Birmingham choirs join to cut CD for tsunami relief

Seven Birmingham Baptist Association (BBA) church choirs recently joined together to make a joyful noise unto the Lord and raise money for international missions. In a project called the “Best of Birmingham,” the choirs and other performers recorded songs Jan. 26–28 at Shades Mountain Baptist Church, Vestavia Hills.
   
Proceeds will fund associational missions projects on an Indonesian island in Southeast Asia. The island was badly damaged by the deadly tsunami in December 2004 and a massive earthquake in March 2005, which left the island 5 feet higher than normal and destroyed schools, homes and boats. 
   
Assigned to the BBA by the International Mission Board, the island’s 120,000 people have never welcomed Westerners, have never heard the gospel of Jesus Christ and are often recruited by al-Qaida, according to BBA Director of Missions Ricky Creech.
   
“We established a three-year partnership with them,” he said. “The CD project is so important because it’s going to provide us financial resources needed to get our volunteers over there and provide materials for the rebuilding and medical efforts.”
   
As the first Western group on the island, Creech said he hopes the door for Christian witness will be opened at some point. “Right now, we can’t take Bibles or tracts with us.”
   
The CD project was the brainchild of Cas McWaters, principal of Tarrant High School and member of Shades Mountain Baptist, who regularly sings in Alabama Baptist churches and concerts. 
   
“I had this idea about a year and a half ago that it would be a neat project to bring all the Birmingham churches together, but it really didn’t seem like God’s timing,” he said. “We couldn’t answer a lot of questions about (how to finance) it.”
   
This past summer, McWaters found a private investor and, with the approval of Creech, proceeded with planning. 
   
After a slow start, seven congregations committed to participate and sell 300 CDs each.
   
In addition to Shades Mountain, the Birmingham Association churches included in the project are The Church at Brook Hills, Valleydale Baptist Church, Lakeside Baptist Church, Dawson Memorial Baptist Church, Huffman Baptist Church and First Baptist Church, Trussville. Recordings include southern gospel, opera, contemporary and praise and worship music.
   
“We knew from the outset that the funds raised from this CD would go directly to a missions effort that has a great potential to reach people who have never heard the gospel. It was our privilege to open our doors,” said Michael Adler, minister of music and worship at Shades Mountain.
   
According to McWaters, the proposed release date is two weeks before Easter, which is April 16.
   
“Churches will receive their 300 copies and pay the BBA. All churches in the association and around the state will be encouraged to participate by purchasing CDs. We would like to sell all the copies, and if so, we will raise about $20,000,” he said, noting it would be even better to have to order more CDs.
   
Creech believes this project will become an annual event. “Next year, I see us producing another CD with a different genre of music,” he said. 
   
McWaters hopes others will use this idea to raise money for missions. “It’s a great way to do it,” he said.