The Tribune

By JEFFARAH GIBSON

Tribune Features Writer

jgibson@tribunemedia.net

TO pay special tribute and honour all fathers, this Sunday, Christ the King Contemporary Chorale is hosting a special concert with the aim of uplifting and celebrating.

The event is a special one for the chorale since it is also celebrating nine years of ministry under the theme: “The Gospel Legends: A tribute to the Pioneers in Gospel Music”. The event will be held at the Murrillo Bonaby Parish Centre from 7pm.

The chorale will perform different medleys from gospel greats such as Kirk Franklin, Andrae Crouch and Richard Smallwood, Shirley Ceasar, Bishop Walter Hawkins and James Cleveland.

There will also be new and old classics to be enjoyed by all in addition to special musical performance by The Golden Gates Praise Team, Psalmist Tamika Taylor, St Agnes Youth Choir and The Zion Son of Jubal.

“We purposely set the event this year on Father’s Day to pay tribute to special fathers who often go uncelebrated. As with all of our concerts, we use our ministry to minister into people’s lives through our music. We hope to bless and inspire all who attend as well as take them down memory lane with the selection of music that will be featured on that night. They will hear from legends in the gospel arena. We want the evening to be memorable and a blessing to all in attendance,” said Simone Roberts Thompson, of Christ the King.

The chorale of Christ the King is the youth arm of the music ministry at the church. It is comprised of youth and young adults from 17 years and up.

The chorale prides itself on being a dynamic and youthful group with a contemporary style that enhances the worship experience in the parish. It has also evolved greatly over the years.

“Since the beginning in 2012 we always knew that we wanted to take our ministry outside of the Anglican communion. We didn’t want to be confined to our church alone. So we have managed to take our ministry across denominations over the past eight years,” she said.

“We‘ve had a number of notable highlights in our ministry over these years but perhaps the most notable has been the participation in the joint Gospel choir for the opening of the National Stadium and ministering last year at the state funeral for the late honorable Theresa Moxey-Ingraham. It was an honor for us to be granted that opportunity to pay tribute to Mrs Ingraham who was one of the choir’s biggest patrons,” she said.

Over the last year, the chorale has gone under a leadership change with Ricardo Knowles becoming its director. And a new director means new direction for the group.

“Mr Knowles brings a wealth of knowledge and experience in the area of choir ministry and we were pleased that he took on the role to lead the chorale in its eighth year.

“We also welcomed a new pianist in the person of Jacob McPhee who also comes with a wealth of experience and has helped to enhance the ministry since he joined the chorale,” she said.

The chorale looks to continue minister, uplift, inspire and change lives as it embarks on the next nine years.

Admission for the event is $5.