Student organization, Echoes of Gospel, is hosting its first choir concert on Nov. 19 at 4 p.m. in the Burns Chapel.
Echoes of Gospel is a new organization that was founded in the spring semester of 2017 by Preston Busby, president of Echoes of Gospel and criminal justice junior.
Busby said, “Students brought it to my attention that they would like to see a gospel choir on campus and they thought that it would actually be something that other people wanted to see.'”
Busby said that he was also encouraged by faculty members to start a gospel choir to bring back something the school once had.
“Dr. Green, who is our advisor, suggested that we should make it because it was at our old campus and she found that we did not have anything like that, and thought that it would be a new thing that we have not had in a while that students could really take advantage of,” Busby said.
The Christian organization does not identify with a specific denomination and welcomes all who are interested to join. The intent of the organization is to praise god through various aid and philanthropic opportunities across the campus.
Busby said, “Our actual quote is ‘Praising and Serving in Unity’ and the goal of our organization is basically to praise God and also serve our community through community service and through our concerts, which will be to aid as a ministry to students here on campus.”
The goal of the concert is to help others come to know God and seek forgiveness.
Busby said, “The concert is the redemption experience and basically the whole meaning behind the concert is all about redeeming and coming to God as we are. And coming to God saying that we have been changed. That is what the meaning of the songs are.”
Taylor Barnett, vice president and mass communication and marketing junior, said that she hopes people of all backgrounds and denominations leave the concert feeling uplifted and closer to God.
“Anytime people listen to gospel music, you always want them to feel uplifted. So when people come to this concert, no matter what they are going through or what their denomination is, Christian or non-Christian, we just really want them to feel uplifted and feel that movement from the spirit,” Barnett said. “Just enjoy the music and if that helps them with their relationship with God, that is even better.”
Tickets are available for purchase on OrgSync for $2.
Echoes of Gospel meets every Wednesday at 6 p.m. in Fain C117.
CORRECTION: In an earlier version of this story, Preston Busby, Ricinda Turner and Echoes of Gospel were misquoted. The Wichitan regrets this error.
Additional reporting by Shannon Doss
