Mixed voices - the joy of running a community choir
Kristin McLaughlin dreamt of a community choir for years. It is now a reality and she reminds us of the power that music and singing have to bring a very disparate group of people together and bring joy and worth to those who sing and those who hear them.
In November 2009 I was asked to do a community choir workshop. 42
people came and we started meeting regularly in January 2010. We
started with 27 and we have now grown to over 60 (although 45-55 come
each week).
The main aim is to sing together and have lots of fun. I am a music
teacher and have always been part of a choir – and there are lots of
choirs in the area – but they are often dull! There is a great buzz and
sense of excitement about ours and we’ve even had people transfer from
other choirs because of this. This is despite the fact that we
accept people whatever their musical capabilities - choir members
include grandparents, grandchildren, mothers and daughters, a lady with
Downs Syndrome, a ninety year old with dementia, a lady who has had two
strokes and a young lady with Aspergers.
We’ve now done several concerts – including being invited by the mayor
to sing at a local civic event - and always make sure that the audience
is involved with joining in some of the songs.
In October 2010 I ran a Christmas song workshop and during the lunch
break the lady organising refreshments asked if she could speak about
the charities she started in India. She stood up and with such love,
simply shared how God led her to India to help people in need – it moved
many people to tears.
This is not a Christian choir, it’s a community choir, but this made
me realise that it is definitely God’s choir. The whole day felt like a
spiritual experience – almost church by default - and Beryl collected £80
from the cakes for her charities.
I have had a dream of starting a community choir for several years. To
stand up in front of so many lovely smiling faces and experience so much
joy feels like one of the most fulfilling things I have ever done. I
feel God’s smile with me.
Kristin McLaughlin, October 2010