On the Sunday evening of Apr. 27, the stage of Rediger Chapel was packed with 59 members of Taylor’s gospel choir, getting rowdy with shouts of praise.
The gospel choir’s annual spring concert featured a repertoire of songs they had performed at previous events that month and a few new tracks they had been learning. It explored the greatness of God and the plight of a faithful Christian, junior Lua Bleah, piano performance major and music director, said.
The choir strives to share gospel music with the Taylor community and inspire a love and curiosity for the genre, Tia Cavanaugh-Goggans, director of intercultural initiatives and programs and director of the gospel choir, said.
A new song the choir sang for the event was titled “I Feel Like Going On” and was introduced by Cavanaugh-Goggans. The lyrics detailed how a believer facing struggles can rest assured that they will be restored, despite current trials.
“God is with us in all the situations,” Bleah said. “…the dark part of that path will continue moving, because God never gave up on us, and these problems and issues serve to strengthen us.”
Charismatic songs erupted amidst the contemplative music, with energetic tracks that encouraged attendees to engage in worshipping God in more expressive ways, sophomore Charity Frommeyer, a biology major and choir manager, said.
When Bleah was leading the song “Everybody Clap Your Hands” during a Wednesday evening practice, he told the members to be lazy with their swinging and clapping, Frommeyer said. As the song continued and Bleah motioned to the singers, rhythm and motion spread like wildfire, as every singer threw themselves into the motion of the song.
Frommeyer described the song as “simple, but catchy,” adding that it embodies the heart behind worship. Because Christians have the opportunity to praise and be with the Lord, there should be excitement because of who they have the ability to commune with, she said.
“Worship is a whole-person experience. It's not just our voices or our heart or our body,” she said. “Everything can be in a worshipful posture.”
The choir’s schedule of events in April was unusually heavy, Frommeyer said. The musical ensemble sang at a chapel service, a fundraising event hosted by Love Inc. and a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new PREACH Lab in the Reade Liberal Arts Center.
Bleah said that the group dynamic has experienced a stark change since last semester. There has been a larger opportunity for people to connect with one another while singing, and camaraderie has been more evident.
One new member this semester is freshman Anna Grace Wilson, a psychology major. As a self-professed dancer who has never actively engaged in singing, Wilson said she joined the choir because she has felt the Lord’s presence while singing the songs.
“It's actually crowded in the room, but I love it,” she said. “A lot of people don't have formal training—we're just coming to worship.”
While some could describe the gospel choir events as performances, Wilson said that the choir views their singing as ministry opportunities, as they are worshipping the Lord with people instead of for people.
The choir looks forward to their final event of the year, a chapel service on May 2, hoping to make it a special conclusion to an impactful season singing together, Cavanaugh-Goggans said.
“Ultimately, our greatest desire is to glorify God—if that happens, we’ve fulfilled our purpose,” she said.
