Stand in That River

October 17, 2026 •  5:00pm
First Congregational Church of Evanston
1445 Hinman Ave, Evanston

Audience reception to follow concert, please join us!

October 18, 2026 •  3:00pm
St. Paul’s UCC
2335 N Orchard Street, Chicago

Purchase Tickets

Concert Broadcast
October 25, 2026

Broadcast Access

Concert Receptions
Join your fellow audience members, singers, CCC board and staff for a light wine & cheese reception following each Saturday evening performance! Have a chance to catch up with singers, talk about your favorite piece on the program, and enjoy the CCC community. 

Thank you to our reception sponsors ROGERS PARK SOCIAL AND PROVISIONS

Stand in that River explores what it means to maximize our lives, to live and work in a society that values work above all else. What does it mean to be productive, what does it mean to just live?

Anchored by Chicago-based composer Ayanna Woods’ Infinite Body, a piece that examines the impact unseen societal forces have on our bodies and spirits. Other works on the program ask questions about healing, about being, and about living. Ralph Vaughan Williams’ Valiant-for-truth prepares us for the journey, Mahler’s Ich bin der Welt abhanden gekommen mourns the world, Tallis’s “Agnus Dei” from Missa Puer natus est seeks peace. We rejoice with Bach in his motet Fürchte dich nicht, ich bin bei dir. And Moria Smiley’s Stand in That River is a secular folk-spiritual that uses water as a potent symbol of struggle and freedom. We end with Arnold Sevier’s arrangement of Precious Lord.

Program

Valiant-for-truth — Ralph Vaughan Williams

Infinite body (1. Infinite growth) — Ayanna Woods (Chicago premiere)

“Ich bin der welt” from Rückert-lieder — Gustav Mahler, arr. Gottwald

Infinite body (2. One body) — Ayanna Woods (Chicago premiere)

“Agnus Dei” from Missa Puer natus est  — Thomas Tallis 

—

Fürchte dich nicht, ich bin bei dir, BWV 228 — JS Bach 

Infinite body (3. Do be do) — Ayanna Woods (Chicago premiere)

Stand in that river — Moira Smiley (Chicago premiere)

Infinite body (4. Golden hour) — Ayanna Woods (Chicago premiere)

Precious Lord – arr Arnold Sevier 

Collaborating Artists

Rebekah Dotzel, cello

Tickets

  • Adult: $32

  • Student (13+): $15

  • Kids 12 and under: FREE

  • Group (11 people or more): $25

  • Broadcasts: $15 suggested donation

Parking and Transit Options

Saturday at First Congregational Church of Evanston

The building is just east of Raymond Park, between Grove and Lake streets.

Parking

Ample street parking is available on the streets around the church.

Transit

We are walking distance from the Dempster Purple Line stop.

Sunday at St. Paul’s UCC, Chicago

Parking

The church parking lot is at 634 W Kemper Pl.

  • All parking is first-come, first-served, with the below exceptions. 

  • The east half of the parking lot is rented to Lincoln Elementary on school year weekdays from 8am to 4pm.

  • There are reserved parking spaces on the west side of the parking lot for renters, from 4pm to 8am. 

  • Additional parking is available at the Lincoln Common Parking Garage, located just a block away at 2316 N. Lincoln Ave. Rates and additional information can be found on Parking.com.

Transit

Accessible from the Fullerton station with the Brown, Red, and Purple lines.

Support

This program is partially supported by a grant from the Illinois Arts Council.