Celtic Harpists in Worship at First Presbyterian Church

As part of the special Celtic Advent Worship series in December, First Presbyterian Church of San Rafael is featuring two harpists at their Sunday morning services on December 8th. They will be playing special pieces as well as Christmas carols.

Diana Stork is well-known in the harp world for her style which incorporates traditional world music and contemporary harp traditions. An active performer & teacher - she can be heard on dozens of albums, including SacredLight on the At Peace Music, and her newest recording, Music from the Labyrinth, inspired by her years of playing at Grace Cathedral in San Francisco. She is director of the Multicultural Music Fellowship, a non-profit dedicated to bringing the world together through the harp. www.harpdancer.com

Laurel North is considered one of the Bay Area's most prominent players of Celtic harp music, with a specialty in Session music. She has performed for years in the Bay Area Youth Harp ensemble, and now performs with the ensemble at special events throughout the Bay Area. An avid arranger of Celtic music for the harp, she performs in her harp duo Cross Harps.

Stork and North will present Non Sofre - From “Cantigas de Santa Maria,” Christ Child’s Lullabye a traditional Hebrides tune, and The Little White Rose by Bennet Hammond. They will also play the familiar carol "O Come, O Come Emmanuel."

The guest musicians are part of the Celtic Advent series. According to Rev. Cynthia Cochran-Carney, Pastor of First Presbyterian Church, the congregation's roots as well as her own, go back to Scotland. "It is meaningful to explore how Celtic Christian spirituality and themes are connected to the biblical Christmas story. On Dececmber 8th, we will be focusing on the Celtic concept of Anam Cara which means 'Soul Friend.' In the Celtic tradition, there is a beautiful understanding of love and friendship. In the early Celtic church, a person who acted as a teacher, companion, or spiritual guide was called an anam cara. In the Gospel of Luke, we can consider Elizabeth and her cousin Mary to be soul friends as they shared their pregnancies and encouraged each other to give birth to new life, faith, hope and justice in the world."

Following the 10:00 service, all are invited to do some holiday shopping at the Alternative Gift Market in Canoles Hall. Local and Global non-profits will sell fair trade, environmentally sustainable and reasonably priced holiday gifts that create positive change for refugees and help people break the cycle of poverty. Alternative Gift Market Dec. 8.

The community is invited to worship at First Presbyterian Church. The 8:30 am service is held in the chapel and is a quiet, contemplative worship service. The 10:00 am service is held in the sanctuary and is service of singing, prayer, and readings. The church is located at 1510 5th Ave in San Rafael. It is handicap accessible - use Mission street entrance. For more information, see www.fpcsr.org or call 415-456-6760.