Ukulele music gives congregation’s Christmas an island vibe
Christmas has an island vibe at First United Methodist Church Missouri City this year — thanks to a band of carolers strumming ukuleles.
The classics, like “Away in a Manger,” “What Child Is This?” and “Feliz Navidad,” were performed for a Christmas concert and worship service this month with that aloha uke sound.
The unique music ministry started over the summer — and the band got back together for Christmas, due to popular demand.
Forming a church ukulele ensemble came from a conversation between organist and director of worship Melissa Burnham and Justin Langham, the church’s director of traditional worship music.
Burnham had read an article about another church that incorporated ukuleles into a service. “This would be cool to try,” she told Langham.
He was in total agreement.
“I’m always open to trying new things,” Langham said.
He had dabbled with the instrument in college and believed the ukulele would be a good addition to a church’s musical repertoire.
The strings are made of nylon, which do not hurt while learning to play, he explained. The size of the instrument also makes it easier to form chords by children who might struggle to reach around a guitar neck. Also, the ukulele is light enough for anyone to carry or hold.
“It’s an easy instrument for anyone to pick up,” Langham said. “And it doesn’t require any advanced training.”
He offered to start a church ukulele ensemble. The idea was that the group would meet after Sunday sermon for four weeks — to practice briefly, 30 minutes each time. Then, at the culmination of the session, they would perform one Sunday morning and play hymns for the congregation.
Langham spread the word through the church newsletter. Those who already had ukuleles could bring their own instruments to practice. Or, the church offered to order ukuleles for $50 each.
Langham was not sure how many would try their hand at the instrument. “I would have been thrilled with seven or 10,” he said.
But orders for ukuleles kept coming in. “That first rehearsal, I showed up with a huge box full,” he said. Twenty members joined the ensemble.
“We had a wide swath of skill level and ages,” Langham said. “Some people had been playing their whole lives — and some had never played an instrument before.”
Sisters Norah and Charlotte Young are both talented musically, but neither had ever picked up a ukulele.
“We figured it wouldn’t be too hard,” Charlotte, 13, said. “Justin told us that the ukulele is one of the easier instruments to play.”
For Norah, 10, who plays guitar, the ukulele came naturally.
“It was very easy to pick up,” she said. “Once you have three or four chords, you can play a plethora of songs.”
Both enjoyed joining older congregants for practice. “We all laughed at our mistakes,” Charlotte said. “It was awesome.”
Sugar Land resident Milly Cooper had not picked up the ukulele for years until she read about the ensemble in the church newsletter. “I thought, ‘Oh my gosh, that would be fun,’” she said.
She convinced two other members of her Sunday school class to join as well. All three decided to play in honor of their friend Linda Powell, who is battling cancer.
Powell would later end up watching the ukulele concerts at home and playing along. “The experience of learning to play the ukulele, at 81, has been a joy and so much fun,” she said. Langham had never taught ukulele before — but he quickly discovered that he still remembered the basics. He was ready to pass on the basic chords and strumming patterns.
“They took to it really quickly,” he said.
The new musicians learned how to hold and tune their instruments.
“Then we practiced and practiced at home,” Cooper said. “There were those who struggled, and some who had never played before. But we all had a good time. It was something very special for the congregation.”
What impressed Langham most was his students’ enthusiasm. “They were playing at home and just loved it,” he said.
Finally, everyone was ready to show off their new skills at a concert in early August, during the worship service.
“We were all wearing Hawaiian clothes,” Norah said. “It was a laughing and loving environment. We played the songs and everyone sang along.”
The musicians played “Amazing Grace” and Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah,” and Langham took it away on a solo during “Somewhere Over the Rainbow.”
After each number, the congregation burst into thunderous applause.
“It was a blast,” Langham said. “Immediately, everyone said, ‘Please don’t let this be the last time.’ It was just so much fun.”
He began brainstorming how to keep the music ministry going. “I immediately started thinking about Christmas,” he said.
Rehearsals restarted in early November, with a Christmas concert and ukulele worship service on the calendar for December.
“We showed up, ready to go,” Cooper said.
“We had a lot of repeat customers and a couple of new faces,” Langham added.
Because of the range of skill levels, Langham made various musical options to allow the musicians to progress at their own pace.
“I have to make sure the music is accessible for those still learning and who are early on in their ukulele skill development,” he said. “But I also have to make sure the people who have been playing for a long time don’t get bored.”
Charlotte Young explained that Langham made it fun for all involved. “It brings everyone together, which is really cool.”
The ukulele ensemble has given church music a whole new spin, Cooper said.
“People say, ‘I don’t sing,’ and they think that’s the only way to be involved,” she said.
The music ministry has decreased the gap between people in the pews and those in the choir.
“Justin’s mind is always looking for something different,” she said. “We’ll see if he comes up with a harmonica group next.”
Langham said members he had never met before signed up for the ensemble.
“Now they’re not just sitting in the pews,” Langham said. “They’re participating and leading worship. They’re a part of it.”
His goal is to show parishioners how music can be a tool to express faith. “Really, all I’ve ever wanted to do my entire life is to move people through music,” Langham said. “Music’s power is to move people; it brings people together. It’s a way to connect everyone.”