BY WIL CREWS
SPORTSCREWS@OPELIKAOBSERVER.COM
The University of Alabama Afro American Gospel Choir will be visiting St. Luke AME Church on Auburn Street in Opelika for the congregation’s special service this Sunday, Nov. 7 at 11 a.m.
According to its website, “the choir is a special interest organization on the campus of the University of Alabama. Our members all share a common enjoyment for ministry and serving God through song and dance. Our organization is known worldwide for its creative ministry and for the past four years we have participated in and won first place in the large choir division at the National Baptist Student Union Retreat. We travel throughout the southeast representing The University of Alabama as a recruitment resource and also representing our diverse communities as a form of outreach.”
The Afro American Gospel Choir’s advisor, Cynthia Moore, is a native of Opelika.
“[She] approached me about them coming and wondering if we would be interested in hosting them,” Elaine Burton, who is helping organize the event said. “And of course, we just jumped on it and are trying to get the word out.”
The University of Alabama African American Choir has performed in Opelika several times in the past, but the last time was in 2019.
“Over the years it has been changed,” Burton said.
The event started out as a “team up for Jesus” concert, Burton said, with collaboration between Auburn University’s Gospel Choir and the Alabama Afro-American Gospel Choir.
“We started that in like 2002,” Burton said. “They have even in the past combined the choirs to do a really big thing.”
If you can’t make the service Sunday morning, the choir will be performing in Auburn for its annual Unity Concert with the Auburn University Gospel Choir at True Deliverance Holiness Church (936 N. Donahue Dr.) Sunday afternoon at 3 p.m.
“We would like for the community to come out and share in this special worship service with us,” Burton said.