A video Merry Christmas to Greater Morristown
It’s been quite a holiday season around Greater Morristown. Chances are, you have not had as much time to savor it as you would like. So here is a video sampler of sights and sounds of the season. We start with our traditional greeting:
To see a playlist of 2011 holiday videos–including Santa’s dramatic landing on the Morristown Green, an exclusive MG Kids interview with the jolly elf, music of all stripes, festive greetings, and more–click the photo below:
CELEBRITY INTERVIEW: Harrison and Clayton Fleetwood of MG Kids with the man himself, St. Nick. Photo by Kevin Coughlin
Relive the glories of 2010–ride the choo-choo around the Green, boogie-woogie with Glen Burtnik, dance with The Nutcracker–by clicking this photo:
Diandra Marks in 'The Nutcracker.' Photo by Kevin Coughlin
To our friends far and wide, we wish you a safe and joyous holiday.
Video: Gather ’round, Morristown–MG Kids has the Scoop on Santa!
CELEBRITY INTERVIEW: Harrison and Clayton Fleetwood of MG Kids with the man himself, St. Nick. Photo by Kevin Coughlin
Great reporters must be in the right place at the right time. That’s how Clayton Fleetwood of Morris Plains scored the scoop of the century, landing an exclusive interview with Santa for MG Kids.
We can’t reveal the location–security reasons, you understand. But Santa and Mrs. Claus graciously took time out from their extremely busy schedules to set the record straight on all sorts of Yule topics, from the labor situation at the North Pole to Santa’s driving record.
So pour yourself some frosty eggnog, gather the children around the electronic hearth, and sit back for some holiday fun on Christmas Eve. Ho, ho, ho, Greater Morristown!
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ON TOP OF THE WORLD: Mr. & Mrs. Claus, at a secret location in Morristown. Photo by Kevin Coughlin
A video Christmas card to MorristownGreen readers from Liv & Jordy
This is one of the sweetest Christmas cards we’ve ever gotten.
Olivia Platt and Jordan Black — a.k.a. Liv & Jordy–radiate holiday cheer all year long. In fact, these veteran performers have been spreading their magic for many years. Not bad for high school sophomores!
To Liv, Jordy and their musical mentor, Grover Kemble of Za Zu Zaz fame, all we can say is thank you and . . .
A very Merry Christmas!
MORE HOLIDAY COVERAGE
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NOW: Liv Platt and Jordy Black during intermission at The Minstrel, Oct. 21, 2011. Photo by Kevin Coughlin
...AND THEN: Liv Platt and Jordy Black with a jolly friend aboard the Santa Train in 2008.
Turn up the volume, Morristown: The Liquid Church virtual choir is about to sing ‘Silent Night’
It’s hard enough to get 186 people to sing in synch, in tune, in the same room.
Now, imagine that some of the singers are in Australia, with others in Canada, England, Estonia, Mexico, Switzerland and, of course, New Jersey.
That’s exactly what Morristown’s Liquid Church has orchestrated. The church invited people from around the world to record Silent Night on their laptops and upload the videos to YouTube. Tech-savvy church members then spent one long day feverishly cobbling all the videos into a global carol-sing.
LONGER DEADLINES: Dave Adamson, reporter-turned-preacher, at Liquid Church in Morristown. Photo by Kevin Coughlin
“I was thrilled. It sounded 10 times better than I thought it would,” said Dave Adamson, online pastor for Liquid Church.
The trailer is posted here; the full production will premiere at Christmas Eve services in Morristown (noon, 2 pm, 4 pm at the Hyatt Morristown), Nutley and New Brunswick, and during an online service.
Liquid Church borrowed the idea from composer Ed Whitacre, who spoke at the annual TED (Technology, Entertainment, Design) conference about his popular experiment leading a 2,000-voice virtual choir.
To keep everyone in the same key, the church posted a reference video with musical accompaniment. Church member Jan Allen “conducted” the far-flung carolers. Dave, a guitarist and former Australian sports reporter, proudly says that no electronic “auto-tuning” was necessary in post production. Was anyone too awful to include in the final cut?
“All the other pastors here,” he replied.
Pleasant surprises included a woman who performed the song in sign language. Someone else submitted a Kermit the Frog impersonation. Others sang with their dogs. One entry even included a dancing Christmas tree in the background, Dave said.
