Figueroa Church of Christ's 80th Anniversary Concert

Oh inside myself in the side in the Sun [Music] [Music] I'll sweep the sound that saved a wretch [Music] like me [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] [Music] this evening represents a historical celebration which is germinated and originated from this place the 80th anniversary would be a joyous time for historical narratives would describe the various choruses and will be narrated via a brief video presentation which will play just prior some of the choral directors will share some brief the audience doing there are large numbers of figaro members who have shared their gift of song throughout the years and are now resting from there we thank God for their gifts and are everything to those choral directors and Ray valine Griffin Corral Justin a our emphasis this evening is to share of historical music of the choruses in chronological Horn of when each chorus began from the early 1900's to present in the choruses have prepared some of their signature selection for the edification of all in attendance so we invite you to sit back and enjoy the choral praises of the Figueroa Church of Christ we're happy that you're here celebrating such a rich history along with us in order to move swiftly and orderly we're asking each chorus to line up during the third selection of the chorus before them and to exit stage to the right and also Colossians 3:16 let the word of Christ dwell in teaching and admonishing with thankfulness in your hearts to God these groups have inspired edified cheered others by the good news of Jesus Christ and pleased God as they have hollowed out God's praises and some of the most melodious voices on this side of heaven as one author pointed out singing comes from our inward happiness it is a result of happiness not the cause of it many a young person at this congregation while now personally having ever met many of our earliest movers have at the same time inherited an excellence of performance for the legacy of our earlier members has been passed down generationally we highlight swimming groups of a big reward churches Christ let's start with our DTV World Church of Christ rating clients a historical journey has influenced directly or indirectly every why was the group called the radio chord the answer is simple for every Sunday for 16 years this group appeared on the radio in a program called gospel songs and sermons the figure was late minister dr. Aaron Hogan bringing a message for the Floyd leave the premiere song director of the group and considered by many as the original maestro among us in the predominantly african-american congregations of the Churches of Christ founded the new from a storefront on 43rd in bikini Avenue the location was now a perfectionist brotherly trying to determine in this pitch he heard at practice was known to cause seizures in the late hours of the night to request let me hear you sing your part in fact he could be found studying music at any hour the radio corps is saying in both Southern and Northern California donating any money given to them to the congregation building fun or to Christian education let us always remember that this course belongs is a definite part of the church she said we cannot accept the challenge before us and conform to the good of a church when we have failed in our efforts naturally talented you wrote or arranged many of the lute songs lord help me to stand and let's work together sister Katherine Bellamy the only living member of the group shared these memories well I was so and the oppression he was very strict very uptight he wanted it to be the best we're all seniors we learn to be okay and by strict you mean learning your music music okay very good now what were some of your fondest memories travels and things that places that you went to Christ and San Francisco so traveling to Texas so a lot of different travels that's just wonderful I see you're holding one of the album's it looks like it's entitled lord help me to stand what were some of your favorite songs throughout the years let's work together oh that's wonderful those are great titles I know he I know you saw many many more and there are many other albums as well but we just wanted to get your input because you're one of the most senior members that did sing with that chorus and we just truly truly appreciate you giving us first chorus to sing tonight will be the anniversary which is composed of members from various congregations they will share several radio [Music] [Music] they're going straight you know I'm from West Texas all we have tumbleweeds so they started playing and then they finally hit that note on in that city my mother said hmm hopefully just maybe is going to have a show like that choir [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Applause] [Applause] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Applause] come on Oh [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Applause] [Applause] [Applause] Oh [Applause] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] sorry I just almost let us a lot of feedback there but based upon the fact that when my mother you heard the little interview and when she brought us here as a single mother of five she right away began to sing with the radio course so that was back in 1965 and she has continued to sing at whatever congregation she worships at currently she worships in San Bernardino with the 11th Street congregation and she sings with that course and in her spare time she sings with the city course the Rialto Nostalgia singers so she's a very busy little lady and she goes and does her Zumba and she just just the quality of life and we didn't want this moment to go by without presenting her with these roses as the most senior living member of the red Figaro Radio 4 [Applause] can we give the anniversary course one more big round of applause [Applause] the original Figaro youth chorus and concert chorus who be described and presented in this next video presentation or them big big world view showing interest in singing in an earth this 1953 picture captures the figure or youth chorus performing at the dedication ceremony of what isn't [Music] like their parents or others before them Figaro is used showing interest in singing in a group this 1953 picture captures the figure or youth chorus performing at the dedication ceremony of what is now a big aurora congregation from this location at 43rd and acclaim at that time the main auditorium of this new location is the building that we now call a South auditorium let's zoom in you recognize them yes it's Elizabeth Klein so mom and Jesse Oh your grandma was not making a fashion statement with the sighs she was respecting decorum where it was considered improper for a girl of her tender years to wear stockings this group was directed by the late sister Bernice West a doubt the mother of whether Donald Harris a director himself with many local Los Angeles group's roles Garrett was among the syllabus Flossie Bromley and her sister Marie were the only Altos Sol Robert Cosby Lewis minor and Donna Harris boys whose voices were still developing into their manly ones saying also along with Flossie Murray much of the core of this group were families glossy and marine Lucille and Elizabeth and for minors and for cosmics eventually this group morphed into the state [Music] [Applause] it amazing how times have changed the sight of modesty was white ankle socks what about the little angels that was a question asked by the late Bethel Smith as she considered working with the youngest of children here at the congregation let's listen to their brief history while she founded the little angels mr. feathersmith responded that while reading an article entitled what about the little angels she decided to start somewhere to do something about the little children dr. R and Hogan then the minister of the big award Church of Christ agreed for he believed that the talents of Willis children should never be minimized the original group of 50-plus children perform like professionals putting their own stamp on the history of gigolo