A LETTER TO THE CHOIR

Dear all,

You might find it hard to believe, but the Calcot Community Choir started almost five years ago in 2012! Back then, Lindsay and Simon and I thought it would be a great project to bring people in the Calcot area together to do something fun and create some great music.

We didn’t have much of an idea of where it would go. I certainly had no clue how much fun it would be either - from staying up into the small hours writing music, to laughing together on our practice nights - it’s been the most rewarding and enjoyable thing I think I’ve ever done, and I’m so proud and thankful for what we’ve achieved together.

Recently, in 2016, I’ve been finding life very difficult. Some of you know already that I don’t sleep too well, and there have been other stresses on me too. My skin started peeling and I’ve been suffering from depression. I talked about it with a lot of people, and my friends and family all advised me to do less stuff - less work stuff, less church stuff and a few things I’d said yes to without thinking them through.

I am a follower of Jesus, and as a Bible-believing Christian, I decided that the best thing for me to do would be to focus everything down to the things I believe God has asked me to do. These things have always been leading the music team at church and song writing, first.

As a result, this means letting go of a few things, and I’m writing to you to let you know that in 2017, this means Calcot Choir too.

I chatted with the team (Lynn, Lindsay and Simon) and with Rob and Lesley who look after us, and we all felt that rather than struggle through trying to make it happen without a musical director, the choir in its current form should come to an end.

I know this will be a shock and a disappointment to you, as it is for all of us, and I’m really sorry about that. The choir has been brilliant for so many people, and it genuinely has been the one thing I’ve been involved in that I’ve enjoyed the most. This has been a really difficult decision to have had to make.

We’re going to have one last opportunity to meet together on Thursday, and we’d love you to come along if you can make it. I’m really happy to talk in a bit more detail about this and to share some great memories with you all... oh and of course, to answer any questions you might have.

In the meantime, I’d like to say thank you to everyone for helping create such a wonderful community, for singing your hearts out every time, from a mobile trailer in the park, to an icy garden centre with a Santa on a motorbike! From a too-small stage in the village hall to the crowded corner of the St Birinus building, you’ve been excellent, and we can’t thank you enough.

Please do stay in touch. It’s not our intention to keep silent and we really do love the friendship and passion you’ve shown over the years.

Yours with a song, always,

Matt