From a technical standpoint, the toughest challenge for video editor Nick Chislett and audio engineer Tommy Hayes was the letter “S.” Some people draw it out, others clip it. It took 10 hours of painstaking editing to tame all this sibilance. The project had first-rate musical consultants in the husband-and-wife team of Elizabeth Southard and Gary Mauer, church members who have sung the lead roles in Phantom on Broadway.
Please click icon below for captions.
For Dave, 40, this is all far removed from his prior life as a Melbourne TV producer and reporter whose bread and butter was Australian football, a brutal stew of U.S. football, rugby, hockey and soccer that would have been a crowd-pleaser at the Roman Colosseum.
On his way to work, Dave would listen to podcasts of sermons by Tim Lucas, who started Liquid Church in Basking Ridge in 1999 and moved its headquarters to Morristown in 2007. The church says it has 2,000 “physical” members and between 200- and 300 who worship online.
Dave asked Tim if he could copy his formula down under; Tim hired Dave. Four years later, Dave and his family live in Madison and he preaches to an audience that includes . . . a lot of Aussies back home.
“I’ve gone from daily deadlines to one that’s longer-term,” Dave said. “Now, what I do has a lot more ongoing significance in people’s lives. It’s more important than football.”
He said virtual Silent Night attracted more singers than Ed Whitacre’s first attempt at this sort of thing. Next time, Liquid Church may solicit videos via email; some people are sheepish about posting YouTube videos that live forever.
“We asked people to step out of their comfort zones to sing publicly on YouTube,” Dave said.
But hey, aren’t churches in the Forever business?
A Spotless Rose Vespers Service Was a Musical Delight at Morristown’s Presbyterian Church
On Sunday, December 18, Director of Music at The Presbyterian Church in Morristown. Dr. Charity Wicks gathered together soloists, the Chancel Choir, the Men’s Chorus, the Recorder Consort, harp, cellos, flutes and organ in a holiday musical performance devoted to the Virgin Mary. Ms. Wicks joined the church last fall, and has has done a magnificent job directing the choirs and playing organ and piano during Sunday services, but this was her first time producing a special musical program here in Morristown, and the resulting performance was spectacular.
Lo, How a Rose, Four Movements, by John Leavett
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The highlight of the evening was ”Lo, How a Rose” by John Leavitt sung by the Chancel Choir and soloist Jayson Greenberg with accompaniment by cellists Amy Butler and Marnie Kaller, flutists Melissa Healy and Nancy Shearer and organist Dr. Charity Wicks. The entire performance can be heard from the media center of the PCM website.
Video: Merynda Adams and her heavenly holiday harp, from Morristown’s Methodist Church
We were fortunate to cadge a front row seat to this holiday concert. And now you have a front-row seat, too.
While we’re doing alliteration, how about this headline:
Merynda Mesmerizes Morristown Methodists…and Everyone Else, Too!
Merynda Adams truly was mesmerizing at the Morristown United Methodist Church way back on Dec. 1, when we still had another 23 shopping days till Christmas (depending on how you did the math). We have heard some lovely holiday performances since then, but this harp piece remains among the loveliest.
VIDEO: WHO KNEW HARP CAN SWING?
Merynda Adams performed Christmas carols from around the world for Music at Noon at the Morristown United Methodist Church. Photo by Kevin Coughlin
Christmas Eve – Three Different Services at The Presbyterian Church in Morristown
The Presbyterian Church in Morristown offers three services on Christmas Eve, Saturday December 24-something for everyone, but which one do you choose?
The Presbyterian Church in Morristown Celebrates Christmas
The 4 o’clock service allows families with children to worship together in a family friendly atmosphere. The service, led by the three children’s choirs, is directed by Alexandra Mead, Director of Christian Education, and Julie Ramseyer, Director of Children’s Music. The liturgy is told in story form, and the hymns are child friendly. Every child participates actively in the Nativity story. As the story unfolds, children bring wooden characters lovingly created by one of our long time members, Ernst Bolton, to the Chancel area of the church to give everyone a visual way to follow the scripture. One of the traditions most beloved by the youngest children right on up to the high schoolers is Cloth for the Cradle. The chancel is cleared, leaving only the crib. The children line up, pick a piece of fabric and place it on the cradle, decorating it for the baby Jesus. There is such a sense of awe on the faces of the children as they walk up to choose the fabric and oh so carefully lay it with the other pieces. The service ends with the spreading of the light through candles with a rousing singing of Joy to the World. The entire service is only about 45 minutes long, most important to those with young children.
