The upcoming Sunday worship service on May 25 at First Congregational United Church of Christ in Fort Atkinson will feature a unique musical experience, as a drum choir from Madison is set to lead the congregation in music. This ensemble is a blend of members from both the adult and senior drum choirs of First Congregational UCC in Madison.
Heading the drum choir is Jeff Rabe, who serves as the director of Christian education for children and youth at the Madison church. His journey in ministry began shortly after graduating from Lakeland College, now Lakeland University. Rabe first took on a leadership role at St. Peter’s UCC in Kiel before transitioning to his current position at First Congregational UCC in Madison in 2002. Interestingly, he is also the brother of the Rev. Dr. Sara Rabe, the current pastor of the Fort Atkinson church.
The drumming program Rabe now leads began approximately a decade ago as a children and youth initiative, inspired by the church’s strong pre-pandemic youth presence. The group initially performed during worship services at their home church and also provided music at other congregations and nursing homes. Over time, adult congregants expressed interest in joining the effort, prompting the creation of the Adult Drum Choir.
While the pandemic temporarily halted the program, the adult choir returned with renewed commitment. They now rehearse weekly in the evenings. Rabe also introduced a Senior Drum Choir that meets during the daytime to accommodate members who prefer to avoid driving at night. All members of the senior group are over the age of 80.
Rabe emphasizes that while music is certainly part of the drumming program, its primary value lies in fostering a strong sense of community. Currently, the combined drum choirs consist of 10 active members, with seven planning to attend the Fort Atkinson service. Their musical style is primarily rooted in West African and Caribbean traditions, though they occasionally explore other genres and original compositions.
The ensemble uses a variety of percussion instruments, including hand drums like congas, bongos, djembes, and tubanos, as well as cowbells, double bells such as gonkogui or agogo, and rhythmic shakers like shekeres and maracas. Other instruments in their repertoire include guiros, claves, frame drums, xylophones, woodblocks, wind chimes, and boomwhackers.
Though their full performance program for the Fort Atkinson service is still being finalized, Rabe confirmed that the choir will lead the congregation in the singing of “Funga Alafia,” a traditional West African song meaning “Welcome and Peace,” and “Fill Up My Heart,” a Caribbean-inspired piece with lyrics adapted by Rabe for a church context.
This is not the first time the Madison drummers have visited Fort Atkinson. Their return was prompted by their own enthusiasm. According to Rabe, their previous experience at the church left a lasting impression. The drummers had felt so warmly received that they were eager to return for another performance.
First Congregational United Church of Christ in Fort Atkinson, located at 31 W. Milwaukee Ave., holds regular worship services at 10 a.m. on Sundays, transitioning to an 8:30 a.m. schedule during the summer. The church prides itself on being an inclusive community, welcoming people of all races, ages, sexual orientations, gender identities, family structures, faith backgrounds, abilities, and economic circumstances.
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