What is the 151st?      
 
 
     
  The 151st is a group of deeply committed Christian musicians who chose to lift up the name of Jesus together and are committed to a ministry of building up (edification), and stirring up (exhortation), and binding up (comfort) the Church. We love God's people!  
         
  Where did you get that name?      
  The book of Psalms ends with Psalm 150. Yet, these musicians feel that the Song of the Lord goes on, so they add their praises to the ones of the last 3,000 years and call themselves the 151st (psalm).  
         
  Why do all of your CD covers have pictures of children on them?  
  Our first CD, "Caring and Sharing" featured Violet Pratt and Matthew Wittkop. We loved having children on the cover! Ideas for cover designs using children for our upcoming CDs are being solicited.

We have four more CDs to record: a Christmas, an Easter, a Wedding, and a Complete Worship Service.

We still do not have an idea of how to use children on the CD cover inserts to convey the messages of these upcoming CDs, but we'd like to employ children because not only did Jesus come to us as a child, and speak of us as "children," but Jesus had a special place in his heart for children and so should we. Our Lord spoke about them often:

"Suffer the little children to come unto me for such is the kingdom of heaven." - Matthew 19:14

"Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings the Lord has perfected praise." - Matthew 21:16

The most valuable asset of this nation, AND the Kingdom of God, is its children. I would like our CD covers to show that we, as a group and as a church, value children. We also want to aid parents and all who treasure these little ones in a small musical way to raise them for Jesus.

Whenever you see the CD covers, let them prompt you to pray for the children in your life and for those who minister to them. Also consider praying for struggling parents and single parents that they receive from God the strength, resources, and the wisdom needed to live lives of Christian courage and raise God-centered children.

Pray for children without parents in foster care and shelters that God will be with them in a special way drawing them into His arms for strength, safety and comfort.

God sets the solitary in families -- Psalm 68: 6 . . . let us pray all make it to the family of God.		  
         
  OUR NEXT CD      
  “Mother and Child” is the Christmas CD that is on our hearts for the next recording project. It is dedicated to Motherhood and in honor of our moms who gave us such a good start on our faith journey. The money raised from this CD will support a local Monroe County Charity that provides beds to children living in poverty.
  
         
 
  "Now I Lay Me Down" - the Beds for Monroe County Children Program
 The First Presbyterian Church of Monroe, Michigan started a program in 2001 called "Now I lay me down". It provides beds for children of Monroe County who have none. To date, the program has delivered over 900 beds and cribs to children in need in Monroe County.

Their website lists this poignant story: A set of beds was delivered to a boy and his teenage sister. The single parent father worked afternoons and said that his daughter would show the deliverers where to set up the beds. The crew was met by the young boy who said his sister was too embarrassed to meet them. It was found that this young teenager was sleeping on a pile of clothes on the floor.
   
A bed is not only a place to sleep for a child, but it also provides warmth and psychological security.

We thought this would be a fitting ministry for a Christmas CD to support since Jesus came to us a child and there was “no room for them in the inn” - with no place to sleep, he was born in a shelter for animals and his bed was a manger. Our goal with this CD is to not only provide an inspiring listen for those who purchase it, but to help as many children as we can to know the warmth and security of a bed.

Ideas for a cover design using children that would convey this message is being solicited. If you’d like to design the cover of the “Mother & Child” CD, please submit ideas and/or photo to this site.

Our next CD will be the Easter CD “He Is Risen,” followed by a CD of wedding music, "For the Bride To Be." The last CD on the schedule will be musical selections associated with the elements and order of a worship service called “In His Service.”

If you wish to offer us ideas for any CD covers, please do. Mail ideas or photos to the church address in care of 151st.
 
