Cindy and Stephen Hudson are our Ministers of Music whose primary responsibility is leading us as we worship our loving God through their gift of music! Cindy plays the piano and the organ while Steve directs our adult choir, provides special music and leads the adult bell choir periodically. Steve holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Music Education from Northern Conservatory of Music in Bangor, Maine, a Master of Church Music from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky, a Kodaly Music Institute Certificate from New England Conservatory of Music in Boston as well as an Orff Schulwerk, certificate in “Music Literacy and Movement”. Steve is currently a music teacher in the Worcester Public School system and was a trombonist in the United States Air Force Band. In addition to the trombone, Steve plays the trumpet, most of the wind instruments and has a great deal of experience with the church handbell choirs.
Cynthia Hudson is our Minister of Music whose primary responsibility is playing the organ and piano and leading us as we worship through music! Cindy holds a Bachelor’s degree in Music Education from the Northern Conservatory of Music, Bangor, Maine, and has been the organist at United Baptist Church in Saco, Maine, the First Baptist Church of North Oxford, as well as churches in Worcester, MA, and Prospect, Kentucky. She has taught private piano lessons and is currently the Executive Assistant in Events Management at Fidelity Investments
Steve is married to Cindy and their favorite role these days is as “grandparents”. They have three children, all of whom are now married with children of their own. Daughter Carole is married to Jonathan Olson and they have two children, Zachary and Abigail. David Hudson and his wife, Jennifer, are the parents of Jonah and Joshua. Ryan Hudson is married to Beth Socia and they are the proud parents of Ivy and Mikey.
Our praise band, For Higher, plays twice a month at the beginning of worship.For Higher began playing at Grotonwood, our American Baptist Camp where they led campers in opening worship at Sunday night Celebrate as well as mid-week block parties.Our For Higher friends are; Mark Malmquist who plays the keyboard (aka Tinkles); Chris Trout who plays bass (aka Boomer); Ed Blanchard on rhythm guitar (aka Knuckles); Lyle Webster who plays lead guitar (aka Noodles); and Lee Strathmeyer, who plays drums and percussion (aka Papa Bear).
Our Junior Bell Ringers are under the leadership of Anne Lee Ellis and Gail Shuttle.Both Anne Lee and Gail have donated countless hours of their time working with the children, teaching not only new musical skills, but also the joy and love of music!Anne Lee grew up in the church and the Bells are donated in loving memory of her mother, Miriam Silva.Anne Lee works in Ayer with preschool children who have autism.Gail learned to play the bells from former Pastor Ken Downes and now she co-directs the junior chimes. Gail is a staff member for an after school program working with Kindergarten and preschool children.She has traveled on all the recent church trips including trips to Alaska, Israel, LaPaz, Mexico and Louisiana (twice) for hurricane relief work. Both Anne Lee and Gail love working with the bells because it is a lot of laughs and keeps them young!
