Wesley UMC - Music Ministry

Sara Ledford is a native of Shawnee. Sara's interest in conducting began as a student at Oklahoma Baptist University. Her debut was a tone poem she wrote for orchestra and conducted at OBU’s prestigious Concerto-Aria event. She earned the Bachelor of Music with Honors in Theory and Composition from OBU in 2005.

Sara was accepted into two degree programs at the famed Eastman School of Music in Rochester, NY and spent three years there developing her passion for conducting and her skills as a musician. While at Eastman, she sang in no less than five ensembles per semester including Eastman’s Chorale, Repertory Singers, Women’s Chorus, Voices chamber ensemble, and the Eastman-Rochester Chorus. She conducted many concerts with chorus and orchestra and taught undergraduate and graduate courses in theory and aural skills.

Outside of her educational pursuits, Sara served for two years as Assistant Conductor of the Gregory Kunde Chorale, Rochester’s premiere chamber choir. There she had the privilege of leading chorus and orchestra in major works by Randall Thompson, Vivaldi, J.S. Bach, Rossini, Vaughn Williams, and Handel, to name a few. She also founded and taught ChorusPlus, a series of interactive classes designed to help community choral singers develop their musicianship skills in a safe and fun environment.

Sara completed the Master of Music in Choral Conducting and the Master of Arts in Theory Pedagogy at Eastman in 2008 and is currently pursuing a doctorate in conducting at the University of Oklahoma.

After returning to Oklahoma Sara jumped into Shawnee’s community music scene as Musical Director for Shawnee Little Theatre’s production of Jekyll & Hyde: The Musical in October of ‘08 and is honored to hold the position of Artistic Director of Sine Nomine Choral Society of Central Oklahoma, the Shawnee area’s community chorus.

Throughout her life Sara has enjoyed participating in church choral music. She has played bass guitar in a praise band and has served as a church pianist. Sara has a comfort level with many styles of music and leads Wesley’s congregation in all aspects of the worship arts.

Sara is married to Danny Ledford.

Sara Ledford

Church Organist and Pianist / Choir Accompanist

Lisa Schutten began playing the piano at 8 years of age. She accompanied band solos and church choirs while still in grade school,and played for her first wedding when she was 13 years old. This love of music has continued for over 40 years, with her specializing in church music and accompanying. She has just resumed her fifteen year teaching career, with a private piano studio in her home. Lisa and her husband Gary have been married for 25 years and have 2 children. They also have 4 grandchildren: Kaylie and Hunter, and twins Ella and Elise. Gary has been a funeral director in Shawnee for 40 years. Ephesians 3:14-21 expresses what Lisa desires for our church family here at Wesley United Methodist Church.

14 For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, 15from whom every family in heaven and on earth takes its name. 16I pray that, according to the riches of his glory, he may grant that you may be strengthened in your inner being with power through his Spirit, 17and that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith, as you are being rooted and grounded in love. 18I pray that you may have the power to comprehend, with all the saints, what is the breadth and length and height and depth, 19and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

20 Now to him who by the power at work within us is able to accomplish abundantly far more than all we can ask or imagine, 21to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, for ever and ever. Amen.

Lisa Schutten

Stephanie Marchbanks is a student at OBU and is the Director of "Kidz Praise," our children's choir. She is from Overland Park, KS, and is on an academic and music scholarship to OBU, where she is also the Dean's Assistant in the College of Fine Arts. Her major is vocal music education. Back at her high school near Kansas City, Stephanie was chairperson one year of Angel Tree for kids. She also has experience caretaking young children at a day care facility there.

Stephanie Marchbanks

Praise Team

The vocal part of this team is composed of adults with varying musical skills and abilities who love to sing. They sing in all Sunday morning worship services as well as other times throughout the year. Rehearsals are on Wednesday evenings, 6:00 - 7:00 p.m. and again on Sunday mornings at 10:20 a.m., just before worship.