'Burst Into Jubilant Song:' Southern Staff Songsters Join in Historic Choral Convocation
“Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth, burst into jubilant song with music.” – Psalm 98:4
Six Salvation Army songster brigades — the International Staff Songsters (ISS), the Canadian Staff Songsters (CSS), the USA Eastern Territory Staff Songsters (ETSS), the USA Western Territory Staff Songsters (WTSS), the USA Central Territorial Staff Songsters (CTSS), and the USA Southern Staff Songsters (SSS) — all gathered together in Toronto, Canada over the first weekend in April for a historic Choral Convocation.
Each of these groups has a long history of choral ministry and evangelism around the world, but they have never before had the opportunity to join together on this scale. When the ISS was scheduled to visit Canada as the final stop in their “Songs of Love” Easter tour, an invitation from the Canada and Bermuda Territory sounded across North America for what would turn out to be one of the most impactful weekends of musical testimony in Salvation Army history.
The weekend began as all choral ministry weekends do, with the groups gathering for time of rehearsal and ministry opportunities around Toronto. But when all the groups met for a Friday night Gala dinner, it was clear this was no ordinary ministry trip.
The six brigades were split up and assigned to different tables in the large hotel ballroom, at least one member from each group at every table. This allowed for the building of new friendships, deep conversations about separate but similar backgrounds, and fellowship between people all with a passion for praising God through choral worship.
Along with the groups and their respective territorial leadership, the dinner was attended by leaders from the Canada and Bermuda Territory, as well as two past generals of The Salvation Army — General Brian Peddle along with Commissioner Rosalie Peddle, and General Linda Bond. This esteemed audience enjoyed a short welcome service, followed by an Easter-themed concert provided by the ISS. When all the brigades were invited to join the ISS in singing Elaine Hagenberg’s “O Love,” it was as though Heaven itself had opened to allow the angels to join the massed choir in singing of God’s enduring love. With the lyrics “I give thee back the life I owe,” the entire chorus dedicated their weekend back to God’s service.
Saturday brought a morning rotating through fellowship and sound checks at Yorkminster Park Baptist Church in Toronto as the groups prepared for the Choral Convocation concert. Following lunch, the entire group gathered once again for a massed choir rehearsal under the leadership of former ISS and CSS Songster Leader Major Len Ballentine.
The sold-out concert invited around 1,000 Salvationists and friends to join the 200-plus choristers for an evening of praise and testimony, with hundreds more joining online from around the world. Every songster brigade selected two pieces to offer to the Lord in worship with the ISS and the Canadian Staff Band (CSB) providing additional items. The four massed pieces interspersed throughout the evening completed the program.
Every group carefully chose their pieces to sing God’s praise and usher those in attendance before His throne in worship. The SSS performed “Psalm 24” by Robert Snelson, Southern Territorial worship arts publications director and SSS songster leader, along with “Thou Art Holy” by Craig Courtney as their contributions to the night of praise.
Never before has there been such an assembly of Salvationist musicians gathered for such a singular purpose, and everyone in attendance knew that history had been made as the final notes of Richard Smallwood’s “Total Praise!” rang out in the sanctuary.
Sunday morning took the brigades to five different area corps to support local worship services. The SSS had the privilege to join the congregation of the Mississauga Community Church in a beautiful morning of music, ministry, and teaching. Lt. Colonel Mark Israel, Southern Territorial secretary for program and the territorial executive representative for the SSS, brought the message, speaking on God’s promise of peace and perfect rest in Him, the altar filling with corps members, officers, and songsters alike.
After lunch, the songsters were honored to be a part of the Mississauga Community Church’s Music School concert, enjoying the talents of the community’s budding young musicians and adding their encouragement for the students to continue growing. The SSS finished the weekend with a short rendition of Yvonne Field’s “If Your Presence,” asking God to continue to stay with them and the people of the Mississauga Community Church as they returned home from a weekend full of worship and song.