A musical preview of the 11 pm service, to put you in the spirit:
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The 7:00 p.m. candlelight service begins with a prelude at 6:30 p.m. by the Ringers-on-the-Green high school bell choir. Along with congregational carols, arrangements of traditional carols are sung by members of Cantate Omnes and the Chancel Choir, including In the Bleak Mid-Winter and Away in a Manger accompanied by Director of Music, Charity Wicks on piano and cellist Marnie Kaller. The choir recapitulates the Christmas Story with a charming Christmas cantata In Nativitatem Domini/Canticum by Marc-Antoine Charpentier. In keeping with the candle-lighting tradition, the congregation sings Silent Night, with an introductory choral/piano piece that incorporates the beautiful carol tune called Tonight, Jesus is Born, by Eugene Englert.
The 11:00 p.m. candlelight service begins with a prelude at 10:30 p.m. by the Ringers-on-the-Green. The congregation sings carols together with special selections by the Chancel Choir and anthemsare anthems from around the world, including Jean Berger’s Alleluia, from “Brazilian Psalm”, Gesu Bambino by Pietro A. Yon, Videntes stellam by Francis Poulenc, and Away in a Manger, by Paul Sjolund. As midnight approaches, the congregation lights their candles and sings Silent Night, with an introductory choral/piano piece that incorporates the beautiful carol tune called Tonight, Jesus is Born, by Eugene Englert. At midnight, the lights are dimmed and the room is hushed; the church bell chimes 12 times; and then… a Bell Peal is heard, softly at first, from the back of the Sanctuary, and the Ringers-on-the-Green march down both aisles ringing in Christmas morning culminating with the congregational carol, Joy to the World.
Video medley: Carol of the (Jingle) Bells in Morristown
How many variations are there on a theme?
When it comes to Jingle Bells, they are endless, as some of Greater Morristown’s top musicians demonstrated during this holiday season.
Our video includes the Morris Choral Society Chamber Singers on the Green; Grover Kemble at the Morristown & Township Library; Harmonium at St. Peter’s Episcopal Church, and the Christmas Singers at the Morristown United Methodist Church.
It’s a perky tune and we hope it brings you good cheer.
Special bonus: One singer appears with more than one ensemble in our video. The first reader to name this performer wins a MorristownGreen.com t-shirt! We have a winner! The answer: Wayne Walters conducts the Morris Choral Society Chamber Singers and performs with the Christmas Singers.
Harmonium at St. Peter's in Morristown for its annual holiday concert. Photo by Kevin Coughlin
Harry Noble and Grover Kemble recreate a Greystone holiday sing-along, at the Morristown & Township Library. Photo by Willie Quinn
The Morris Choral Society carols on the Morristown Green on 'Black Friday' 2011. Photo by Kevin Coughlin
Author/historian John Cunningham cheers up Kay Brady, who was sad to be leaving Morristown's Methodist Church after many happy decades there. Kay is moving to Pennsylvania to be closer to her family. John and Kay enjoyed the annual holiday concert by the Christmas Singers. Photo by Kevin Coughlin
The Christmas Singers: Wayne Walters,Patricia Ruggles, June Van Thoen and Darren O'Neill. Photo by Kevin Coughlin
How the ‘Grich Spent Christmas, from Morristown cartoonist Paul Laud
Welcome to another episode from Morristown cartoonist Paul Laud.
This week: How the ‘Grich Spent Christmas!
Paul Laud is the author of ‘Laughing Out Laud, Tripping Over Party Lines’!
And check out our podcast with Paul.
Please click to enlarge
By Paul Laud
Seniors party makes the season bright in Morristown–and gives Mayor food for thought
Editor’s note: ‘Tis the season for holiday parties, and it’s been a busy season indeed for Morristown Mayor Tim Dougherty and his wife Mary, who emceed the annual seniors party at town hall last week, and threw another one on Saturday, funded by the nonprofit Tim Dougherty Children and Seniors Charity Inc. Here is a story about the town hall event.