singing groups their attendance was sought at many civic and political events they appeared several times on television programs they sang 4x vice president Hubert Humphrey in 1968 they appeared on ABC with actor ed Nelson of Peyton Place Fame as they distributed toys to needy children for Christmas they appeared at the Dorothy Chandler Music Center invited by the way County Supervisor Kenneth Harlan where they were in concert with Pat Boone and layer year as they sang annually at the Christmas concert at the Music Center they produced the album out of the mouths of days director Robert Morris a gifted musician himself guided little angels to a higher level of excellence he committed himself to the development of the musical talents of the Figaro of Church of Christ a staple at Figaro with little angel saying with confidence of those far beyond news [Applause] oh yes I saw a lot of folks on there that I know they men that still remember those ruffled shirts we've invited the Imperial chorus adult chorus to share in this celebration with us we appreciate the work of brother Samson wily he continues to do here in the city with this directing and teaching and if you don't know he got style he enjoys teaching songs that the radio chorus used to sing and they're going to be singing three selections on tonight please if you can welcome to the stage the Imperial adults calls [Applause] once again the Imperial I'll feel honored to be a part of this event especially when we're featuring the laborer Floyd believe the look success that I've had over the years that I have been a director uh-oh 90% of that - brother Floyd Billy Isis sang with him when I was just a little kid and it was just amazing how much knowledge he had when it come to singing he slept singing and whatever I have achieved in these years I overdid brother lives and I made mention to this adult course that I've been working with for over 50 years that we're going to continue the legacy her brother Florida Billie and that is my aim and goal just continue to sing selections that he rendered during his life our first selection also is not - actually it is one of the songs that I cannot help but think of the late brother are in or hogging my set of my wife she bless her heart she's still singing and all of us know when y'all see sister widely you all said but that's in the show [Applause] and we're gonna try to do that in honor of brother art and hoping cuz he used to tell me as his son you ought to go home and wash the dishes and let your wife sang for you all the time unfortunately I didn't do that but thank God God has blessed her and myself to still serve in God's kingdom and as long as God gives me breath I'm gonna continue to serve as he helped me to serve but we want to sing this song she's able to do it blessed assurance you be blessed see - ooh let's do - ooh heat off this one Oh waterfall Oh Laurie Devon era [Applause] lesion purchased of gone oh yes born of his fear washed in his blood this is my space my snow raising my sea oh yes this is my story oh yes raising my Savior all the day long this is my story this is my song praising my see yes this is my store oh yes praising my snake buddy [Applause] [Music] next election they've asked me to do three I hope I can get through it but we're gonna try it anyway this is another selection that the late brother floridly used to sing and if I thought this was a cute song as I was young young and growing up great day oh yes it would be a great day when we all gather home oh this it'll be a great day when we all gather it will be a great day will be Roxy homicide a day where we all gather gather oh it will be your great day when we all gather it would be a great day when we all see - wrong [Applause] [Music] [Applause] we shall be with the nappy younger she will be all gather home dissipate be [Applause] oh yes it would be a great day when we all gather I know it would be a great day we'll be Nazis too wrong we wish I [Music] [Applause] the Seder space will be I know it will be a great way when we go see Steve all we were shy man there will be a great game we'll be okay [Applause] the next election is also one selection that brother flawed believe some keep right on God's character right on to glory to the wonder books when he proceeded keeping the current ever singing the song go grab his rider right uh and or ki God does care interval blessings are raging in the city miyagi the rider right [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] from the Emily show surprisely Korea's baby just keep pressing key right off [Applause] Peter [Applause] here I don Messi's are waiting in the city [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] ladies and gentlemen the Imperial adult [Applause] brother why so so what beautiful age view now 82 years old amen amen amen I'm hoping I can move around like that when I get 28 [Applause] we will now have a video of the concert choir [Music] the first fickle war news course originally directed by for the Herald Hogan at the request of for the haricot bean sister shinobi a miner a music major assumed leadership of the group the concert choir brought a new staff spiritual anthems folk songs and classical shows among the first of its annual concert soiree de musica was presented at Pepperdine University in 1960 yearly the concert choir sang at the Southern California gas company holiday program among their numerous appearances performance with the comedian Dick Gregory performance for president john f kennedy and the United Nations ambassador Adlai Stevenson is six months appearance on a radio program broadcast throughout Southern California participation at a freedom rally at the former Los Angeles Wrigley Field and many other distinctive affairs many professionals who made their mark in education government and a range of other fields is a big reward treasure [Music] amen amen my mama used to sing in that group that meant I used to sing in that group also amen what I remember most about is probably gonna sound sideways but what I remember most about singing with the concert chorus was that if you were late you had to pay dues yep as the little angels got more and more busy in the end in high demand there were times when only the older girls the much older girls in the course was singing in order to represent the chorus these fourteen and fifteen young ladies became known as the little angels girls glee and would go on to sing all across the country and internationally let's listen to their brief narrative and was responsible for the program and she asked me if I thought that some of the girls would be if I thought that some of the girls would be able to sing at the program because most of us were in attendance at Vacation Bible School so she spoke with devil smells and double-stuffed thought that it would be okay and at their program I know if you guys remember we sang angry words we performed that and it it turned out that the sting of getting some of the older kids and the little angels together to perform at the National Youth Cup the middle mate was 13 and we were a little behind the eight so around 1972 under the direction of her granddaughter Amy Lane Griffin who rails we started performing as little angel girls glee was formed we performed at our first major event which was the national youth conferences held at Bishop College in Bishop Texas so how did you know about the new zeeland opportunity they're from Smith who was a Los Angeles commissioners found out about it rid the city of Los Angeles and she put our name in the top can you tell us about how you were selected we were selected I'll get to audition and out of five hundred groups we were chosen to represent the city of Los Angeles in a sister city and then go ahead and tell me about the well when we went to New Zealand we were all excited about Louie okay and be all over we all had our whole bunch of new clothing so there's always some hope but anyway we went we were all talking about where we were gonna stay and everything we were all excited and they have all these little people that went with us and we were dropping them