Song of faith wins GB girls silver medal in international contest

A GIRLS’ Brigade group from Northern Ireland has come second in a worldwide song-writing competition helping to mark the organisation’s 125th anniversary next year.

Members of 2nd Saintfield Presbyterian and Parish Girls’ Brigade saw their song Rooted in Love claim the silver medal, coming just behind the first-placed entry penned by the 1st Singapore Company.

Organised as part of the buildup to the 125th anniversary of the Girls’ Brigade in 2018, the international competition was open to all members and was based on a religious theme that will echo through next year’s celebrations.

Entrants were tasked with writing a song to ‘help celebrate God’s goodness and the impact of His empowering spirit through Girls’ Brigade’.

However, the entry and judging criteria were strict.

Songs could not be more than four minutes long and had to be lively in nature and suitable for use in company meetings and praise and worship services.

The lyrics and melody also had to be original. 2nd Saintfield Girls’ Brigade performing Rooted in Love

The finished product was judged on song-writing arrangement, technique and creativity.

Latifa McCullagh, the Northern Ireland vice-president of the Girls’ Brigade, sent her congratulations to the girls from the 2nd Saintfield unit.

She said: “We are so proud of 2nd Saintfield Girls’ Brigade on winning second place in the song-writing competition organised by Girls’ Brigade International.

“It was a fantastic achievement.”

The bronze award went to 6th Singapore Company, while the fourth place merit award was presented to 6th Kingston Company from Jamaica.

The Girls’ Brigade is an international and interdenominational Christian youth organisation which was founded in Dublin in 1893. The modern version of the organisation was founded in 1964 through the amalgamation of the Girls’ Brigade of Ireland, the Girls’ Guildry of Scotland and the Girls’ Life Brigade of England. It operates in over 50