GCC, Lydia can be found directing choirs at the Youth Choral Theater of Chicago, teaching private lessons, singing in Mirabai, nurturing Common Pulse, practicing yoga, and taking too many pictures of her cats!

Voices of GCC
A choir for grades 3-8, with weekly rehearsal on Sundays from 11:30 a.m. - 12:45 p.m. meets September through May, in Room 201. Voices of GCC, directed by Lydia Lane Stout, sings for Sunday worship about once a month as well as for the Christmas Pageant and the 3:00 service on Christmas Eve. Each year they prepare a musical or special worship service.

Primary Choir
A choir for grades K through 2, directed by Lydia Lane Stout, with weekly rehearsal on Sundays from 9:15 to 9:45 a.m. September through May, in Room 201. The Primary choir sings for Sunday worship about five times a season.

Sunday Church School
Children learn various songs and enjoy singing in the children’s worship time each Sunday at 10:00 a.m. with volunteer leaders. The Pre-School children sing with Lydia Lane Stouteach Sunday at the end of the Sunday school hour. The children share their songs in worship on occasion.