The purpose of the Mississippi Baptist Young Musicians Honor Choir is to show children that “their voice matters in worship.” And they will have the opportunity to participate in the choir Sept. 21–22 at First Baptist Church Florence.
Whether from a church or school, rising 4th–6th graders may submit a video audition for a weekend of choral singing and worship arts, according to leaders with Mississippi Baptist Convention Board worship ministries.
The event will include music-related activities and a concert by the children. That Sunday morning the Honor Choir will participate alongside the host church in their worship service.
Handbells, blacklight performances and more
Musical opportunities are scheduled to include handbells, blacklight performances, percussion, songs in sign language and more.
“Our desire is to let the Lord guide us with the music choices,” noted Wyndy South, MBCB consultant for worship ministries and coordinator of the Honor Choir. “Once we have an idea of where He’s directing us, we choose the worship arts that will align with that. We plan all of these activities so the kids can have an incredible weekend of worship.
“We always plan to learn a song in a foreign language,” South added. “We also sing one or two hymns, a contemporary song and we learn a lot of Scripture. With visual arts, the kids share the message of salvation, and they themselves get to see that as they practice it.”
South said many of the children in the Honor Choir “have also been a part of the keyboard festivals, and then they will go to SMACK (Summer Music and Arts Camp for Kids) too. So the seeds are being planted, watered and grown with each of these worshipful events.”
Life-changing decisions
“I had the joy of seeing seven kids who came through these three events be saved and baptized last year,” South said.
“We want these children to know their voices matter in worship,” South affirmed. “I don’t think they necessarily go into this event thinking, ‘I need to make a difference,’ but they come with an exuberance about these fun activities they get to do, and we get to share Jesus with them.”
The public is invited to attend the Saturday night concert Sept. 21 at 6:30 p.m.
“We hope churches find more ways to let their kids participate,” South said. “Whether they have four kids or 40, churches can sing intergenerational songs, let them play the keyboard for a prelude or let them sing a song they have learned, with their voice or in sign, as an offertory. That’s a wide-open door for children to know their voice in worship is not only heard, it matters.”
For more information, go here and here. April 15 is the deadline for the video audition.
EDITOR’S NOTE — This story was written by Lindsey Williams and originally published by the Baptist Record.
