Author: Mitchell Crawford

By now, you’ve no doubt seen – and most assuredly heard- St. Stephen’s four cholar scholars, whom all are music students at TCUThe cholar program is new, having just launched in the Fall. Already, however, the music program has been richly blessed by these talented individuals, and there is no question that they have been lovingly embraced and ministered to by our choir and congregation. I have asked them to tell me about themselves in order to help you get to know them better. 

Monica Saurez is our soprano choral scholar, and was born and raised nearby in North Richland Hills. She began singing at the age of  5  with her karaoke and hasn’t stopped since. She’s finishing her time at TCU in the Fall of 2017 with a bachelors degree in music education. She loves coffee, puppies, and anything purple!

Tomas Padron, our tenor choral scholar, is a freshman Vocal Music Education Major at TCU. He grew up in Miami, FL and moved to Dallas 5 years ago. Ever Since, he has been in love with choir, and sings not just with a number of TCU ensembles, but community groups as well. 

Mark Dingler, our bass, grew up in Arlington and began singing through the Kindermusic program as a 4 year old. In addition, he’s been playing piano for 10 years. As a freshman vocal music education major at TCU,  he sings in three of the university’s ensembles. Mark Collects Vinyl recorders, and enjoys listening to a wide range of music in his dorm room as he studies. 

Jessica Harper, who sings in the alto section, is the daughter of two South African parents who immigrated to New York and then to Texas in the late 1990’s. She fell in love with music at an early age and has since been singing in school, show choirs, Dallas youth choirs, and Texas all state choirs. She led a middle school small group in her home for 3 years., and has a fondness for fuzzy socks. 

I am so grateful to St. Stephen for undertaking the choral scholar initiative. This is a genuine mission of the congregation, one with very real benefits not just to us, but  these four exceptional young people as well. So, next time you see one of our choral scholars on a Sunday morning, stop and introduce yourself, and help us continue to welcome them them home.

10. You’re put off by hierarchy and energized by community.

9. You’re tired of simple answers to difficult questions.

8. You’re looking for community where not everyone looks the same, talks alike, or believes the exact same things.

7. You’re at a point in your life where you’re interested in going to church whether or not it would thrill your parents.

6. You’ve had a difficult week.

5. You want to be in a place that honors all kinds of relationships and families.

4. You’ve got some questions and you’d like to ask them out loud and have someone actually listen.

3. You want to be a part of a church that embraces both timeless tradition and forward thinking.

2. You want to be a part of a church that is committed to making a difference in Fort Worth…and beyond.

1. You are hungry to meet God.