off along the way and one guy he got dropped off at this beautiful house and then it's other person they got they got dropped off somewhere so we're waiting we saw a lot so we going to stop or we're gonna pass by all these big beautiful ranches and I said there it is that's where we go and they kept going okay you guys this next one must be ours am going yes we saw the little houses said okay you hear what I think was one that was rave estate yeah but she's so we actually children from the hood went to me okay but in long run the people that we met they were so nice and friendly to us but you know our grandmother Bethel Smith she found a way we ended up getting us a five bedroom apartment that she found and we only had to pass six dollars a day or something yeah and it was really really nice we had a lot of fun and it was just a really good experience plus all these ladies through life's ups and downs joys and heartbreaks are certain of this they loves one another can depend on one another and are blessed to have each other as friends to sleep about somebody [Applause] there that particular song started giving me the itch but they were seeing that acts you brothers and sisters ladies and gentlemen the Figaro girls Glee so thank you again for just coming out and supporting us this is this is where we grew up and before this building was constructed we'd run through here there was dirt and wooden beams and we weren't supposed to be over here running around but we did it we have a few signature songs one of the those that will that will sing first for you is entitled poor man [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] the flame [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] new heights [Music] [Applause] [Music] Oh [Music] [Music] [Applause] Oh [Music] Oh shoes [Music] [Applause] [Applause] [Applause] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] yeah [Applause] oh boy yeah memories I guess it wouldn't be right if we didn't sing the name of our album who knows what that is there's a sweet sweet spirit and we feel there is a sweet sweet spirit in this place we we praise God we thank him for allowing us to remain friends all these many years and we just want to end our portion tonight singing there is a sweet sweet spirit in this place [Music] [Applause] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] there are sweet [Applause] [Music] I know they build the present [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] anus [Music] [Applause] we are without a doubt we know that we have been revived when we shall be this way if you say he saved you from your sea [Applause] now you're weak you are bound and not meter you can bake you'll enjoy all these spirits that we [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] we [Applause] without a doubt we know that we have been rewired when we shall [Music] [Applause] [Music] we whoo-whee well they're not amazing as I as I listen to them saying I I just got really pensive you know I thought about thought about some folks y'all probably wouldn't thought about I thought about crystal Bowers are used to saying what the man Alicia at that time was Morrison saying with them I've also thought about Lee being you know Judy raver yeah I say it leave you first yeah yeah amen amen amen once again the Figueroa girls glee [Music] y'all feelin alright y'all sure y'all feelin alright here's what I want you to do we're gonna we're gonna do a little something special something we used to do back at Southwestern if y'all will indulge me yes stand on your feet for a second amen stand on your feet and what I want everybody to do is its face that wall over there just just turn and face that wall this is gonna be a heavily theological exercise I want you to put your hands on the shoulders of the person in front and give them a massage now so that we can be fair so that we can be fair turn and face that wall over there and put your hands on the hands on the on the neck and the person is rough and get them a good old massage [Applause] I told you it's going to be heavily theological any man but before you sit down I'm going to do something this this is kind of a metro thing if they don't hope it don't bother you too much but I just want you to think about everything God has done for you just think about everything God has done for you think about everything that God has done for you and I'm going to count down to one and when I count down to one what I want you to lose it says shout thank your God for whatever did but they just think about the three can just think about it to watch come on shout to God right now baby God I have a seat a man in there amen amen amen I was asked I was asked to say a few brief words about the grace of God and running through my mind were scriptures he's ins to Titus 2 and John 1 and that was just running through my head and then I thought to myself the word is hidden in our hearts we are living epistles so so instead of me going into the written word I just want to speak into the word that's written in your hearts and I want to tell you today that the reason you hear right now is because of the grace of God I want to tell you right now you might have thought you deserved this day you might thought have fought you I deserve the love of Jesus you might have thought you just did something so good because you're such a wonderful person I'm here to tell you right now you ain't nothing but a low-down dirty Center but bless the name of the Lord because he is so good that he loves even a wretch like you and a red like me and so if you don't love God keep on living your final reason to love God because the grace of God has appeared to all me and he's a blessing to us he teases how to act but he also teaches us how to expect he tells us that one day he's gonna come back and he's gonna take us and I don't know about you but every time I think about how good god is to me I just want to shout hallelujah praise Jehovah because he's been so good nah he's been good to you if he's been good to you not he ain't been good to you you don't say nothing you just sit there and your holy sanctified this glory to God but if he's been good to you if you know you sick and in the need of a doctor if you know you've broken a law and in the need of a lawyer if you know that you hungry and you need somebody to feed you if you got a deep thirst down in your spirit and you understand that you need living water why don't you stand on your feet right now and get all our grace because he is good [Applause] that's the name of the Lord amen amen amen y'all be seated praise the Lord because of God's grace you want to listen to a beautiful rendition of this song [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Applause] [Applause] [Music] for me [Music] want me on this [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] one down [Music] [Music] for me [Music] [Applause] into the celestial sealants self-assured gold centric focus and team oriented individuals the celestial singers were founded in February 1969 a group that received a relationship between talent and his call service they show gratitude to those who have inspired and encouraged them gurus ministers the late dr. Arlen Hogan and dr. Calvin powers and to their fellow church members available in church Christ as the primary factor that encouraged them to sing religious music bands without hesitation their parents who'd still within them godly principles the concept of putting God first in fact the late David and Mildred Ned's parents the for celestial singers David senior Louis Nass Anderson dr. Shirley Nash Weber and Don Knapp senior opened their homes for their groups for versus the late aerial cement was a director of the celestial series acidity will ensure the Nash weather reflects on the Celestials shall be [Laughter] [Music] sister Shirley Nash whoever can we receive well good evening it is truly a blessing to be here this evening - with me and have some of the members of the celestial singers with us this evening it's been almost 50 years since the celestial singers were founded in 1969 this coming February a 