The Poor Handmaids of Jesus Christ held their Messiah Concert at the Ancilla Domini Chapel in Plymouth on Saturday, November 18.
A choir of more than 30 professional singers, along with an orchestra of skilled musicians, collaborated to create an evening of wonderful music. Andrew Jennings, director of liturgy and music for the Poor Handmaids of Jesus Christ, noted that this performance has been rehearsed since August.
“We’ve been working diligently for this night,” Jennings said.
“All of our musicians, along with our marketing team, have done a wonderful job. It takes a complete group effort.”
The performance put the most emphasis on the Christmas portion for the Messiah with winter looming.
Jennings takes pride in the Poor Handmaids of Jesus Christ being able to offer the community entertainment through their concerts and recitals.
“Every performance that we do at the chapel here is free,” Jennings said. “We just have a strong belief that music has the transcendental power to create a positive impact for people.”
This was the first time the Poor Handmaids of Jesus Christ conducted this performance since 2019. Last year, they received an installation for a new pipe organ.
While it’s been a while since the last time a lot of people participated, the Poor Handmaids of Jesus Christ offers everybody interested with an opportunity to share their musical abilities.
“We try to make the public see this as a space,” Jennings said. “It’s more than just a space for the sisters, but everybody in the community. We encourage people to come and pray or experience this with us.”
The Messiah concert also consisted of several soloists for the evening, including J.R. Fralick and Jessica McCormack.
Fralick was ecstatic to perform one of his favorite pieces for his friends in attendance.
“This was one of the first things I ever learned as a tenor,” Fralick said. “I’ve probably sung the Messiah more than 70 times. It’s always a terrific experience, especially to do so in this beautiful place.”
McCormack lives just north of Boston, Massachusetts. When she heard Jennings express his interest in getting people together for this concert, she couldn’t help but accept.
“Whenever I’m asked to come and sing, I always say yes,” McCormack said. “I’ve had a relationship with singing here for about a decade now. It’s always incredible to see how much love we get from the community.”
Margaret Anne Henss and Carole Langhouser, two of the sisters for the Poor Housemaids of Jesus Christ, had major parts in putting together a successful ensemble.
“We’re happy that there was such an amazing turnout for this performance,” Henss said. “It’s only possible to do these things with a great group and we have that. We receive a ton of help in our ministries to heal the sick, provide mental health, and put together special events when we can.”
At the end of the performance, everybody stood up and sang Hallelujah in unison.
“Seeing everybody stand up and react to Hallelujah was special,” Langhouser said. “Everybody was ready for that moment. It’s heartwarming to be a part of that and recognize what message you’re sharing with them.”
“It’s a very exciting performance,” Jennings said. “I love playing liturgy for mass. Bringing people for not only prayer but also music and allowing them to speak on their own terms that touches the soul. It’s really indescribable for me and an absolute joy to be a part of.”
Looking ahead, the Poor Handmaids of Jesus Christ will have their next big performance on December 3. Kevin Vaughn, who played harpsichord for this concert, will be performing an Advent Christmas concert on the organ.
For more information on the Poor Handmaids of Jesus Christ, you can visit their website https://poorhandmaids.org/
