A 200-voice choir and a 40-piece orchestra composed of members from 12 Birmingham-area Baptist churches performed “All Nature Sings: A Night of Sacred Music” Sept. 25 at the Alabama Theatre.
John Woods, music and worship pastor at Dawson Memorial Baptist Church, said organizers wanted the event “to feel like it belonged to everybody.”
“In that spirit, we also wanted not to be a night just for church people who love church music but for the larger Birmingham community to come and enjoy great music.”
The idea for the event began with the composer of “All Nature Sings,” Phillip Keveren, who wanted to use great hymns of faith in a fresh and new way, he said.
Majesty of creation
Keveren has a long history of writing both instrumental and vocal music for churches and for Christian artists such as Steve Green, Sandi Patty and Jeremy Camp. After the isolation of the pandemic, Keveren said Psalm 96 and Romans 1:20 inspired him to “set the particular hymns that celebrate the majesty of God’s creation to new music,” resulting in this oratorio. Keveren also sang along as part of the choir’s tenor section, Woods said.
The evening started with Brent Reeves improvising classic hymns on the Alabama Theatre’s Mighty Wurlitzer Theatre Organ (“Big Bertha”), followed by congregational singing led by Jeremy Jackson.
The evening concluded with the choir and orchestra performance.
Volunteer effort
The vocalists and musicians in the production were all volunteers from the participating Baptist churches: Brookwood, Dawson, First Birmingham, Lakeside, Meadow Brook, Mountain Brook, Raleigh Avenue, Shades Crest, Shades Mountain, Sixth Avenue, Valleydale and Vestavia Hills.
The volunteers started working months ago, learning the music by practicing at home. Joint rehearsals were held as the event date drew closer, Woods said.
Several worship pastors were among the musicians and support team for the production, he added, praising the collaborative effort.
“It is absolutely humbling and inspiring to see these people do their thing at such a high level,” Woods said. “It’s almost overwhelming. It just makes me proud to be a part of this community of Baptist friends.
“Anytime we can find an excuse to bring people together — to sing together or play music together — we should celebrate that and find a reason to do it again.”
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