Evangelistic Music Ministry in the Year of Evangelism

Maureen Nicholson

The Eternal Praise choir has been active for God and bearing witness to the wider community in the Year of Evangelism. The highlight of the year was an engagement in Enschede, Holland over the Bank holiday weekend 27 May to 2nd June. Their visit was to feature as part of a weekend of Evangelism in the local area. The choir presented programmes in the local church on Friday evening and Sabbath where they led out as four churches in the west of Holland gathered for a Day of Fellowship.

They also sang in the local market square and distributed Christian literature in the afternoon. During this presentation they met a gentleman from the Middle-East who through a dream left his home that afternoon and visited the Square – something he’d never done before due to a walking disability. In his dream he saw two young boys handing out literature but could not understand the words on the paper. It transpired that this gentleman had in the past been associated with some Adventist members and had been wanting to find the local SDA church!! The Youth Leader, Hendre van de Molen, took him back with them to the church fellowship service where he was warmly received by the local minister and congregation.

The Eternal Praise choir from the Camp Hill church in Birmingham is made up of approximately 40 members ranging in age from mid thirties to fifties. Apart from fulfilling local church commitments, the choir regularly minister’s to patients at Birmingham and Solihull Mental Health Trust and Senior Citizens Home. This has led to a longstanding relationship with the Rev Bill Miles a Baptist minister  who recently visited our church and sang with us at Christmas time.

Last summer Eternal Praise was invited to sing from the bandstand at Cannon Hill Park, in Birmingham, this was well received by the locals who were taking their regular Sunday morning stroll. A large number of books and magazines were distributed to those who came to join in and listened to the singing.

Opportunity Knocks

The Choir has been trying to book a date to sing in central Birmingham for some time but with little success. On the 14th December the Choir Leader was contacted by the City Council to say there was a cancellation on 21st December and they would be pleased if we would accept the opportunity to sing and entertain the public as they shopped/browsed around the German Market. Though challenging because of the short notice and it was also a mid afternoon appointment, the choir happily grasped the opportunity. Some 12 members of the choir rose to the challenge, braving freezing temperatures and sang and distributed cards, children’s books and other literature to those who stopped by to listen.

Commenting on their experiences, choir leader Elma Morgan said; “God has been good to the Eternal Praise Choir and we are committed to spreading the gospel through our love of music and as a witness to the community.”