By Berit Ollestad
Festive Christmas sweaters were the uniform of choice at the second annual seniors holiday luncheon in Morristown town hall.
Wayne Cresta, manager for the town seniors division, estimated more than 200 seniors came out on Dec. 14 to enjoy a little holiday spirit. He credited the turnout to Mayor Tim Dougherty’s rapport with seniors, and added “he was overwhelmed by the generous donations and support from local businesses.” (See list at bottom of story.)
Photos by Berit Ollestad
A senior named Anne expressed gratitude for “everything the town does for us at no charge to us.” She also made a point of sending accolades to local businesses for donating some great door prizes.
According to Ruth, a spry 87-year-old widow, “so many of us are alone and have out-lived everyone. It’s nice to come here and see the Christmas spirit is still alive.”
Ruth added that the town seniors center keeps her busy throughout the year, too, with field trips that have included the Seeing Eye campus and Washington’s Headquarters, her favorites.
While appreciative of the holiday cheer, seniors were not bashful about speaking their minds.
Joyce Small, 73, has lived in town since 1959 and was definitely not one to mince words.
“Property taxes are extremely way too high for us seniors. I feel like us seniors are carrying a lot of the burden for others because so many of us are home-owners. It’s a shame when young people are born and raised here and want to return to raise their families and they can’t afford a home because of the high taxes.”
Small likes that fact that Morristown is such a walkable town for seniors. She intends to encourage more seniors to get out and enjoy the variety of exercise classes offered weekly at the town’s senior center.
Mrs. Small wrapped up our conversation by noting: “A woman who tells her age tells everything.” Still, she claimed to have “more to tell.”
Mayor Dougherty seemed pleased with the large turn-out.
“If it gets any larger, we may have to consider knocking down some walls and windows” to accommodate the overflow, he said.
From L to R Andrea Margiotta, Monroe Kahn & Kai Murphy...volunteers and friends of the Morristown Senior Center. Photo by Berit Ollestad
Although he still has two years left in his term, the Mayor did not miss an opportunity to make a campaign pledge, assuring the seniors that if he runs again they can count on six more seasons of festive luncheons hosted by him and First Lady Mary Dougherty.
The Mayor added that he welcomes the feedback from these luncheons about “what we are doing right and possibly where we might have additional opportunities to improve our community.”
One area that could use some attention is transportation, according to Betty Dixon, 75.
Although she is still driving, she realizes there will come a day where that will no longer be an option.
“I don’t want to stay home,” Dixon said. “I worked a long time in the electronics industry and now I’m looking forward to enjoying my life of leisure by going places.”
MaryLee Foote, 65, felt that seniors don’t get all the services they are entitled to.
“I think everyone deserves a chance here, but it just seems like all the focus is being put on the immigrant population and we’re (seniors) being pushed aside,” she said.
That being said, Foote expressed appreciation for the Meals on Wheels service at the Early Street seniors housing.
“They have really made a difference in the lives of many of the seniors that they have served,” she commented. She also said the Mayor is valued in the senior community. “He speaks his mind and I like that. You might not always like what he has to say, but you know you aren’t going to get a bunch of fluff.”
Harriette Dorf has lived in Morristown for nine years and enjoys these types of events to see if she recognizes any old friends from the Burnham Park Pool.
“It’s wonderful to see the mayor here, and his wife is always here,” she said. And there was a rare sighting at the holiday party: An eligible bachelor among all the “ladies in waiting.”
Joe Lyle, 73 years young, is a life-long Morristown resident who points out, with a slight chuckle, that he was “born over at Burger King.” That was the original site of what is now known as the Morristown Medical Center.
JUST TRIM A LITTLE AROUND THE SIDES, PLEASE! A senior named James won a gift certificate to a hair salon at last week's holiday party in Morristown. Photo by Berit Ollestad
Wayne Cresta, the senior division manager, invited any senior with a problem or question to contact him at 973-292-6709 and he will do his best to sort things out.
Among those helping staff the party were Ruby Green, Kathleen Seale, Marijane Brandeau, Linda Politowski and Darlene O’Connellfrom town hall.
Concluding the festivities, First Lady Mary Dougherty presented the day’s final prize to a senior named Shirley. She will be dining with a guest of her choice and the Mayor and First Lady at Roots Steakhouse on the Green.
