ELLY GRIMM
• Leader & Times
The annual Shriving Service on Pancake Day is an important tradition for the community, and music is a big part of the service.
In order to help with that, Pancake Day coordinators are looking for volunteers to be part of a choir to perform during this year’s Shriving Service. Rehearsals will take place at 6 p.m. Friday, Feb. 21, and at 1 p.m. Sunday, March 2, and both rehearsals will be at the First United Methodist Church. The choir will then be performing during the Shriving Service on Pancake Day, which is March 4.
“First United Methodist Church hasn't had a choir/music director for multiple years now, and as a member of the church, I stepped up into that role. Since I started the community choir and we've been working there at the church, Mike Brack approached me and asked if I would be willing to head up a volunteer choir,” director Timothy Smith said. “It's a tradition I know a lot of people care about, so I said yes. The timing of everything is a little stressful since Pancake Day is so close, but we've found a few songs that are easy enough for everyone to pick up pretty quickly and hopefully help make some musical magic. During the service, we'll be singing 'Amazing Grace' and 'Blessed Assurance,' both of which are so well known, and a newer selection is a spiritual called 'Total Praise,' which is just an absolutely gorgeous song I hope everyone will enjoy. We're looking for all voices to come and be part of this special group and event. You don't have to be the best singer or the best musician, just come out and be willing to work and have a fun time, just like any other choir group.”
Overall, