Drums, tambourines and bells are just some of the instruments that children will enjoy as part of A Joyful Noise Club, which will begin on Sunday, Sept. 11, at 9:30 a.m. at Parkesburg United Methodist Church (UMC), 411 Main St., Parkesburg.

The program, which is open to children ages 5 to 10, is being led by Ashley Radcliff, the church's music director. "We are going to be playing instruments, listening to different music and playing along and creating our own music," Radcliff explained. "I (lead) choirs and all kinds of performing groups. This will be something different. We will explore the idea of music and praise and why we like making music and not be afraid to make noise as opposed to having to get all the notes right."

The new club is open to all children, whether or not they are members at Parkesburg UMC, where the Sunday service begins at 10:30 a.m. "Parents can drop off their children in the music room, and there is coffee down in the fellowship hall. If they want to hang out, they're more than welcome," said Radcliff.

Instruments used in the program will include bongos, gathering drums, djembes, congas, steel drums, handchimes, a guitar and boomwhackers. "You just hit them on things. They are great, especially for the younger kids," Radcliff said of the boomwhackers. "We also have a keyboard, but you don't have to know how to play the piano."

Radcliff, who has a degree in music education, is the owner of Radcliff Music Studio, which meets in the education wing of the church. "I am a private music teacher, and most of (the instruments) belong to me," she noted. "Some of them have been donated to the church. (The collection) has accrued over the past decade."

In addition to her work in the music studio and at the church, Radcliff formed a community choir during the sesquicentennial celebration in Parkesburg, which commemorated the borough's 150th anniversary. The choir performed on May 22 in Minch Park.

"We had 40-some people from all different churches. We sang at the community church service," she said, noting that the choir is in the planning stages for another performance. "It was over and above what I had hoped."

Radcliff hopes that local parents will consider bringing their children to A Joyful Noise Club. "Music therapy is something I have always been interested in - not just teaching music for the sake of teaching music but teaching music as a way to help us as humans and further us spiritually and mentally," she said.

To register for A Joyful Noise Club, contact Radcliff at Ashley.L.Radcliff@gmail.com or visit https://bit.ly/AJoyfulNoiseClub. To learn more about the church, join the Parkesburg United Methodist Church public Facebook group.