African Children’s Choir returning
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The renowned African Children's Choir returns to the Second Avenue Global Methodist Church at 130 Second Ave. for a concert at 6 p.m. Oct. 27 in the sanctuary.
The children's choir will perform a variety of selections, said the Rev. Brian Sandell, pastor of Second Avenue Global Methodist since 2016. The choir first came to Altoona in 2019 and a second appearance was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
"They were very well-received last time. They had a lot of energy and we had a good sized crowd," he said. Altoona is one stop on a multi-state tour that runs through February. The choir is celebrating the 40th anniversary of its founding by Ray Barnett.
While on a humanitarian trip to war-torn Uganda, Barnett gave a small boy a ride to the safety of another village. While traveling, the child sang and the exchange became "the catalyst for a program that has changed the lives of thousands of children and reshaped the future of the African continent," the website states.
The boys and girls in the choir are between 8 and 11 years old and are part of the international organization called Music for Life, "which provides thousands of impoverished children throughout Africa with the education, discipleship and leadership skills needed to rise above their conditions so they can bring positive, lasting change to their families, communities and countries," the site states.
In those 40 years, 1,500 boys and girls have served in the choir and more than 60,000 children have been educated, said choir manager Tina Sipp, who has been with the organization for 21 years.
Education is the biggest need to break the cycle of poverty. Educating one child can lift an entire family's circumstances, Sipp said. The organization supports a child's education through college.
The choir coming to Altoona has 17 children and are accompanied by chaperones trained by Sipp. Four chaperones in the organization were in the choir as children. "They got degrees and are coming back to reinvest in the next generation," she said.
"The African Children's Choir proves just how powerful music can be," says Tina Sipp, choir manager for the African Children's Choir. "These concerts provide hope and encouragement, not just to our audiences, but to the children whose lives are forever changed by their experiences with the Choir."
Second Avenue Global Methodist Church has 280 members, of which 140-160 attend either a traditional or contemporary service each Sunday, Sandall said.
The choir sings popular children's music, traditional spiritual songs and African cultural pieces.
"It was a show that definitely met and touched a fairly wide audience. A lot of different ages enjoyed the concert," Sandell said.
For the Altoona concert, Sipp said, some extra features are planned to mark the 40th anniversary.
"It's a fun night of worshiping God and supporting a great ministry that's changing the lives of children in Africa," Sandell said. "It's going to be a really energetic, fun-filled night with dancing, stories and music."
Mirror Staff Writer Patt Keith is at 814-949-7030.