Pictured above is the Mass Choir under the direction of Jane Dyson at the 2016 Purchase District Choir Fest held on March 20 at Reidland United Methodist Church located in the Reidland Community. Photo by Penny Story.
Plans are underway for the 10th annual Choir Fest (a.k.a. Music Fest) in the Purchase District. The 2017 event is scheduled to take place on Sunday, April 23 from 6:00-8:00 p.m. at First United Methodist Church (UMC) in Fulton, Kentucky, under the direction of Mr. Josh Gatlin. Mr. Gatlin currently serves as choir director at Fulton First UMC. Purchase District Lay Leader Dianna Colson reports that members of the Purchase District Laity Team will be contacting each local church choir director, music director, or designated contact person to see how many choirs, groups, and/or individuals from each church will be participating in this year’s event to assist the team in planning and ordering materials. Mrs. Colson serves as chairperson of the District Laity Team.
Donations will be accepted through a love offering at Choir Fest with ALL proceeds benefiting Reelfoot Rural Ministries, located in Obion, TN - a ministry of the Memphis Conference of The United Methodist Church. Sunday, April 9 is designated as a district-wide 'special offering' day for churches to take up an offering for the event. Those giving to the offering should make checks payable to their local church and write “Reelfoot Rural Ministries” in the memo line. Then, each local church is asked to write one check made payable to Purchase District UMC and write “Reelfoot Rural Ministries” in the memo line and bring it to Choir Fest for the offering. After Choir Fest, the district will then write one check to Reelfoot.
At the 2016 event, a mass choir of approximately 120 voices from six (6) United Methodist churches gathered for the district's 9th annnual Choir Fest with proceeds totaling $3,485.00 and benefiting Reelfoot Rural Ministries.
Mark your calendars now to attend Choir Fest on April 23rd at Fulton First UMC.
Contact Dianna Colson, District Lay Leader, at (270) 527-1939.