the Chronicle
CommunityFocus
Winston-Salem Greensboro High Point
srction C October 9, 1997
More than 800 lift their voices to sing
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w
I Annual choir celebration supports
Forsyth Jail and Prison Ministries
By FELECIA P. MCMILLAN
Special to THE CHRONICLE
Donnell Chambers has been incarcerated for 23 years. He is
currently the director of the Cherry Street Ensemble
Choir, and he has even served as a chaplain assistant. He
remembers when the Forsyth Jail and Prison Ministry
began in 1978, and he rejoices that McGee-Hedgley
Chapel was built on the grounds of the prison in 1987. He
has been in other facilities that did not have a chapel or a
prison ministry, so he knows first hand the difference love
makes.
"There is a lot of love there," Chambers said. "You can feel real love.
That is what is offered there. Many guys who are incarcerated have never
received authentic love, and if they did, they did not know how to
receive it."
Five community choirs came together on Saturday, Oct. 4, at Wait
'Chapel on the campus of Wake Forest University to lift "Hymns for
Hope," an annual event to raise funds for the Forsyth Jail andPrison
Ministries. The theme for the evening was "Celebrating Christ's Love."
More than 800 people attended the event. Wanda Starke, anchor for
NewsChannel 12, served as mistress of ceremonies. She interviewed
inmates Donnell Chambers and Charlie Maines on stage during the cel
ebration. Participating choirs included the Mount Zion Baptist Church
Inspirational Choir, Calvary Baptist Church Sanctuary Choir, Union
Baptist Church Mass Choir, Friedberg Moravian Senior Choir, and the
Wake Forest University Gospel Choir.
The purpose of "Hymns for Hope" is to celebrate the different
groups that are making a difference in the community through the jail
See Ministry on C3
Doris
Hi*
board thm
Forsyth Jail
Prison
Ministry, mot
briefly with
Maryboth Cornwall,
chairman of the
"Hymns for Hope" commit
too, and Chaplain Michaol Loo
boforo tho evening of musical
L Above, Wanda Starkm,
1 anchor for NawtChannel 12,
I interviewed inmate* Donnell
I Chamber*, director of the Cherry
I Street Cntemble Choir; and Charlie
f Maine*, a member of the choir.
Above, The Union Baptist Church Matt Choir
tupportt church member Dorit Chunn, chair
man of the board of Fortyth Jail and Prison
Ministry, who hat terved for 14 yeart.
Left, The Calvary Baptist Church Sanctuary
Choir, under the director of the Rev, Larry
White, often volunteer for the jail and prison
ministry.
Takoota
Gordon
of th?
Calvary
Baptltt
Church
Sanctuary
Chair M * In
tha PrtMnn
ofJthovah."
Hi* Waka format Goapal Choir, undar thm direction of Stmvmn Timmona and Martua Ingram, wo* plmaamd to bm a part of thm calibration
hold In Walt Chapal.