Teino Evans, Staff Reporter
THEY USE their voices and hands to lift the spirit of man; that's how they praise their king and that is the reason why they sing.
Indeed, it is a good reason to sing and an amicable way of ministering, as the Kencot Youth Choir is described as a ministry group with mass appeal.
The Kencot Youth Choir is a mass choir of approximately 80 talented Seventh-day Adventists, dedicated to the service of the Lord through song, drama, sign language and poetry.
"We are a ministry, a group of people that try to proclaim the gospel in song, poetry and sign language and we sing just about anything. Our main focus, however, is to spread the gospel through this medium, which is song," said Maureen Howe-Smith, a member of the choir's marketing committee.
As is the case of any choir or group, change is inevitable. However, despite undergoing a number of changes in its members and leadership over the years, the choir has demonstrated a commitment to excellence since its inception in the early 1970s.
REPERTOIRE
The choir's repertoire includes, negro spirituals, Caribbean, contemporary and classical music. Its main focus, however, is on black gospel music, a genre through which the choir has blessed thousands across the island. The choir also has in its repertoire several original songs, written and arranged by its members.
"People are blessed and they love the diversity in the types of music that we do. We appeal to every age group when we sing, because of the type of music that we do," Howe-Smith said.
Now under the directorship of Dianne Cecile Boyd, the Kencot Youth Choir ministers in various settings and capacities, as they have taken their talents to the church halls, where they minister during regular services, concerts, weddings, evangelistic and street meetings, government functions, into music videos and have even done studio work.
The choir has also done backing vocals for local recording artists such as Carlene Davis, Ullanda Innocent, Word, R&J Ministries (Robert and Jenieve Bailey) and evangelist Claude Edwards.
NUMEROUS PERFORMANCES
The choir has engaged in numerous performances since 1998, including the National Heroes' Day Tribute, televised live from the National Heroes' Circle in October 1998; presentations at National Labour Day Service and National Honours Awards Ceremony, King's House, May and August 1999; being the choir for Love FM's anniversary; ministering at ACTS 2000 with Mark Finley in January 2001; sharing the stage with Donnie McClurkin at the Word Alive Gospel Concert on October 20, 2001 (in aid of Jackie McCalla's outreach ministry); performing at the launch of 'Fun in the Son' in January 2002 and ministering in Ocho Rios at 'Fun in the Son' in March 2002.
They were also guest artistes at CVM's Annual Awards Ceremony, which was broadcast live on February 21, 2002; they ministered at Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir's concert launch in May 2002; they were guest artistes for the National Gospel Festival road shows in 2002; opening artistes for the first Annual National Youth in Excellence Awards; ministered at Carlene Davis' album launch in September 2003 and opened for Alvin Slaughter at Glory Music's Choir Fest in June 2004.
Members of The Kencot Youth Choir have received professional training in order to improve the effectiveness of their ministry and this year plans are in place for the production of an album of their own.
"Our 2005 concert series began in May at the Stephanie Hall and we also had a show at the Northern Caribbean University, Mandeville (I Give You Praise!', on Sunday, May 29. We are also grateful for and humbled by the invitation to minister in Britain and request the prayers of all our supporters that the Lord will continue to use us in the finishing of His work," Howe-Smith said.