20-19 will have been 50 years since we established the celestial singers it's amazing when you think about it and I had to think about it this morning how long it's been since we started the celestial singers I was the founder of the celestial singers and we came into existence because we had pretty much outlived our time as the youth choir and in those days you know the we were in a transition period because generally when folks got to be twenty twenty-one they got engaged and got married well we were the 60s and people didn't do that and so as a result we had groups of young people who had finished the youth choir and really almost felt like they had nowhere to go they didn't want to join the radio chorus because they were much older and the the concert courts were much more established in terms of families and children and those kinds of things so what do you do with a group of young people who still want to sing and so we decided that we'd start our own course we just start our own group and just invite people to join and so I called those who were interested my sister's my brothers and said let's start a quartet initially and then we decided to expand beyond that arealso van had come back into town and so we'd asked him to direct us we began to add members to this course brenda moran was with us and and as a result of that theme the the manual sisters joined us Lauren Sarah and Earthling joined us Ariel Savannah as I said was our director Larry Smith became one of our strongest base and group and Leonard Carr joined us and so we had a wonderful group of on and off between eight to ten individuals who sang who practice and who sang together it was interesting that we established this choir with Ariel as our director and brother Floyd Lili is our maiden I really has an inspiration he worked with us when we decided after a year and a half of being in existence we were some bold young people because we decided we'd make an album and who makes an album after a year and a half of being in existence we did we decided we were going to make an album we had been invited to go on a tour to Chicago to sing and so we decided that we would make an album to go but the Floyd Lee helped us so much we wanted to make you name it after him and we called it the prayerful wish one of his songs it was interesting as they talked about brotherly brotherly would call me at five and six o'clock in the morning and asked me to sing over the phone and that was always funny in our household because my sisters and brothers would walk by and laugh at me as I'm lying in bed singing songs to brother Floyd Lee but that's what you did with Floyd leave because he was such an inspiration to all of us we then did a tour in 1970 once the album was finished we did a tour to Chicago Illinois and not only until we went to Chicago we went to Rockford Illinois into Oklahoma and it's interesting because we had at that time had done something that very few people had done we have done a basically a musical performance a theater called up from slavery and some of you may remember that because it was it was premiered here at this congregation where we did African American poetry and spirituals to talk about the history of African Americans from slavery to the current day and many of you came to that event you saw us coming down the aisle with chains on us and you saw it's an African clothes and you saw us break those chains and you saw sing those new songs and as a result we did that not only here but we did it in Chicago we did it in community centers we did it around the city the interesting thing is this group we decided that we would be a group that would really reach out beyond the community we were the only group that had a prison ministry we went to prison sometimes twice a month with brother God bolt and we were the only group to actually go into prisons and it was interesting because currently I serve as a chair of the state budget with regards to Public Safety all prisons all judges all courts everything is under my jurisdiction and we were talking about closing prisons they mentioned narco and they mention Chino and they mentioned Fonterra and they went to these prisons and I had such tremendous knowledge of the prisons my staff looked at me and said suddenly remember when did you go visit those prisons and I said oh I'm sorry I visited those in my early 20s when I was singing in the prisons and it was kind of interesting because I remembered all those places we went almost every other Sunday with my mother and sometimes her friends who wanted to go with us and we'd go and we had a prison ministry so powerful that one Sunday after we had a prince and a prison one Sunday the next Sunday a young man who had been released on parole came down the aisles and got baptized we sang in nursing homes we sang at Park and Rec centers we we sang in Baptist churches that they're at the same song fest because we wanted them to see what it was like to basically sing without music and so we competed with them in many of their song fest we also began the community dinner the Thanksgiving dinner here figural was started by the celestial singers and the young people here it was the first time we ever reached out of this building to Pete to feed people in the community and many of you donated your Thanksgiving turkey to us and we are grateful to brother Craven who opened the doors for us and brother Beverley who made sure we didn't burn the church down but we had a wonderful time here and the beautiful thing is that it taught us a lot of things it taught us how to be independent how to work hard it's interesting that this celestial singers existed for probably about 20 years because after I left and moved out of San Diego we continued to sing periodically until became too difficult for us to do that and as a result we became a team that never gave up and we never turned on each other it's interesting we never lost a member of the celestial singers in terms of discussions and people breaking up and being mad and leaving we never had any of those kind of conflicts we all understood what we were there for and we enjoyed each other's company the best thing of all of course is that we faint our and our leaders here this congregation because even though we weren't a Figaro of course we had access to everything the figural had in terms of resources facilities support and guidance we what we established over the last 50 years some great friendships the ones that eleven of us who are when we're in the choir were tremendous friends we cared about each other we still do we work together on these issues and as one thing abducts because of the fact that it was such a spiritual experience for all of us the commitment that we made to sing together and to carry the message wherever we went lastly we will also the first choir to actually sing and clap which could turn the Church of Christ upside down we created the song we wrote actually the song wade in the water some of you remember wade in the water and we actually clapped and that was probably the first time people to church had a little rhythm and movement that that sometimes made people think twice but they also joined us in clapping and enjoyed it so I want to thank the up for the opportunity to social singers was dear to all of us as or as members and I don't know if any of the members had anything they want to say but I appreciate them they they were faithful members and I was amazed at the age of 20 that they actually followed me around the world and it was kind of interesting that they gave their faith to us that we could move and go places there was never a scandal on the celestial singers we traveled from place to place and never had a scandal never had any impropriety we always were faithful our parents were amazing in helping us to violin to come to sing at their homes and their places and and gave us all the support we need and we thank all of you for what you gave us it truly was an amazing foundation to all of our careers and professions to be a part of a group that we started ourselves that we were faithful to that we kept to the end and we kept focused upon our service to Christ and the service to the community thank you so very much [Music] amen she represents us not only is our sister in Christ but in the realms of politics let's give her a big line yo y'all feelin alright we got a couple of more groups in this concert yeah dude keep going okay just making sure cuz you know cuz I know some of y'all need a bath I mean it's a constitutional break we all right amen amen as it'll angels and the girls Glee matured into young adulthood we became known as the angelic chorus our voice is matured and they and we continue to sing together for many years we always enjoy an opportunity to hang around each other because we have grown as a family please listen to this next video presentation [Music] members were ages 8 to 23 with the predominant group teenagers by the time this group was started many of these members were superb singers having honed their skills in many cases for over a decade their songs afflicted the spirit ah that sweet melodious voice of the late Darrel pain still rings in our ears and warms our hearts as he sang amazing there were the narrations by James Kevin Murray and Cedric Payne whose voices hinted at the beginning of the sermon there was the entire chorus that sank harmoniously with the spirit and was the understanding the original director of the angelic chorus was Robert Norris known as one of the most distinguished conductors of choral music in our time his activities extend to many fields of music including theatres and concerts out of this group came the sons of vigor or they hated Kevin Murray Lawrence Murray statured Payne and Anthony stone among other Angela chorus members are those who have contributed to the development of talent in the church gravely Noel for example directed the united children's course patrice nash david's directed in the generation kathleen Hawkins co-directs the gospel chorus don nash founded and directed praise and other members have directed groups at sister congregations the angelic chorus has always been and continues to be a big reward Church of Christ staple [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] [Music] to laxity [Applause] beauty [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Applause] you [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] Laura keeps so this is to keep so busy praising my Jesus get so busy praise my Jesus get so busy praising my Jesus ain't got time [Music] [Applause] oh so busy working for the kingdom keeps our busy where people the kingdom keep so busy but when I'm when I'm when I'm [Applause] Oh keep so busy serving my master queue so busy serving my master master [Music] [Applause] goodbye [Applause] [Applause] you know I have seen it all with them it's been a wonderful trip it started out kind of rough at times I can just see it today me driving a bus called a Leo Nicki them in the back and spitballs they don't feel real Road track they're 19 years old and I'm going hey get out and Belleville is going I'm just gonna get by switch I'm just gonna get nice rich and look how they have grown they all have such noble careers just wonderful wonderful Christians citizens parents and now grandparents and now they know how to act how's not do something but you're not because you're something in particular [Laughter] let's watch balm in Gilead you got it [Music] all right [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] sometimes I feel my works in me the Holy Spirit realize my soul [Music] [Applause] if you cannot see you cannot breathe like wow you can turn the love of Jesus [Music] Oh [Applause] [Applause] engi [Music] to make though Larry's a balm in Gilead [Music] ah see [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] once again ladies and gentlemen the Figueroa angelic chorus [Applause] [Music] yes we all but we can still sang a little bit during the years of brother Curtis McCullum he began what it's still known as the figure or gospel chorus join me as we listen to a brief history the figure or gospel chorus has been under the directorship of three meters further angioma column in the 1980s sister Thelma Reeves later and currently and is a co-director ship of sister Charlene Daniels and Kathleen Hawkins while there are many beautiful selections that are sung by the truth among two of the favorites are I'll rise again and the old ship of Zion Sharon Daniels saying in the three versions of the piece because she so deeply knows the group's history let's hear the surely now I want to say the gospel court's opinion or gospel of Phineas began in the early eighties I believe was 80 to 80 and it was under the direction of brother Ferguson in color who was not only our associate minister at the time but he was our Minister of Energy and this was kind of like my coming-out actually this was my first experience with the group and the delightful part of the gospel thought that I enjoyed most was the type of songs that we did and I was one who brought up the beautiful song written and composed by Cecilia rose Cobb on all my trials that has since been my signature song for a lot of things that have been through in my life and that song had a lot of others I'm sure you all heard my answer well restore my soul Holy Spirit is the name of you and Beth McCullen upon bringing out this new wave of gospel music it's hard to open him to initiate the cigarettes that was instituted by him under his coordination and founder back in 1984 and this was a humongous three-day weekend it was always in February the first weekend of February we have groups from all of the body of Christ coming as far away as old Texas Tennessee you name it and it was awesome to be here on Friday nights plus hours of singing praises to God and then on Saturday all the board were using and we still got an early Sunday to come here for the rally worship services and this was something that went on for you for a good amount of years untroubled McCullum changed his membership and became the minister at the apparent Street Church of Christ upon which time we acquired a new directors of film believe such a sweet spirit she came to us from in Altadena area and she took over as director of the federal gospel chords because I love music so much I was kind of like an assistant to her I couldn't get enough but that's how much I love singing and I would also have to leave out the fact that the gospel course went through a lot of transitional periods one of which where it all started dearly beloved minister Darrell hold here at the thing with her so we kind of like vincent Hawkins and his wife Kathleen came to us then he saw we mean to revive us again as the gospel chords and the extra baggage is running fast I was more than willing and able and ready to do this and so today I am the directors of the figure of the sports will continue to my still beautiful songs and hymns that surreal table has loaned us to use and I'm so grateful it goes to the very heart of the things that we deal with today and no better way than sooner beautiful songs of praise about the songs that she has created and also written and composed and it would be a pleasure to me to continue with the gospel crossbows and as I can the gospel chords [Applause] the bombing I didn't want to hear no more singing afternoon and you know you start reminiscing on people that's gone raving but the Griffin and brother Kline and y'all pray for me please cuz I'm trying to get through this song okay [Applause] good evening to each and every one of yous a pleasure for us to be here embrace this audience today this has been beautiful so far and I just can go I'm stay to stay here until tomorrow morning 8:30 how about you and we can start we can just keep going and keep going it's been so beautiful all the different groups and just awesome but we are currently two figure or gospel chords and I live direction of yours truly and also my sweet sister Kathleen Hawkins we're going to do three selections for you today our first one will be halle-loo soloist Jill hope I'm sure you enjoy it and we're also going to do for you all my trials yours truly and hopefully we're going to do come let us worship the Lord under the direction of Kathleen Hawkins thank you [Music] oh Jesus I want you to wash my with water pounds on high and not to eat you to God ready to work say to my Savior [Applause] don't you know what would just [Applause] Oh so I want you oh this Oh life is [Applause] Jesus with a little take me until the star [Music] ah oh shoot around middle in the cradle hurry [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Applause] thank you [Music] [Music] Oh [Music] [Applause] ah [Applause] to [Applause] Oh Oh my trial Oh [Music] now I can tell them to my Lord and heal my the pain the strain [Applause] Miney [Music] by town every take [Music] and he dry [Applause] Oh [Applause] Oh [Music] of kids where my shoulders down and they feel me with this bear [Music] try [Applause] [Applause] [Applause] [Applause] [Applause] this this last election is taken from a beautiful passage of scripture from Psalm 29 where we're encouraged to come and worship the Lord in the splendor of his holiness so this will be a rendition of that passage of scriptures but a reason it read it in your spare time it's a beautiful passage of Scripture Psalm 29 come worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness come in o come let us worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness Fionna comes Ana's worship the Lord let's give him the praise come let us worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness come in o come let us worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness come in and give him the honor honor in the pray [Music] [Applause] [Music] give our God the glory worship me come let us worship the Lord let's give him the free [Applause] [Applause] Oh [Applause] [Applause] Larry won't you [Applause] [Applause] Oh Oh [Applause] amen even y'all get on space go get it yes Vigoroth gospel chorus come on give him another round of applause so they keep asking what about the youth there arose a new generation during the late 80s and 90s there were so many children and young people here at the figure our congregation again someone noticed them and decided to spend time energy and talent with them to encourage them as they sang praises to the Lord let's listen to their story new generation sister Emma Wilson a long time Senate schoolteacher the fourth and fifth grade girls the nutrition plans later became a junior department supervisor frequently during the early 1990s Muse told her that they wanted to be a part of the senior she set out to find older heroes in the church to mentor the younger ones but to no avail eventually her sister Patrice Nash Davis agreed to organize and direct a bidding war children singing group for a new generation the chosen name of the group 40-plus children joined the group met on Sunday afternoons and immediately there was an up kick instead a public attendance Patrice and her nephew Don jr. were the primary directors of new generation later they were joined by charlene daniels and kathleen Hawkins for the new generations first concert Lois Anderson donated funds for the girls dresses and the boys Cumberlands and shirts Bertha Williams made outfits a yearly treat of the group was the February trip to big beer during presidents winking sponsored by Louis Anderson a favorite son of Tagore Shanda Lou Bush reflects on his precious moments being a member of new-generation definitely formed my ultimate desire to be a worship leader when I first was put into generation I was required to be in there because my mom required me to be in there I didn't want to do it but I actually learned that I had a love for singing I enjoyed being with other people although being a member of the group at the time I never really songs solo parts I did begin to learn confidence in singing and then ultimately it allowed you to branch out to be a song leader which allowed me here at Figueroa where I was comfortable and then as I moved around in life and lived in other parts of the state it's allowed me to be an instrumental part of the worship songs and I'm glad for the experience and quite honestly how to not be the new generation I don't think I'd be nearly as active in worship as I am taking these Generation Xers and Millennials are adults now but bring them all together again in the fervor and zeal in a room refers to their childhood years this historical journey of choral praises is never-ending singing again and it's always interesting we all seem to still remember the songs remember our parts even though it was 25 years ago we were singing we sometimes also laugh about the fact that back then we were considered the new generation now many of us most of us have kids and we wake up in the morning and our body aches and we have gray hair and so it's pretty remarkable getting together and experiencing and laughing about old times and some of the old experiences we had as a group and how some of the the people who were behaving badly during rehearsal never me used to get a thump on the head from Patrice when they wouldn't behave so it's fun to get together in exchange memories and laugh and sing and sometimes we'll find ourselves just sitting there for hours after rehearsals over because we just enjoy being together and quite honestly now that we've all grown up and moved on we really don't get to see each other as often so it's pretty nostalgic when we get together [Music] [Applause] new generation a man we have another video form the group you see seen started here with my brother Willie Norwood answers to reveal a morale Willie regrets not being able to be here but he sends his best regards [Laughter] thus in 1993 dr. Aaron Hogan served as director Maybelline Griffin became disis istant always with an affinity for children Maybelline felt it would be great to have a children's singing group she asked wailing Griffin Harrell her daughter to form a citywide children's singing group for the opening night of the crusade at the Bonaventure Maybelline said that the participation of interested children was magnificent as the children entered the stage each one held a state flag as Kevin Murray did the 50 states roll call after the United Children's Chorus performed the parents were filled with joy Maybelline said and they had a request please keep the group together Willie Norwood agreed to assist Raven thus UCC was born well um you see C's to the performances were singing 4x President Bill Clinton on television they were the highlight performers at supervisors Kenneth Hans memorial service as a group sang Amazing Grace and I finally made it home they were background singers for entertainer Quincy Jones and numerous other performances brave a past and is truly missed so because of her training the group still performs superbly isn't this amazing isn't that just amazing he meant he meant getting ready to have a final group of tonight God definitely deserves our best he deserves our praise if we don't praise Him the Bible says the rocks are going to cry out and I heard somebody say ain't no rocks go to cry for me enough before before I bring this group up I want to just give a shout out to the amazing people who are working with the technical portion of so sometimes we don't we don't give honor to folks who are kind of behind the scenes and I just can we give them one more round of applause this last video presentation will help us to understand why this last chorus had its beginning of praise and how they decided on their name praise was founded in 1995 by this time many of the chicken scenes are now adults with families having moved from the neighborhoods of the childhood many spread out throughout Los Angeles County but these young people were determined to keep the community of centers together and it had a unique advantage having known one another for a lifetime founder Don Nance Jr could easily size of the talent in the city so he plucked the best of it in forming praise you know praise was one of those I think God moments I think I was probably evolving in my own spiritual growth and the idea of praise came about because I was always surrounded by people that sang sang a part of the little angels and other course and that season was kind of dissipating when we were singing ever less often and a large part of me of my makeup is the music and so knowing that my community were people of singers and so many of us were going through things it happened and then I had this bright idea that we could enroll in the McDonnells gospel fest we literally got together to join the McDonald's gospel fest I think we rehearsed maybe a couple of weeks before that and pulled it off and McDonald gospel fest in 1995 yes Big Macs forever [Laughter] [Applause] go to Lowe's while have y'all been blessed no really that's like pattycake pattycake Baker's man have you been blessed this tense justin - somebody said test test I don't know that means I should speak I should not we're honored to be here we don't get a chance to do this often and we thought about you know what I gotta tell you tonight I feel a little challenged because I thought we were original I really did I just have to you know and then my Aunt Shirley doctor whoever gets up and talks about how they came down to our change and stuff and the year I was born and I said well I came up with that in 95 and then the number of times I've stood before a group and someone says oh your hands when you're directing and then I stood there tonight and I looked at Robert at his hands when he was directing and I said you know I'm just I'm just this is there's nothing here is original but it's been said that we are who we are because we stand on the shoulders of giants and I know and just as we listen to the history that's been revealed to us tonight that we are who we are because we have had things deposited into us that is just undeniable we come from tremendous stock the legacy of music here at the figural Church of Christ is unsurpassed by anything I've ever seen and so I thank God for what this community has brought to us and has cultivated for us and when we get together and we go out and minister it is our desire that we would not necessarily be just a show and that the words and the melodies that we sing would go beyond the the method of a cappella but that somewhere in the atmosphere we might be used to touch somebody it just you know this was birthed out of brokenness it was burst because I was on my linoleum floor crawling around looking for Jesus to kind of touch me right where I was in my life situations and the songs begin to minister to me like they had never ministered to me before and so tonight our desire is just to be used to not so much Entertain You we left our shackles we left our sequins vowels and top hats and canes and all the other tricks of the trade that we've used and we just want to bask in his presence and if by chance you are entertained and take that and be entertained but our greatest prayer is that your life might be transformed by being in the atmosphere so we want to be atmosphere setters we want to be atmosphere shifters so that whatever you get tonight I pray you get Jesus before you leave here so that when you step outside you live a little bit more empowered than you did when you came in a little bit more hopeful than you did when you came in a little bit more inspired and a little bit more inhibited uninhibited I should say so if somebody's in here if God's been good to you as fate said earlier maybe you want to show some sign anybody other than me have just been blessed by it that if you don't have enough words to declare how good God's been and if you look back to the rearview mirror of your life and you see all that God has brought you through you have to declare if it was not for God on my side where would I be and I don't know about you but I know that I've got family members in this place right now and their hearts a heavy and I know friends that are in this place that are going through things their hearts and their lives are shattered their faith hangs in the balance and so when we sing songs like hold on just a little while longer everything is gonna be alright it's because we know that somebody somewhere on this side needs to hold on just a little while longer [Applause] [Music] [Music] [Music] Oh [Music] [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] Oh [Music] [Laughter] [Music] it's gonna be alright [Music] [Applause] and he'll make [Music] see [Music] [Music] while [Music] [Music] [Music] we will be [Applause] everything will be [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] whoa one day my lord was taunted as he hung from Calvary stream lovely Makura for Jesus to save himself as he died there but you and for me but no he look to his father in heaven then he looks back to man lon see the future of man was until 2:00 with the hands [Music] Oh [Music] No [Music] [Applause] my feet on the [Applause] our cats come - some approached Nehemiah as he works you come down here please meet with us when the words near my heard them call but no we see he knew they wanted to harm him but you God he had to be true he said I'm doing all the work no no no [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] I feed on the world some friends will try to approach you while you work and say things about you maybe you think your works all in vain but you just tell them you're working for King Jesus and that a one-day rush an ahead and say no no no no no oh do we go bingo [Music] [Applause] I got my feet on the ground on the back oh ho ho I can't ah [Applause] [Applause] one of the songs that have hasn't blessed us the most is a song that I believe was divinely ordained for us it was the time when we were internally going through a lot of theological shift I don't know about you but sometimes you come to a place in your walk with God where he grows and he pulls you further and he sucks you in deeper to your relationship with him and you recognize that it's not so much about your information but more about your revelation and if you get stuck on information you sometimes get spiritual indigestion because you know a lot of Bible but you don't live a lot of Revelation you live a lot of halation if that makes sense if I can say that and it's simply because we we got truth but we don't have manifestation of truth that when we leave here we look just like them and for most of us the cult we dim our lights so that we blend in and not resist but light is only light in the context of darkness so if you are struggling with turning up your light because you're facing darkness you must understand that is the battlefield of this thing we call a faith walk and so we begin to sing and the lyrical content of our songs begin to mean so much to us that one of the brothers our sang with an agave Shawn Gibbs sat and penned lyrics and when we gave birth to this ministry he said he calls me Dino he's a Dino I got this song I think it's for praise and I didn't know until we were getting ready for this 80th anniversary and I listened to Terry Brown and someone asked her and doing the video the video interviews they said was one of your favorite songs and she said my favorite one is is holy spirit because that song was written for us and I think it is inextricably woven within the journey that we have made as a people tonight you heard a woman sing with the Los Angeles Lu how God is and now does she got finished singing this place went up in a roar but what you didn't know is that she's been battling lung cancer and she's been kicking lung cancer in the but that's bad English but real good theology you catch that right and can stand here and sing a solo the way she's Anissa this one right here because cancer tried to come get her three times and so when I look at the journey that we've taken and I look at the fingerprints of God all over us because see sometimes people think that you are just you you liberated because it's your rebellion and I encourage you to move beyond your rebellious Ness forget the fact that somebody told you to not clap and allow your clapping be burst out of your praise and allow your shout to be birthed out of your encounter with you so see when you see us going in it's simply because we know what it's like this every now and then God takes me to what I call an SOS it's called a scoot over some because you don't know what God has brought me through and my shout just might offend you but I don't have time to be sophisticated when it comes down to looking at how God brought my sister through three times of cancer trying to come back every now and then you just have an encounter with him and he touches you like nobody else can the psalm says holy spirit and we've actually we've actually made it a medley with two songs that you will be familiar with but you'll hear the transition when the ministering power of the Holy Spirit begins to minister to us and our prayer is that you will let him have his way with you [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] be my treat be my evening wear nice outside gave me Holy Spirit Holy Spirit Oh [Music] my god [Applause] all its well as well [Music] PK's I lose my way I see the light [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] [Music] you know where to turn [Music] funny song from me [Music] [Applause] [Applause] [Music] - I'm not sure [Applause] [Music] Oh Oh [Applause] Oh [Music] god bless you [Music] [Applause] and know that uh they were supposed to go to the next section but I want that to sit there for a little bit just let God do something right now it's alright I said it's alright whatever it is it's alright I don't know what it is but I know it's alright it's alright job I don't care what it is I don't care what the enemy has convinced you it is it's alright gloried it bless the name of the Lord for he is good and His mercy endures forever give him praise yeah if you sang tonight in any of the groups tonight we ask that you will come to the stage for the final song on tonight if you sang tonight you if you're saying with the girls Glee or view you're saying if you sang tonight come on up we got one more saving all sing it together can we sing one more song while they are coming and assembling we're gonna ask that uh that somebody beside to preach or help folk up Amen I Amen praise Lord I don't know the church we've worked to preach of the church he got to be touchy the deacon lord it got because the preacher got to come and give us some closing remarks following which brother Apollo's Maxwell will give us our benediction I want to say while I well I'm here I have thoroughly enjoyed being your master of ceremonies on tonight and praise the Lord and I'm I'm hoping that we kept it moving amen God is an amazing God and we bless his holy name because he is worthy of praise amen can we say men are young do better than that if y'all was at Beyonce's concert tonight you'd be sweating huh yeah but you're here in the Lord's house tonight amen I do want to give thanks to the Almighty for blessing us tonight with this beautiful concert special thanks to all groups that participated from my sister congregations and of course those who have come from different places around the area we have some out-of-town guests that are here with us the Bailey's in the house raise your hand Bailey family hey man yeah Sam will be teaching the class tomorrow he will be doing our revival gospel revival Monday Tuesday Wednesday wants you to come out we also have the Maxwell Maxwell family I'll stand up good to have max in the house all right he's gonna be with us on the morrow as well and then we have Robin Norris Norris you introduce yourself already and so welcome back home John Dylan Bush where is John Dylan in the house I saw sister Bush with a grand baby and if there's a baby near that mama and daddy must be somewhere they left the baby with you that's the new generation phase yeah we're looking forward to Jandal is gonna be leading our worship on tomorrow also we have Donnell Harris yeah good to have Donnell praise God go way back and then all the way from Texas we got Harvey our video tech guy along with Kendall man good to have you and there are many others if I miss your name I'm getting ready to call your name by saying and there are many others so god bless you were glad you came now this weekend could not be possible without one very special person a lot of work went into doing this I want to thank my lovely wife Kathleen of course and sister Shirley and Daniel's but the lady of the hour Vernell come on up here come on up there girl yeah yeah this this sister here has a lovely heart and and they've been going through you know Verdean has been challenged physically but the Lord has been gracious in the midst of all of that she was able to get everybody together to real me and I was out there for Mona but she properly reeled me in and we prayed about it and work through it and we want to thank you for having the the the energy and the mind the love to pull this together and on tomorrow we got a special tribute for you as well because we've couldn't have done this without you and we appreciate all that you done you need to know that we love you and thank you so much give her a round of applause all right all right all right and then finally then finally I do want to remind everyone that on tomorrow at 8 a.m. there will be continental breakfast right downstairs come and have some kind of breakfast with us and then at 8:30 a.m. our classes will be taught the Silent Generation will be in here that's the group that you are not aware of if you don't know what that is then you're part of that group and then Michael Crusoe from the normally Church of Christ will be will be facilitating that group in here and then Maxwell he's gonna take the baby-boomers over to the South area or return home and teach them how to boom boom is that right and then in the chapel Sam Baily is going to have the busters and then we've asked Daryl Burnett to take our junior Department high schoolers he'll be doing generation zyx and the Millennials that group that we are trying to still trying to figure out and they're trying to figure out us as well we are ancient to them and then they are foreigners to us but hopefully this will help us as we embrace our theme crossing Jordan brother backers would be with us on tomorrow evening in the morning Billy curl we're talking about our theme crossing Jordan and what that means and then at 2 o'clock we've got a 2 p.m. program we've got lunch so come and hang out with the Figueroa we're celebrating 80 years and we won't be coming back this way no time soon so god bless you and thank you and let's give it up once again for all the core groups outstanding job and then we're we're come on down here fed here good he's out what didn't he do a good job faith y'all chose the right guy for this master of ceremonies give it up for feat Lafayette Hagar the final song we're going to be singing is the Lord bless you and keep you directed by the inimitable brother Robert Norris following which we will ask you to stand as brother Paulus Maxwell leads us in our closing prayer [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] shall we be standing hasn't this been an awesome night yes pray with me God our Father we come before you with Thanksgiving our hearts are full to overflowing words cannot express how blessed we really are Lord shine your face upon us and be gracious and in return we will be gracious we come with Thanksgiving we pray that we will harness all of this spiritual energy that has been given to us tonight we pray that it will not dissipate through the night that we will rise if it be thy will in the morning which is the Lord's Day your day and that we come and we will worship you in spirit and in truth be with us this hour as we depart from this place but never ever from your presence pray that we all arrive safely at our places of a bow until we meet again in Jesus name we pray and the church said amen

Channel: Figueroa Church of Christ

Views: 1,524

Rating: 4.5555553 out of 5

Keywords: carl baccus, james maxwell, david holmes, billy curl, vincent hawkins, praise, what mean ye by these stones?, crossing jordan, ...before crossing over..., when your best is not good enough!, when his spirit touches our spirit, nobody but jesus

Id: zK5TGaNAnGw

Length: 177min 12sec (10632 seconds)

Published: Sat Sep 22 2018