June 15thFaith and Life Choirs Conclude a Season of Successful Ministry
June 16, 2023
“Wow! There are no words—just food for the soul!”
That was the comment from a member of Prairie Mennonite Fellowship (Crystal City) that stuck with Ben Pauls, conductor of the Faith and Life Male Choir, after a Sunday morning worship service led by the choir. MCM’s Faith and Life Choirs—the Male Choir and the Women’s Chorus, led by Janet Brenneman—visited six different churches this past season, a season which culminated in spring concerts with both choirs May 6 at First Mennonite (Winnipeg) and May 7 at Emmanuel Mennonite (Winkler). Another highlight of this first full choir season in three years was the Christmas carol sing in December at Bethel Mennonite Church in Winnipeg.
Danielle Morton joined the Women’s Chorus this past year, and she is glad she did. “A repeated highlight for me was found in one of the pieces we sang, ‘O Sister (Keep Me Steady through the Storm),’” Danielle says. “By the end of the season we were each singing the song with bursting hearts as the voices of a whole choir of sisters joined together and carrying each other—especially when we needed one another to keep us steady through the storms.”
There are 25 congregations represented among members of the two choirs, about 20 of which are MCM churches. “Every time the choir gathers,” Ben says, “we embody the very nature of MCM.” Janet agrees: “The choirs connect our church families together with members from across the conference. We understand our work to be in service to the church.”
Danielle encourages others to consider joining the choirs. “As a new member,” she says, “I was worried it might take a while to find my place in the choir, but I couldn’t have been more wrong. I feel as though I have gained 40-plus new sisters and aunties this year and I’m so excited to return to making music together in the fall.”
Let’s give thanks to God for a wonderful season of choral ministry! If you are interested in joining the Male Choir or Women’s Chorus for the 2023-24 season, contact the MCM office at office@mennochurch.mb.ca. If you would like to give a one-time gift to support the ministry of our choirs, visit www.mennochurch.mb.ca/giving. If you or your business are interested in becoming a sponsor of the choirs, or of a specific concert, contact Michael Pahl at mpahl@mennochurch.mb.ca.