Fall 2026 Sacred Choral Releases

I always thought I would be a high school band director. Ever since picking up a French horn in fifth grade and joining the band program, it was the path I imagined for myself. In high school, my teachers encouraged that dream by letting me take independent study classes—working through theory books, accompanying middle school choirs, and experimenting with instruments in the band room.

I carried that passion to Wartburg College and immersed myself in music. I played French horn in Wind Ensemble, accompanied the Ritterchor men’s choir, and played keys in the Knightliters Jazz Band. One memory stands above the rest. During my senior year, just before the Christmas with Wartburg tour, I was asked to lead the devotional at our final dress rehearsal. I asked the tech to dim the auditorium lights, and the warm-up chatter faded.

“A light shines in the darkness,” I said as I lit a candle. Its small flame warmed the vast room. We reflected on how something so small can still illuminate distant corners. Amid finals, travel plans, and decisions about jobs and student teaching, we returned our focus to that candle. I felt deeply aware of the moment—surrounded by friends who had become family, preparing to create something beautiful together.

“The music we’re about to create,” I continued, “is a light in the darkness. It will help someone find their way, comfort the hurting, and bring community to those who feel alone. We light the candle, and the light will find its way to the corners.”

Music helps us navigate a heavy, busy world. Whether through songs that reveal where we see God at work, remind us of God’s protection, or reflect on that awe-filled night in Bethlehem, the new fall releases in the Choristers Guild catalog are candles guiding our communities through the seasons ahead.

God is our strength and our song.
Not one sparrow is forgotten.
God calls us all.
I see God!
Picture it, a lovely night.
Will you light a candle?

I can't wait to hear how these candles burn brightly with your choirs, filling the world with hope, peace, joy, and love.

Katie Houts
Choristers Guild Sacred Choral Editor