Central Lutheran Church, in the heart of the city, welcomes all people to celebrate, discover and share the love of Christ.

Central's Musical Organizations

Central’s music ensembles

First and foremost, the musical organizations of Central Lutheran focus on providing music for the congregation’s worship services. In addition to lectionary based anthems, choral ensembles regularly present musical offerings in the form of psalm settings, liturgical chants, service propers and choral stanzas of hymns. Central’s bell choir often participates in offerings during the prelude, the gathering of offerings and time during the distribution of Holy Communion.

The Central Choir numbers 60 singers and sings most regularly at the 11:00 a.m. service, and occasionally at 8:30.

In addition to participation in the weekly Sunday liturgies, the choir also presents larger works with orchestra at the morning services during the course of the year. These include the annual Advent Choral Service (usually the third Sunday in December), the Eastertide Cantata Sunday (usually the first Sunday in May) and the annual Summer Cantata Sunday (last Sunday in July or first Sunday in August). The choir’s repertoire includes everything from Palestrina to Proulx, from Willan to World Music.

The Cantorei is a small ensemble of 16 to 20 singers which focuses on music from the Renaissance and Baroque eras as well as compositions requiring a smaller group of voices. The ensemble sings for both 8:30 and 11:00 a.m. Sunday services once per month and rehearses twice a month on Wednesdays from 6:15 to 7:00 p.m.

You can listen to samples of our choirs music from the Worship section of our web site.

Central’s Musical Instruments
The organ in the main sanctuary was built by Casavant Frères, Lté in 1963. It numbers 108 ranks and serves as the main instrument in Central’s worship services.

Forty-seven bronze bells comprise the Central Lutheran Church carillon. The bells were cast in Annecy, France by the Fonderie Paccard, a 250 year old firm. The five lowest bells are mounted on a mechanism which allows them to swing, creating the peal we hear each Sunday at the conclusion of worship. The largest bell weighs 4,800 pounds. The carillon is located in a 139 foot tower, with a manual play station on the tower's sixth floor, and a remote electro-pneumatic keyboard in the east chapel. The carillon was played for the first time at Christmas services in 2005 and dedicated on Founder's Day, Palm Sunday, 2006, marking the 87th year of Central's ministry in the city.

A nine rank mechanical action instrument by Van Daalen (1970s) resides in the rear gallery. This small yet diverse instrument is used to accompany small ensembles such as the Cantorei and instrumental groups or soloists.

Central’s Steinway “B” piano was purchased in 2001 and is heard regularly during concerts and worship services.

For over 86 years, Central Lutheran has served the downtown Minneapolis community by providing a rich traditional worship experience. Everyone is welcome here.

Our services are broadcast on the radio each Sunday. See our web site for station and time.

Visit ... centralmpls.org

Central Lutheran Church
333 South Twelfth Street,
Minneapolis, Minnesota 55404
Phone: 612-870-4416

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