Saturday,
July 5, 2003
|
||||||
 |
|
|
Diverse voices join in spirit
By ANNA GRAHAM PRICE
Mennonite Mission Network Saturday, July 5, 2003
“Many Voices, One Spirit,” featuring a collection of performing artists from across the spectrum of ethnic and stylistic traditions that are reflected in the Mennonite church, drew a crowd of predominantly adults, plus a good smattering of youth and some children, to the Sydney J. Marcus Auditorium last evening for a mix of music and mime, drums and drama, in styles ranging from classical to contemporary. Performers hailed from congregations throughout the United States and ranged in age from 17 to … well … silver-haired. Doug and Jude Krehbiel, mission musicians for Mennonite Mission Network who hosted the performance, introduced the evening’s theme with a set of songs from their latest CD – a collection of pieces inspired by the words and writings of leaders of various ethnic Mennonite congregations, including Native American, African-American, Laotian and Hispanic. From the subdued strings of classical guitarist Tom Harder playing his own arrangements of hymns… to the sizzling street rhythms of an original rap piece performed by the New York City-based drama troupe Future… to the powerful vocals, rich harmonies and primal drumbeats of Revelation 7:9… to the moments of absolute silence as those gathered prayed for Native American dancers unable to attend because of tropical storm Bill… the evening provided plenty of opportunity to snap one’s fingers, to stomp one’s feet and to reflect quietly on the work God is doing in the world. Speakers from the various Mennonite Church agencies brought inspiring stories of successful ministries from around the world: thousands of new converts won through ministries in Mongolia; an outdoor prayer ministry that has brought neighborhood people into the church; English and sewing classes that have helped immigrants begin a new life in the United States. At the end of the evening, all performers gathered onstage and joined the audience in an enthusiastic rendition of “Guide My Feet.” The performance wound up shortly after 9:15 p.m. – which left plenty of time to catch the fireworks outside.  |
|
|
|