One of the more humorous door prizes, as it turned out, was a gift certificate from the Blowout hair salon to a senior named James… whose smooth scalp does not appear to need much styling.
The town extends its thanks to donors who made the 2011 seniors holiday party possible:
Accents on Knits
Acme
Amici Hair Design
Aura Salon & Spa Menu
Anthony’s Pizza & Pasta
Arthur’s Tavern
Blowout Hair Salon
Brick Oven
C’est Cheese
Capital One Bank
Cappa Café
Century 21 Department Store
Cherished the Moment
Christy’s hair salon
Clearview Cinemas
Collins’ Pub
Community Theatre
Delta Dental
Dublin Bar
Edible Arrangements
EmbroideMe
Facelogic skincare spa
Famished Frog
Foodtown
George & Martha’s
Ginty’s Irish Gifts
Gladstone Bank
Glassworks
Grand Café
Grasshopper on the Green
32. Greenberry’s Coffee & Tea
Guerriero’s Restaurant
Hennessey’s
Hunan Wok
International Pottery
Jersey Boys Bagels
Lin’s Palace
Longfellow’s Deli
Macho Nacho
Main Event By Melody
Milano’s Gourmet Pizzeria
Molnar Pharmacy
Monark Salon & Spa
Morris Museum
Morristown Deli
Morristown Diner
Morristown Gourmet Coffee Shop
Morristown Partnership
Nagano Japanese Restaurant
Neoteric Cosmetics
New York Jets
Pazzo Pazzo
Peter’s Pizzeria & Pub
Plaza Barber Shop
Pomodoro’s Pizza
Portofino
Provesi of Morristown, Inc.
Raul’s Empanadas Town
Rod’s Steak & Seafood Grille
Salon Botanique
Sebastian’s Steak House
Settebello IL Caffe
Shoprite Supermarket
SmartWorld Coffee
South Street Creamery & Café
Sweet Lucy’s
Swiss Chalet
Tashmoo Restaurant & Bar
TD Bank: Pens
The Artist Baker
The Office
Thee Nail Salon
Tito’s Burritos
Tiffany’s Restaurant
Tim Schaefer’s Cuisine
Top’s China
Villa Café
Walgreen
Wal-Mart
Washington Barber Shop
White’s Pharmacy
Door Prizes:
Accents on Knits: Three 1½ hour classes Certificate
Amici Hair Design: haircut and blowout
Arthur’s Tavern: $25 gift certificate
Aura Salon & Spa: Gift basket including $100 gift certificate
Blowout Hair Salon: $50 gift certificate
Century 21 Department Store: Gift Basket
Cherished the Moment: gift basket
Christy’s hair salon: haircut and style
Clearview Cinemas: Admission tickets for two
Clearview Cinemas: Admission tickets for two
Collins’ Pub: $30 Gift certificate
Community Theatre: 2 tickets Bobby Collins
Community Theatre: 2 tickets Bobby Collins
EmbroideMe: Polar Fleece Jacket ($40 value)
Facelogic skincare spa: Signature facial
George & Martha’s: $40 Gift Certificate
Ginty’s Irish Gifts: $10
Glassworks: $25 gift certificate
Hennessey’s: $50 gift certificate
International Pottery: $5 Gift Certificate
Molnar Pharmacy: gift basket
Monark Salon & Spa: manicure gift certificate
Monark Salon & Spa: manicure gift certificate
Morris Museum: 2 tickets to Bickford Theatre voucher
Morristown Partnership: Gift certificate
Morristown Partnership: Gift certificate
New York Jets: signed football
Pazzo Pazzo: Diner for Two Certificate
Plaza Barber Shop: Free Haircut
Plaza Barber Shop: Free Haircut
Salon Botanique: haircut gift certificate
Tashmoo Restaurant & Bar: $50 gift certificate
Tashmoo Restaurant & Bar: $50 gift certificate
Thee Nail Salon: manicure
Thee Nail Salon: manicure
Thee Nail Salon: manicure
Tiffany’s Restaurant: $25 gift certificate
Walgreens: gift stocking
Wal-Mart: Coffee pot
Wal-Mart: confection oven
Washington Barber Shop: $15.00 haircut
White’s Pharmacy: Gift Basket
Lists courtesy of Wayne Cresta, division of seniors services
