Angelic voices filled the sanctuary as crowds of people sang along with the orchestra. The 36th annual Messiah Sing Along (MSA) took place at First Presbyterian Church (First Pres.), located on M street in Fresno, Nov. 25.
The event was said to attract over 700 people and was free of admission but people were encouraged to bring non-perishable food to donate for the church’s food closet, which they use to feed at least 150 families throughout the year. Though the performance began at 3 p.m. and lasted until around 5 p.m., there was a free soup and bread dinner that followed.
During the event, the orchestra played George Frideric Handel’s oratorio, “Messiah” and the congregation was encouraged to sing along, also welcoming solists to stand in the front. While the orchestra was organized by Fresno Unified School District music teacher Gaylene Joe, First Pres. Church Director of Music and Worship, Dr. Julie Carter directed and Dr. Walter Saul played on the organ.
Carter has been the Director of Music and Worship at First Pres. for 21 years and this year marks the 17th year she has conducted for the MSA. Out of everything that occurs at the event, Carter says that conducting the orchestra remains her favorite part, along with working with professional musicians.
“My favorite part about directing is directing the orchestra because when you raise your arms to conduct an orchestra, they follow you and they pay attention,” Carter said. “These are professional musicians so it’s a joy to work with them. I love Lloyd Ellis the trumpet player, he’s absolutely outstanding and John Morris our first violinist; there’s just so many outstanding players so it’s wonderful to make that high level of music.”
While the orchestra knows the music, they never know what to expect from the crowd, due to it being a sing-along. Although Carter says that there are challenges, she also believes the experience can be exciting.
“Even though it’s a sing-along and we can’t predict the soloists or the choir, but just to work with them. The biggest challenge is to keep us all together because our church is long and narrow and you can probably hear the delay. There’s a time delay. You get halfway down the center aisle and after that you’re behind. And so up here we hear them lagging, so I have to keep everybody together and that’s just the thrill and challenge of it all.”
Though a member of First Pres. for 15 years, this year was the first year that Chester Goodale attended the local event. Since he did not know what to expect, he found the experience to be refreshing.
“I didn’t know much about the Messiah Sing Along so I was surprised that all the lyrics were Scripture, every single one,” Goodale said. “And that was such a blessing because I think there is nothing really more powerful than being surrounding by the word of God. I didn’t sing because I just wanted to soak it in and just the hundreds of voices it was just majestic. There were definitely some wow moments.”
Along with enjoying the surrounding voices, Goodale realized the unity that the event created and felt a connection with the body of believers.
“I looked around and saw a few familiar faces from First Pres. and realized that so many of the people there had come from congregations all over the city and perhaps even other cities,” Goodale said. “I just thought what a unifying kind of a thing; it felt like a real connection with the body of Christ.”
In the bulletin that was given out, Goodale says that he read that the first performance of the “Messiah” was in 1743, 269 years ago. After reading this information, he said that a feeling of being a part of something greater surfaced in his mind.
“I read in the bulletin that it was first performed in 1743, which is 269 years ago,” Goodale said. “I just felt a sense of connection back through time too. There is a sense of being part of something really bigger and longer than just this generation.”
Clarinet player Mark Berry has been a part of the MSA for 10 years now and finds the occasion to be interesting each year with the changing audiences. He also enjoys playing with the group because it gives him the feeling of being a part of a musical family.
“It’s interesting every year is different because you have different people who sing some of the solos and you never know what the audience is going to be like so that is kind of fun,” Berry said. “We are kind of like a family of people that know each other, so we are hired by the same kind of people who know our skills and level of playing. The best part about being a part of it is that it’s a family of musicians who are making music.”
Berry also says that whenever live music is played, he knows that emotion fills anybody performing and listening.
“There is nothing like live music, whether it be in a church, on a stage, or at a concert,” Berry said. “You can’t get better than live music because you never know what’s going to happen and live is the best because it’s filled with emotion, so you can feel it as a performer and sense that the audience feels the same thing.”
Although first time attendee Greta Strong attends Visalia First Assembly of God Church, she found out that the MSA was in town through a friend and decided to come. Though she originally knew about MSA when she lived in the bay area, the chance to actually attend proved to be a great time of worship and renewal, according to Strong.
“I’m from the bay area, so I’ve always known it was in San Francisco and so I was so excited because I’ve always wanted to go and when I found out it was local in Fresno, I just thought it’s wonderful because it’s like bringing the Bible and scriptures to life,” Strong said. “I enjoyed the music and worshipping the Lord. It was like being in Heaven. It just fills your soul and rejuvenates your spirit. It’s so nice right after Thanksgiving because it totally focuses you on the true meaning of why we’re here and why we’re entering into this Christmas season.”
According to Carter, the opportunity that the MSA gives people is one of a kind, allowing the audience to sing special music while worshiping the Lord. She appreciates the chance to keep Handel’s music going, as well as being a part of the delightful music.
“People don’t have an opportunity, generally speaking, to sing this music in a choir,” Carter said. “You have to be in a real select group like a community group before you can do the whole thing. These people don’t get that opportunity anywhere and most church choirs are small now and they don’t get to do it, so they get to come here and worship and sing this glorious music, and they can try for the soloists. Some sing-alongs actually hire soloists and we don’t. I let the people do it and they get such a kick out of it. Educationally I want to keep this going. So part of it music education but the rest of it for the people and for the glorious music.”
After 17 years of directing the MSA, Carter says that her passion for this only increases. The songs sung during the performances only encourage her more to be a part of the production.
“I do it because people love it and it’s fabulous music,” Carter said. “It’s pure scripture so it’s just announcing the word of God,” Carter said. “It’s set to probably the most glorious music anybody’s ever heard and I can imagine that these set of scriptures that we will being doing it in heaven. And that Handell will be up there and Bach on the organ and we will just be singing it then with the angels.”
For more features, read the Nov. 20 article, Thankful times: Join the discussion (PODCAST).
