Choir robes or corduroy pants, strong beats or soft melodies, the great mystery of the music at the annual meeting lies in its ability to use diversity to bring unity, said Ray Burdeshaw, director of the office of worship leadership and church music for the Alabama Baptist State Board of Missions.
“I try to make the musical program up of a very diverse style to reach the diverse constituents of the convention,” Burdeshaw said. “I think we fulfilled that.”
Intermingled with business items, the musical interludes remind messengers of what the convention is all about: worship, a drumbeat all can march to, Burdeshaw said.
“Worship is the whole intent,” he said.
Selections ranged from the African folk song “Betelehemu” performed by the Samford A Cappella Choir during the first morning session to the Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir’s “Days of Elijah” sung by the Alabama Singing Men during the Tuesday evening program.
And though the different styles might not all be a perfect fit for everyone, worship and inspiration can happen in any of them, said Shirley Wright, a member of Mission Belles, the association of directors of missions’ wives.
“My children have always accused me of loving elevator music,” Wright joked, but she said she connected on a practical level with urban gospel soloist Calvin Hunt’s music.
Hunt, musical evangelist and former lead singer for the Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir, followed the Alabama Singing Men and Alabama Singing Women the first night of the meeting, leading attendees further into the convention theme through song.
“Some of his songs were so meaningful as far as intentional evangelism goes. The words actually spelled out ways to be intentional,” Wright said.
“The message definitely came through the music.”
Roger Walworth, director of the Judson College Concert Choir, said when the 40-member choir sang in the Tuesday morning session, the message got through in new and different ways even to the performers.
“Not all of the choir members are Baptists, so it is an interesting time for them to see what Baptists are all about,” Walworth said. It is also a good time for Baptists to get a progress report on Judson through the faces of the girls, he added.
And the lyrics of Aaron Copland’s “The Promise of Living,” pleaded for help with the harvest and encouraged messengers to “give thanks we have hands to deliver the grain,” an appropriate reminder for a convention focused on intentional evangelism.
“It’s a long, tiring day for the choir, but it’s a privilege. We’re pleased to set aside time to worship God and enhance the convention experience through song,” Walworth said.
Milburn Price, director of the Samford A Cappella Choir, said the choir’s selections were also geared toward the convention theme.
“ ‘Lost in the Night’ went well with the evangelistic emphasis, and the African selection ‘Betelehemu’ had obvious missions implications,” Price said.
Evangelism, music
He noted that the fruits of our investment in other countries are making their way back to us here not only in rumors of souls saved but in new Christian musical works.
The choir set the stage for Joe Godfrey’s presidential address Wednesday morning with the traditional hymn, “Jesus Paid It All.”
Convention President Joe Godfrey’s daughter, Elizabeth, a member of the A Cappella Choir, also graced the lineup with a solo leading into her father’s address.
Tuesday afternoon the musical taste swung back to the flavors of southern gospel with the quartet 4 by Grace from First Baptist Church, Prattville, during the presession music and the musical interludes that followed.
Later, the Alabama Baptist Singing Men opened the evening program with music from their brass ensemble.
Regardless of the style it’s always about worship, said Michael Allen, minister of music at Chapel Hill Baptist Church in Northport.
“Whether it’s spiritual, old gospel, urban gospel or traditional hymns, convention music meets a spiritual need for the people performing and listening,” Allen said. “It helps us touch our roots, but it demands we look forward and worship, too.”
Share with others: