BYSS Flyer FIN2

Oct 28, 2026

A pastoral care choir flyer describing By Your Side Singers (BYSS), a group of singers from First Parish in Concord, Unitarian Universalist. It presents the choir’s mission of offering gentle, soothing songs to provide comfort and support during illness or life transitions, including visits to homes and hospital rooms. The flyer lists sample songs, explains meeting and rehearsal practices, and provides contact information to arrange visits and requests for further questions.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryReligion & Spirituality

FormatPDF

Pages2

Reading Time5 min

AccessFree to download

Songs Offered

About the Choir

Who We Are

Our Process

Call for Us

“I am sending you light to heal you, to hold you…” “May you be filled with loving kindness May you be well…” Songs of By Your Side Singers Here are some of the songs we offer. If you have a favorite song(s) you would like sung, we can accommodate. Blessed Spirit of My Life Comfort Me Dona Nobis Pacem Filled with Loving Kindness Hashiveinu IAm Sending You Light I Know This Rose Will Open If Life Is Sacred* Just to Be Is a Blessing May I Be Filled with Loving Kindness By Your Side* Return Again Spirit of Life There is a Balm in Gilead There Is a Love Holding Me * There’s a Light in the Darkness There’s a River Flowin’ in My Soul The Twenty-Third Psalm Ubi Caritas Healing Song* We All Come from One Winds Be Still Hineh Ma Tov Open My Heart *Composed by BYSS member FIRST PARISH IN CONCORD Unitarian Universalist 20 LEXINGTON ROAD CONCORD , MASSACHUSETTS 01742 978 • 369 • 9602 FPCONCORD@ FIRST PARISH . ORG | | By Your Side Singers
Founded in 2009 | | | --- | --- | --- | | | | | | | FIRST PARISH IN CONCORD Unitarian Universalist | | A Pastoral Care Choir By Your Side Singers is First Parish’s pastoral care choir. Through our gentle singing, we offer a musical presence to people seeking comfort and support during times of illness or transition. When invited to parishioners’ homes or hospital rooms, we come in groups of three or four to share soft, soothing songs. Our singing has evoked smiles, tears, laughter—even dancing! “Singing with you is my prayer…” Who We Are BYSS is a group of men and women singers, many who also sing in the First Parish choir but some who do not. We meet on the first and third Thursdays of each month from 7:30 to 9:00 p.m. Co-leading the singers with First Parish Music Director Beth Norton is Laurie Corelle. We invite you to join us. By Your Side Singers welcome adults who love to sing and long to serve through music. Our Process In our twice-monthly meetings, By Your Side Singers rehearse gentle songs and chants from our hymnals and other sources. Through our singing meditation we practice the gentle support and comfort with one another that we offer when visiting parishioners. Our “Just to be is a blessing… Just to live is holy” rehearsal circle has a lounge chair in the center. Sitting in the chair while being sung to helps us learn the special sensitivity that is part of this kind of singing. Call for Us Any trying time of change or transition may be made less stressful with the gentle support of being sung to. To arrange a visitor to answer any questions, please contact a minister, a pastoral care lay minister, or Music Director, Beth Norton at [music@firstparish.org](music@firstparish.org). “Find a stillness, hold a stillness Let the stillness carry me…” hospital to sing to me. During practice, I had not realized how emotionally touching this experience could be. We were all moved to tears. For the moment, I forgot my pain and weak condition by going spiritually inside of me. It felt like a healing in my body and soul. The harmonious and comforting music had avery calming and peaceful effect on me that lingered on for a long time.”

FAQs

What is the purpose of By Your Side Singers (BYSS)?

BYSS is First Parish’s pastoral care choir offering gentle singing to bring comfort and support during illness or transitions. The flyer emphasizes a musical presence that can evoke smiles, tears, laughter, and even dancing.

How does BYSS visit and support people in need?

When invited to parishioners’ homes or hospital rooms, BYSS comes in groups of three or four to share soft, soothing songs. The choir describes singing as a form of care that helps reduce stress during trying times.

When and how does the choir meet and rehearse?

BYSS meets on the first and third Thursdays of each month from 7:30 to 9:00 p.m. In twice-monthly meetings, members rehearse gentle songs and chants and use a singing meditation practice to learn supportive, sensitive care through song.

Oct 28, 2026

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