Ellen Peterson lives her calling as First Reformed UCC’s Choir Director
Ellen Peterson can’t remember a time in her life that she didn’t love singing. Some of her earliest memories in life involve sitting on the porch swing at her grandparent’s house singing “You Are My Sunshine” with her grandmother, Laura Williams, or listening to cassette tape recordings of her grandfather, former Lexington Fire Chief Tommy Williams, singing barbershop tunes with the Firehouse Four. Although singing hasn’t always been easy (some of those college voice lessons and repertoire classes were challenging, to say the least) it has been fun and rewarding.
Ellen didn’t always imagine a life rooted in music. In high school she had various other ideas about possible career paths but none of them ever really felt like they were going to be the right fit. It wasn’t until her senior year when she realized that her calling was to be a choral director. She owes this decision, in part, to her high school choral teacher, Carol Riggs, and her mom, Carolyn Robbins, an amazing educator and all-around super woman. Once that choice was made, the path seemed clear. Ellen attended UNC-Greensboro to earn her degree in Music Education. She is now about to complete her 18th year as a high school choral director.
Almost 10 years ago Ellen was made aware of an opening for the choir director position at First Reformed UCC in Lexington. She, husband Jeremy and new son, Lucas, were living in Concord at the time but Ellen knew this was the right opportunity for her family. Ellen already knew many of the members of the First Reformed congregation and had worked with then organist LeeAnn Peele for several years on various Lexington Youth Theater productions. From the beginning, this church felt like family.
Ellen and husband Jeremy Peterson. {Contributed Photos}
First Reformed UCC is home to so many members that care about the community and share and show the love of God through a variety of ministries. Ellen feels both privileged and blessed to work with a wonderfully dedicated and caring group of choir members. Working with them to prepare weekly anthems for Sunday services, Christmas cantatas or other special services never feels like “work” at all but a couple of hours each week to spend laughing and singing with friends.
The sanctuary of First Reformed UCC is a beautiful place to gather and worship. But, for a musician, it is also an extraordinary place to perform. Ellen enjoys every opportunity she has to sing in this space or to hear the magnificent pipe organ, played most recently by the immensely talented Christopher Kiser. She has also hosted several choral concerts in this space over the years and, when the Lexington Choral Society, a group Ellen also directs, needed a larger location to rehearse in, FRUCC graciously allowed them to use the sanctuary.
In March of 2020, when the world was reeling from the uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic and many places were closing its doors and people were staying home to protect themselves and each other, FRUCC needed to make some decisions for how to best to share the Word of God and connect as a church family and community when we couldn’t gather together physically. For nearly a year, Ellen and church pastor Elizabeth Horton, along with many church members, collaborated to shift our worship services to a digital format. Although nothing could replace gathering together to worship, seeing the members of this congregation adapt and rise to the challenge of creating a meaningful, online worship service is something Ellen will treasure for years to come.
Singing is a gift from God and Ellen is thankful everyday for the opportunities that have been provided through this gift. Finding a job, but more importantly, a home at First Reformed UCC in Lexington is just another way she knows that God is leading her life in the right direction.
