Church service performance was HOA’s ‘thank you’ to hosts
| Type of post: | Chorus news item |
| Sub-type: | No sub-type |
| Posted By: | John Braden |
| Status: | Current |
| Date Posted: | Thu, Nov 21 2024 |
The Heart of America Chorus expressed its gratitude to the host of its regular meeting place during a church service performance Oct. 27 at First United Methodist Church of Blue Springs.
The 86-year-old Kansas City barbershop chorus has been meeting at FUMC in Blue Springs, Mo., since the late pandemic days of 2021. Chorus members wanted to say thank you to the church for welcoming them to meet every Tuesday night at 7 p.m. in the sanctuary.
The 11 a.m. service opened with HOA singing “Glorious Things of Thee are Spoken.” The hymn became part of the chorus repertoire because the singers learned the Joseph Haydn tune “Austria” as the German National Anthem, which they performed -- in German -- at the German Unification Celebration Oct. 3 in Leavenworth, Kan. Add English words, sing a second verse, add an “Amen” and you have an American hymn.
Also interspersed in the service were “I’ll Fly Away,” “Amen” (the Sidney Poitier gospel song from “Lilies of the Field”) and “You Raise Me Up” (an inspirational tune made famous by pop singer Josh Groban).
One church member thanked the chorus “for your magnificent singing… It is obvious that each of you enjoy this tremendously… We were all blessed!”
The service was also live-streamed on the church website, bluespringsumc.org, and on Facebook.
The 86-year-old Kansas City barbershop chorus has been meeting at FUMC in Blue Springs, Mo., since the late pandemic days of 2021. Chorus members wanted to say thank you to the church for welcoming them to meet every Tuesday night at 7 p.m. in the sanctuary.
The 11 a.m. service opened with HOA singing “Glorious Things of Thee are Spoken.” The hymn became part of the chorus repertoire because the singers learned the Joseph Haydn tune “Austria” as the German National Anthem, which they performed -- in German -- at the German Unification Celebration Oct. 3 in Leavenworth, Kan. Add English words, sing a second verse, add an “Amen” and you have an American hymn.
Also interspersed in the service were “I’ll Fly Away,” “Amen” (the Sidney Poitier gospel song from “Lilies of the Field”) and “You Raise Me Up” (an inspirational tune made famous by pop singer Josh Groban).One church member thanked the chorus “for your magnificent singing… It is obvious that each of you enjoy this tremendously… We were all blessed!”
The service was also live-streamed on the church website, bluespringsumc.org, and on Facebook.
