Senior Marie Yates and May 2009 graduate Luke Shaffer, play the guitar a t the Con– cert Choir retrea t in Sept. The purpose of the retreat was to improve re lationships among fellow members. Courtesy of Jennifer Gibson Members of Concert Choir en– joy their lunch on an afternoon picnic in Sept. This was one of the many ways they got to know each other better. Courtesy of Sally Tucker ~Er\NGTRAO\T\ON They had 101 members. They came from all majors and from all over the country and the world . They were completely diverse, but when you gave them a song to sing, they~ere one. Through their song, they carried 40 years of tradition. Each year, the Harding Concert Choir came together to per form at Greer ' s Ferry. Ever since the community of Greer's Ferry, Ark., vowed to host an annual clean - up day in their area, the H ard ing Concert Choir vowed to sing anda be their celebration entertainment. And that vow has continued for 40 years. "The Greer's Ferry Retreat gives us opportunity to participate in a service project that has been going o n for forty years," senior choir member Lyn Rushton said. "We go to keep the tradition alive." Music professor Dr. Arthur Shearin began taking the concert choir to the Greer's Ferry Clean - Up event while he was director, and the performance stuck. "They keep inviting us back year after year , so they must like us," concert choir president junior McClain Merrick said. However, the performance was not an easy one. The choir had less than three weeks to memorize , learn and practice their music before per forming. "I look at it as a challenge for us to get ready by the Creer's Ferry performance," concert choir director Kelly Neil said. "Learning a repertoire of music in nine rehearsals is dif£1.cult . " Merrick went on to say that the Creer 's Ferry concert served as a warm- up for future performances. "The Creer's Ferry concert puts newer members in a performan ce situat ion where they see the difference between the ir high school choirs and our collegiate choir ," McClain said. "The expectation is way different, and it's nice to have a relaxed warm- up round before the lectureship performance." After their concert for the Creer's Ferry community, the choir 222 organizations continued on to Hebel' Springs for an afternoon of food, fun and friendship forming. "T he retreat is the perfect time to really just have a r elaxed intro– duction to the family of concert choir," Rushton said. "T he bonding exper iences that happen while at the retreat are the strongest ones of the year." The afternoon and night were spent playing volleyball, jumping off cliffs, playing card games, eating, singing and getting to know one an other. "It's the £1.rst chance we get to start growing as a family," Merrick said. "The atmosphere is relaxed and lets friendsh ips start forming." At the retreat, Merrick also made a speech and shared with the members what the concert choir was all about. T he choir then signed their missio n .statements together, as was trad it ion . "Our devo tional and fellowship is a powerful time for the older members to communicate the importance of the family that is formed in concert choir," Rushton said. No matter where or what the group sang o r did, the older mem– bers made it clear that the group's purpose was to minister through their voices. "We love singing, and I think people love to hear people sing," McClain said. "We are out there to m inister, and if we reach anyone per son, it was worth it." So no matter where they come from or what their backgrounds ar e, the concert choir upheld the long standing tradition of being ministers of Christ through song and service beginning with the an – nual Creer's Ferry Retreat. "The love for singing is what makes us the group we are," Rushton said . "But it is our love for Cod and each other that make us do what we do . " Janet Orgain
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