Last here in June of 2005, Chicago’s inter-faith, inter-racial Community Renewal Chorus (CRC) has chosen two Door County churches as stops on their 2012 “Urban Tour.”
Community Renewal Chorus of Chicago
The Chorus will perform a free public concert on the evening of Saturday, April 21 at Hope United Church of Christ in Sturgeon Bay, then move northward to sing at Calvary United Methodist Church in Egg Harbor for the Sunday, April 22 morning service, before heading back home to Chicago.
Under the direction of Gerome Bell, the concert theme, “Celebrate The Music,” will feature a diverse program of musical traditions. Enjoy the classical works: “And Then Shall Your Light” from Elijah by Mendelssohn; “Sing Unto to God” from Judas Maccabeus by Handel; “Listen to the Lambs” by Nathaniel Dett; plus a tapestry of spirituals, gospel, folk tunes and Broadway medleys.
Community Renewal Chorus promotes and celebrates diversity, equality, peace and justice through music. They form a singing community – their membership personifies their commitment to diversity and inclusion by bringing together people of various races, ages, faith perspectives, economic backgrounds, political affiliations and sexual orientations. They are among the few community musical groups in the United States whose diversity truly reflects the face of urban America. CRC believes that through music they can inspire, educate, celebrate, forewarn and challenge. In the struggle for human and civil rights, they see music as a key resource for enlightening communities about social concerns.
“The unique mission of the chorus has not only brought together singers from throughout the Chicago metropolitan area, but has also built an audience of diverse listeners. For the past 42 years, Bringing Communities Together to celebrate the music of different cultures has been our focus,” states Gerome Bell, chorus director. CRC has performed over 500 concerts in churches, schools, civic venues, and concert halls across the nation and on seven international tours.
The music and mission has influenced the lives of many of its singers. Former CRC member, Rev. Elizabeth Aguilar, the first Mexican American woman to be ordained by the United Church of Christ explains, “I can’t say enough about the value of my experience in CRC. I did my growing up while in the choir. I had positive role models that encouraged and motivated me to achieve at the highest levels.”
For more details about the concert, contact Hope United Church of Christ, 920.743.2701. The concert is free to the public with a general offering being taken to help support the mission of the Chorus.
