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Florida Fellowship Super Choir Set To Perform For National Baptist Session
BY KENYA WOODARD Sentinel Feature Writer
The National Baptist Con- vention’s Congress of Chris- tian Education Annual Session will draw thousands of attendees from all over the country.
Helping them start off a week of fellowship and train- ing is the 400-strong Florida Fellowship Super Choir, which is scheduled to per- form in its debut on Monday, June 20, 2016, at the Tampa Convention Center.
The choir is comprised of singers and musicians repre- senting 14 cities and 30 churches throughout the state, said Corey Edwards, who organized the choir this year.
The choir will share the stage with noted gospel artists, Pastor John P. Kee and New Life and Kierra “Kiki” Sheard.
A debut with industry heavyweights is “amazing”, said Mr. Edwards, a former Minister of Music at Bible-
JOHN P. KEE
Based Fellowship Church of Carrollwood, who is now the minster of worship and music at Abyssinia Baptist Church in Jacksonville.
“I don’t think we could have organized it better our- selves,” Mr. Edwards said. “Even if we decide to plan something on our own, I don’t think we’d have this ac- cess.”
Mr. Edwards said the choir is modeled after the 200-member Florida Mass Choir, which was co-founded by his mentor and longtime Bible-Based pastor, the late Rev. Dr. Arthur Jones.
The Florida Mass Choir has recorded 14 albums and is well-regarded in the gospel industry.
Isaac Ruffin, director of the choir’s Tampa Bay region, said about 100 of the choir members are from the Bay Area, including Tampa, St. Petersburg, and Plant City.
For the last three months, choir members have been regularly rehearsing the se- lections they will sing, Mr. Ruffin said.
Some of the songs are old standards like “All Hail the Power of Jesus’ Name,” “Praise Him From Whom All Blessings Flow,” and “What A Friend We Have in Jesus,” said Mr. Ruffin, who is the minister of music at Beulah Baptist Institutional Church.
“We’re going old school,” he said.
There will be some con- temporary songs mixed in as well, he said.
“We’re expecting a great crowd,” he said. “It’s going to be a really inspiring evening.”
Choir member, Von Oat-
KIKI SHEARD
man-Stephens, who lives in Tampa, said being part of the group has been an “amazing” experience ever since she joined in January.
Mr. Edwards and Mr.
Ruffin have worked to en- sure that the choir gives an outstanding performance, said Mrs. Oatman- Stephens, who attends First Baptist Church of Progress Village.
“Isaac keeps us laughing and Corey is powerful when training us,” she said.
After Monday’s concert, the choir will go on hiatus until October when it per- forms at the Tampa Bay Gospel Awards, Mr. Ed- wards said.
The choir’s future beyond that isn’t clear. But one thing is certain, Mr. Edwards said.
“The ultimate goal is to show God’s glory through melody and song,” he said.
FRIDAY, JUNE 17, 2016 FLORIDA SENTINEL BULLETIN PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY AND FRIDAY PAGE 9-A