The Tribune

By JEFFARAH GIBSON

Tribune Features Writer

jgibson@tribunemedia.net

The Voices of Praise ensemble is inviting the general public to join them as they create an atmosphere of true worship during their upcoming Good Friday concert.

The group, led by veteran performer Edison Sumner, is known for putting a unique spin on gospel faves during this annual free event.

This time around, it is being held at the New Mount Zion Baptist Church in South Beach. Doors open at 6.30pm.

“Each year we try to move around to different churches so we can fit ourselves,” Mr Sumner told Tribune Religion.

“We have some brilliant artists who will be performing with us this year, like Latasha Taylor, Carrington McKenzie, Travis Santano and Pastor Christopher Roberts. DJ Godson will also provide pre-concert ministry.”

Voices of Praise has been in existence for over two decades, ministering to the hearts and souls of Bahamians.

Mr Sumner said while the group takes pleasure in seeing spirits uplifted because of their ministry, their main audience is God.

“We are at the point in our development and in the maturity of the group where we can sit in the building ourselves. We will have ourselves a good time, even if no one shows up,” he said.

“We want to encourage people to come because the music ministry means a lot to them. But we put ourselves in the state of mind that God is our main audience to please and we are (directing) our true worship to him.”

In 1992, Mr Sumner was the youth choir director and worship leader at the Abundant Life Church. He came up with the idea to establish an ensemble separate and apart from the church’s choir.

Later that year, he produced one of the youth choir’s annual productions and hired Edgar Williams to record the concert. Mr Sumner was then invited to be the opening act for The Gospel Impressions’ Love Concert in 1993. It was at this time that he felt the call to really follow a career in music and decided to form the Edison Sumner Chorale. He reached out to a number of his friends who were singers, musicians and fellow choir members, and invited them to join his group.

Today, many of the original members still volunteer their time and talent to the ministry.

“We came into this with a lot of enthusiasm and youthful exuberance and we were all very excited. That was 26 years ago. We are still volunteering and sacrificing our time,” said Mr Sumner.

“All the volunteers love doing what we do and this love has literally carried us through the last two decades of our existence. We see ministry as something where when you are called to it, you are called to it. It is not something for those who are faint-hearted or trying to get money for it. If we get money, the money is put back into building ourselves and improving upon what we already established.”

Admission to the event is free, however, concert-goers are asked to bring along an offering.