How to go
What: "In Calvary's Shadow: A Tenebrae Service"
Where/when: Bellbrook Church of Christ, 7171 Wilmington-Dayton Road; 6 p.m. April 13
Where/when: Bethany Church of Christ, 2755 E. Stroop Road, Kettering; 7:30 p.m. April 17
Where/when: East Dayton Christian Church, 3415 Linden Ave.; 7 p.m. Good Friday, April 18
More info: 937-299-1730 or www.bcckettering.com
The Worship Hour starts with seven candles burning. The 26-member choir raises their voices in unison with, “Go to Dark Gethsemane.” One candle is extinguished. As each hymn is finished, so is the light of another candle. Just like the title of one of the hymns, “Tis Midnight,” the program takes the audience on a spiritual journey of long ago … the last hours Jesus endured leading up to the cross.
A multi-church choir will be performing “In Calvary’s Shadow: A Tenebrae Service,” written by Victor C. Johnson with instrumentation by Larry Shackley. The performances will be held within the next two weeks at three local churches: Bellbrook Church of Christ, Bethany Church of Christ and East Dayton Christian Church. All of these places of worship, in addition to Crossview Church of Christ in Kettering, have representatives in this combined choir.
“Easter is a time to remember, celebrate and reflect on the sacrifices made by God in sending his only son to die on the cross for our sins,” said choir member Shelley Deardorff. “His son, Jesus Christ, carried the burden of the world’s sin so that those who believe in him can have eternal life in heaven.”
The multi-church choir was the brainchild of David Ladd, former senior pastor of Bethany Church of Christ.
“I believe people still enjoy singing in choirs, no matter what the local churches seems to believe. With several years under our belt, the combined choir continues to grow each season,” said Ladd, currently a Crossview member who lives in Miamisburg. “The camaraderie and enjoyment is almost electrical. I see no end in sight for this outreach of love and loyalty to our Lord.”
The choir’s first performance was during Easter of 2010. The first members were from Bethany CC and East Dayton Christian. After the first few programs, members of Bellbrook CC wanted to join. Ladd started teaching Sunday School at Crossview CC, and the latest members to join the choir are from his class.
“There was great enthusiasm for working together in this special way to honor the Lord. Our youngest member is in middle school, and I believe our oldest member is around 80,” said Marilyn Simpson, a Bethany church member who lives in Centerville. “I am humbled and blessed to be the choir director. It truly is a privilege to work with such loving people.”
According to Simpson, the fellowship between choir members extends beyond practice and worship. Their connections lead to shared prayer concerns and praises when they meet and in-between meetings. Throughout the week members pray for each other, and have “seen amazing answers to those prayers.”
“To me, this choir is an example of what fellowship is supposed to be about,” said choir member Brooke Cody. “We come together to fellowship with one another and to worship our God together; it doesn’t matter which church we attend.”
Other hymns in this pre-Easter worship service include “Were you There?” “He Never Said a Mumbalin’ Word,” “There is a Fountain,” “Behold the Savior of the World” and “Surely, He Hath Borne Our Griefs.”
“Easter is the day where all hope becomes anew,” said choir member Debby Colville. “This choir celebrates together, rejoicing in the fact that we shall behold Him one day.”
Between each hymn, Bethany narrators Mike Madrid and Rick Markham will read from the Gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke. There are also points during the service where the congregation is invited to sing along with the choir. Ministers Damon Reid of Bethany, Bryan Forbes of Bellbrook, and Scott VanDyke of East Dayton, will give a brief welcome and introduction before the program at their church.
“This particular service tells the story of Christ from his prayer in Gethsemane through the crucifixion,” said Simpson. “Since tenebrae services are presented before Easter, they always end with the crucifixion. It helps us to focus and meditate on Christ’s sacrifice for each of us.”
The program ends with all of the candles extinguished, “Thy Will Be Done.”
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