A rural Harper church will be filled with music this Sunday for the Southeast Iowa Symphony Chamber Orchestra concert.

After a weather cancellation last year this is the fourth year the Clear Creek Heritage Association has hosted the orchestra at the Saints Peter and Paul Church. The closed church now lives a second life as a community center for a variety of events from weddings to barbecue competitions, and has received preservation grant funding from the Washington County Riverboat Foundation and the Keokuk County Community Endowment Foundation.

Board member Sheila Horras explains the Clear Creek Heritage Association’s purpose, “We like to, as an organization we like to promote the use of our church because it’s used for many things. It’s used for weddings, reunions, receptions, whatever because it’s no longer a functioning Catholic church and it’s such a beautiful historical place that we are excited about opportunities to show off the church.”

The Mt. Pleasant Chorale and the Iowa Wesleyan University Concert Choir will be performing at the church for the first time, singing “Gloria” by Vivaldi. Horras looks forward to hearing the three groups, “The acoustics in the church are amazing and the orchestra in particular enjoys playing there, and so I think it will be exceptionally good, I’m excited.”

The classical music concert will be at 2 p.m. Sunday at the Saints Peter and Paul Church in Harper. The heritage association is asking for a freewill donation, and a reception will follow.