Lucinda “Cindy” Chase of Aurora was surprised Sunday, Jan. 6 with a concert by congregants at Wesley United Methodist Church in Aurora.
Chase had been invited to a reception to mark her retirement as the Church’s praise music director for 15 years.
Instead of relaxing in the audience, she was called to the stage in the Gathering Place room where she sang several numbers and played guitar. Pieces included “Twenty Naked Pentacostals in a Pontiac,” a Chase favorite.
Other performers were Chase’s sons, Dan and Nathan, daughter-in-law, Anna Chase, youth including a kids choir, a house bluegrass band and soloist Joe Rigaud of DeKalb.
Reverend John Bell, Wesley pastor, thanked Chase for her service and sang with the bluegrass band. Meredith Lindgren of Aurora, a band member and worship coordinator, recalled how she first met Chase in 2003 when Chase joined the church staff.
Chase thanked guests for the tribute, saying “I would have retired more often.”
Chase taught piano and was a singer, songwriter, and recording artist.
—Al Benson