It may only be September, but Tom Berdos has Christmas on his mind. The director of music at Chiques United Methodist Church (UMC) is organizing a December performance of Handel's "Messiah," and he's looking for community members to join the choir.

Rehearsals for the choir will be held on Wednesdays beginning Oct. 5 from 7 to 8 p.m. in the sanctuary of the church, 1215 E. Main St., Mount Joy. The choir is open to anyone in the community. "Music reading skills are very helpful, as is prior choir singing, but not required," Berdos noted. He added that he can accept up to 85 singers for the choir but would consider expanding that number if there is enough interest.

Berdos has been organizing a community performance of "Messiah" for more than 20 years at various locations. This will be his second year conducting the concert with Chiques UMC.

He said the music has a long-lasting appeal. "Handel's 'Messiah' is a tradition at Christmastime for many," he said. "It is always a well-attended concert, so community interest is well established. I like to offer people a chance to sing in this that may otherwise not be able to join a choir. This gives people a chance to sing a beloved masterwork without a weekly commitment to singing with the choir."

Berdos encourages anyone with an interest in participating to join the chorus. "It's a free opportunity to come out and use your voice, enjoy the company of others, learn and laugh, do something meaningful for yourself and the audience," he remarked. "There are always people singing it who know the music, so if you don't, you'll have their help in learning it."

He noted that the choir is always composed of a wide range of people. "We have singers in high school, singers in their 80s, and all ages in between," he stated. "We have had grandparents sing with their grandchildren, as well as parents singing with their kids. Married couples come to sing as a date night."

The performance of "Messiah" will be held at 4 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 11. The location of the concert will be announced closer to the date. To sign up to participate in the choir, contact Berdos at ccmusic.tom@gmail.com.