A snippet of Richard Smallwood’s contemporary gospel classic “Total Praise” served as a warm up for the musical celebration that would formally introduce Rev. F. James Clark and the Shalom Church (City of Peace) Mass Choir as recording artists Friday, April 10 at their Lindbergh Campus.
The song’s four-part harmony finale, with more than 100 voices, belted with a power that could’ve put the North County mega church’s roof in jeopardy.
A bellowing “amen!” wove through the choir stand and permeated the walls.
The evening of music and worship was led by Shalom’s musical director Dello Thedford and songwriter and producer Oscar Williams Jr.
Williams also served as choir director for the evening of praise and worship that coincided with the release of “Simply Amazing,” the church’s first-ever musical recording.
A red-carpet treatment that all guests were encouraged to experience set the tone as they made their way to find a seat among the crowd of more than 1,500.
Although he received top billing and plenty of homage over the course of the evening’s festivities, Pastor Clark had a low-key presence at the event.
He sat back and let the choir get the spotlight, except to thank everyone – Thedford and Williams, in particular – for the support that made the vision of a musical project from the choir a reality.
Clark also made it a point to let people know that preaching would take place.
“We’re not going to have music without a Word,” Clark said. “Because the music and the Word of God go hand in hand.”
“Simply Amazing” highlights some of the best and brightest of the Shalom choir – both individually and as a unit – and features some heavy hitters on the national gospel scene, including Williams himself, as well as Earnest Pugh and Lecresia Campbell.
Friday night’s presentation included Rev. Quincy Fielding Jr. and “American Idol” finalist Curtis Finch Jr., who proudly sat among his church home choir.
The selections from “Simply Amazing” that were highlighted Friday night included original selections that reflected contemporary and classic gospel. Homage was paid to the downhome signature sound made famous by the likes of the Mississippi and Georgia Mass Choirs as guests were invited to remember a time when state-of-the-art sanctuaries with fully equipped music departments were uncommon.
“I grew up in a church where we couldn’t afford a drum set,” Williams confessed while leading “The Lord Has Been Good.” “So we would use our hands.”
He then directed the audience to take part in a soul clap that stirred up the spirit, inspiring shouts and individual praise parties to pop up throughout the sanctuary.
It was the perfect segue into a guest message by Bishop Kenneth Elmer of Faithful Central Bible Church that drove home the idea that music is critical to the worship experience.
“Just like those people in white shirts usher people to their seats, you usher them into the spirit with your gift,”Elmer said directly to the choir and the band.
“You guide them to their worship experience with musical praise. That’s why we call it ‘praise and worship,’ because you need to get people a place of praise so that they can truly worship. Praise and worship go hand in hand – and in that order.”
He used Psalm 66 as the foundation for his message, which reads “Make a joyful noise unto God, all ye lands: Sing forth the honor of his name: make his praise glorious.”
This psalm was repeatedly personified over the course of the evening. “Simply Amazing” brings this particular passage to life for listeners through the joyful noise that Shalom elicits through its choir each week.
“Simply Amazing” is available on iTunes and Google Play, and CDs are available for purchase at Shalom Church. For more information, call (314) 653-2319 or visit shalomccopchoir.org.