         
  Who are the members?      
  I'd like you to meet the people you'll hear from on the 151st CDs. They are committed Christians I have known most of my life. These are the people that give voice to my music. I can never thank them enough for their faithfulness to our Lord and their (and their families') sacrifice of time and talents for the CD projects. I know and love them, and I hope you will too! - Lora Crombez  
 

Diana Brown		  
Diana Brown (soprano) grew up in Ann Arbor, and has been a regular choir member since 5th grade. She has sung with various church and school choirs. Recently she was a member of the Women's Choral Society in Eugene through the University of Oregon. Now back in Michigan, she lives near Maybee with her husband, Jon, and teenage son, Dan. She is a valued member in the soprano section of the Dundee United Methodist Church choir.

Dan Brown (percussion) is a senior at Dundee High School. Band, drafting, and drama are classes he enjoys. He performs in marching band at the weekly football games and is currently in the play "Three doors To Death" along with a couple of one act plays to be performed November 18 & 19th. After school you can find him either rehearsing band pieces or rehearsing for the play, listening to music of every kind, or playing video games. Dan reports his favorite book as "Catcher In The Rye" and his favorite movie as "Repo Man." Although Dan enjoys music of all kinds, he lists his favorite band as "Greenday." Upon graduation he'd like to spend the summer traveling before embarking on his education to become a music industry recording engineer. As the youngest member of The 151st, he was asked what it was like "hanging out with all of us 'old people'?" (rehearsals, recording and performing) to which he actually replied, "It was fun!" He said we have a lot of knowledge and experience to share with him. We truly enjoy Dan - he keeps us young! We hope you too will appreciate the gifts he brings to the band.

  

Dan Brown

René & Lora Crombez
   René (tenor & acoustic guitar) and Lora Crombez (composer, soprano, & pianist) met in music school at Eastern Michigan University in 1986. René was studying classical guitar and Lora was studying vocal music education. They were married in 1989, and although living in Washtenaw County, decided to return to Dundee UMC, the family of faith in which Lora grew up. They are choir members and share special music whenever requested. Both are certified Lay Speakers and fill the pulpit when needed. René also directs the chime choir. René is a physicist that manages the Coatings Research Institutes' research lab at Eastern Michigan University. Lora is a certified State of Michigan teacher, but right now, due to Michigan's sluggish economy, she is credentialing emergency room physicians until God either sends her back to the classroom or calls her to full-time ministry. Lora is also completing her first novel, The Season, which details the early life of a princess of the 'Kingdom of Ele'.
Louise Proctor (alto) was born and raised in Holland, Michigan. She met her husband, Ed, at Michigan State University on the Methodist Church bus. They were married in 1973 and moved to Dundee. They checked out the Dundee United Methodist Church and stayed. Louise has been a loyal choir member there except for the years when she was raising her two, now adult, children Tim and Becky. She is also a valued member of the Parish Nurse ministry. Her claims to fame are her nursing ministry and nativity collection. She recently retired from the Children's Special Health Care Program, Monroe County Health Department, but will continue to work part time in the Maternal/Infant Support Program. Louise is looking forward to having more time for her grandson Alex and her mother.  

Louise Proctor

David Wittkop
   David Wittkop (bass) and his wife of thirty-seven years, Joan, have been lifelong residents of this area. They have three adult children. David and Joan, are active members of the Dundee United Methodist Church and have served it in a variety of capacities. David has sung in church choirs since his early years and he played the trombone all through school. He has sung bass in the Dundee United Methodist Church choir for over 20 years now, occasionally filling in for the director, and is also a certified lay speaker. David, a retired State of Michigan Information Technology Technician, now spends his time singing, chiming, baby-sitting his grandson, volunteering as a member of the Board of Directors for Heartbeat of Monroe/ pro-life pregnancy center, and running his company, Cyclone Computers. He is also an avid hunter and outdoorsman.
Dawn Wyse (alto, bass, flute) has been singing for as long as she can remember. She comes from a large musical family and has fond memories of singing with her family members. Dawn not only shares her musical talents with the congregation at Dundee, but works with the children's praise band. Dawn and her husband, Dan, live in Dundee. Their daughter Kim and her husband Jon reside in Marquette, with their son Benjamin. Dawn is a new and very proud grandma! Ms. Wyse owns and operates her own cleaning service.  

Dawn Wyse