Heavenly Voices Choir Will Host Gospel Fest

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Baylor's Heavenly Voices Gospel Choir will host Gospel Fest 2011 on Saturday, Feb. 12, at Waco Hall on the Baylor campus.

Gospel Fest is a collaboration of college and community gospel choirs singing traditional and contemporary gospel music.

"This is a time filled with students singing their hearts out for God," said Dr. Ronald English, Heavenly Voices staff adviser since its founding in 1988. Students will be praising God "through dance, poetry, and sometimes rap," he said. "It is a celebration of the many facets of honoring God through several of the arts."

Heavenly Voices Gospel Choir was started through a student's determination to be an instrument of God through singing praises. On Oct. 18, 1988, the choir held its first rehearsal with 15 students who wanted to use their talents to glorify God. The choir has grown over the past 14 years and is a living testimony to the power of God, English said. The first Gospel Fest was held in spring 1991 and in the first few years, the group traveled to other colleges and participated in their events.

"Heavenly Voices was a key element in my spiritual formation at Baylor," English said.

English helps make sure the student work effectively and efficiently to produce an event that is "honoring to God himself," he said.

While the guest clinician has not been announced, participants will join together to make one mass choir directly following the clinician's performance.

"We definitely want to encourage everyone to come out and have a wonderful time in the Lord," said Brittany Hudson, co-chairperson for Gospel Fest. "We are very excited to see what God has in store for this year's Gospel Fest."

Tickets are $10 with open seating and can be purchased from the Baylor Ticket Office at the Bill Daniel Student Center.

Waco Hall is at 624 Speight Ave.

Bill Daniel Student Center is at 1311 S. Fifth St.

For more information, contact Ronald English at (254) 710-8986.

Gospel Fest participants thus far:

' Living Word COGIC Choir (Waco, TX)
' Chosen Ministries (Navarro College)
' University Baptist Church (Waco, TX)
' Nina Ruff (Baylor University)
' Remnants of Levites (Austin, TX)
' Brandon Holt (Baylor University)
' Voices of Praise (University of North Texas)
' Magnifiers Mime Ministry (Toliver Chapel)
' Shai Truth
' Inner Visions Gospel Choir (University of Texas)
' Heavenly Voices Gospel Choir (Baylor University)
' Top Secret Info (Houston, TX)

by Susie Typher, student newswriter, (254) 710-6805