For over 100 years, Tulsa Area Lutheran churches have participated together in celebrating the birth of Christ in the presentation of the Christmas Portion of Handel's Messiah. Please visit our website for more details at: tulsamessiah.squarespace.com
The all-Lutheran presentation of Handel's Messiah began in 1921. Sara Ruby Kauffman, wife of the pastor of First Lutheran Church, suggested to thei
r choir that they present the Christmas portion of Handel's Messiah. At that time, no congregation or musical organization in Tulsa had attempted this challenging and beautiful music. Sibole, the small choir of First Lutheran Church began a tradition which has continued to enrich their heritage and the Tulsa community even today. From the beginning, the participants were made aware by their directors that they were taking part in a worship service - not for the purpose of entertainment. Originally, the accompaniment was limited to the small reed organ which Mrs. Kauffman pumped with her feet as she directed the soloists and choir. Costumes depicting the year of the Nativity were worn by everyone to better dramatize the narrative. In addition, the pageantry created by the soloists and chorus, colored slides were projected on a screen which enabled the worshipper to visualize the characters and circumstances of the Biblical text. Frances Wellman Anderson followed Mrs. Kauffman as director of this presentation for several years. In 1951, John Sibole, son of Barton Sibole, took over direction of the Messiah. In 1953, First Lutheran Church was temporarily without a church home and was faced with the problem of finding a place to present the Messiah. Grace Lutheran Church kindly invited them to present their service in their beautiful sanctuary. This invitation was gratefully accepted. It was that year the choirs from Grace and First joined together in presenting the Messiah. In 1954, First Lutheran was in their new church home and extended an invitation to all Lutheran churches in Tulsa to join in this Christmas message. In 1991, Leon Boggs took over the direction of the Messiah. Curtis Northrup assisted with the orchestra through 2003. Beginning in 2004, Jim Boatwright assumed direction of the orchestra. In 2019, Tulsa All Lutheran Messiah returned to Grace Lutheran Church and singers and instrumentalists from all over the area gathered for the 99th Presentation. In 2020 and 2021, the Covid-19 Global Pandemic kept us apart. In 2022, we were thrilled to be back for our 100th Presentation at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma. Our 100th Presentation was a great success; God is good! As we look to the 101st celebration, we are excited to be at Christ the Redeemer in Tulsa with Marjorie Hall conducting the chorus, Craig Amendt conducting the orchestra, and Terry Cast as organist. Over the years, the reed organ has given way to the pipe organ and the modern digital electronic organ. The colored slides, which were purchased in 1921, are still in use today. While some things have changed over the last 101 years, what has remained constant is God’s goodness to these musicians from the Tulsa-Area Lutheran churches and their friends who sing and play to His glory!
