Area churches participate in Annual Choir Festival

As the Ocean Grove Camp Meeting Association (OGCMA) celebrates its 150th anniversary, audiences can expect one of OGCMA’s most steadfast and beloved traditions: The Annual Choir Festival.

Now in its 65th season, this spectacular choral event features dozens of choral groups from the Eastern U.S., forming a massed choir of 800 voices accompanied by the Auditorium’s magnificent HopeJones organ and The Festive Brass. They’ll perform on Sunday July 14, 2019 at 7:00 p.m. in The Great Auditorium. This year’s theme is “On Christ The Solid Rock.” The Great Auditorium is located at Pilgrim and Ocean Pathways in Ocean Grove, NJ. All facilities are handicapped-accessible. A free will offering will be accepted.

The Choir Festival will be conducted by OGCMA’s Director of Music Ministries, Dr. Jason C. Tramm, as well as Special Guest Conductors: Dr. Thomas Juneau, Dr. Mark Boyle, Rider Foster, John Palatucci, Dr. Cindy Bell, Dr. J. Donald Dumpson and Sarah Michal. They will be accompanied by Organistin-Residence Dr. Gordon Turk and The Festive Brass.

Nearly twenty choruses and/or singers from Montgomery, Berks, Bucks and Lancaster counties will participate, representing the the following congregations:

• Holy Trinity Catholic Church – Columbia PA

• St. John’s Reformed UCC – Leesport PA

• Messiah UMC – Lafayette Hill, PA

• Maternity of Blessed Virgin Church – Philadelphia PA

• St. John’s Lutheran Church – Watsonville PA

• Mt Greta UMC – Mt. Gretna, PA

• Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church – Topton PA

• Grace and Peace Presbyterian Church – Pottstown PA

• Fontana UCC – Lebanon PA

• Bethany Evangelical Presbyterian Church – Havertown PA

• Cedarville UMC – Pottstown PA

• Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church – East Petersburg PA

• St Eleanor Catholic Church – Collegeville PA

• Wayne Presbyterian Church – Wayne PA

• Memorial UMC Sanctuary Choir – Quarryville, PA

• Miffinville UMC – Miffinville PA

• Good Shepard Lutheran Church – King of Prussia, PA

• Addisville Reformed Church – Richboro PA

The thunderous 800 voices will perform anthems, hymns, as well as works by classical and contemporary composers in keeping with the theme “On Christ The Solid Rock.” The following pieces will be performed:

• At the Name of Jesus – Rene Clausen

• God of Ages, God Eternal – Thomas Juneau

• Great is Thy Faithfulness – Nathan Carter • I Believe – Mark Miller • Jacob’s Ladder – Calvin Hampton

• Lift Thine Eyes to the Mountains from Elijah – Felix Mendelssohn

• No Time – Susan Brumfield

• Pilgrim’s Chorus from Tannhauser – Richard Wagner

• The Ground – Ola Gjello

• Upon This Rock – John Ness Beck

The first Choir Festival at OGCMA was held in 1955. The concept of a large scale festival of Christian music evolved when Dr. and Mrs. Walter D. Eddowes recognized a need for an experience that would inspire choristers to attain higher goals in music for their churches. At that time, the Auditorium Choir secretary, Mrs. Anna Nichols, extended an invitation to vocal groups in Philadelphia and the Jersey Shore. The first festival was a preaching service that included a hymn sermon, seven anthems, five conductors and nine choirs. About 200 singers augmented the Ocean Grove Auditorium Choir and the result was so thrilling that an annual event was established.

Through the years, many renowned composers of choral music have conducted their own works at OGCMA, performed by the huge festival choir. Among them are: John Ness Beck, Craig Courtney, Dr. Laurence Dilsner, Jester Hairston, Ross Hastings, Dr. Carl Mueller, Carl J. Nygard, Jr. and Clayton White.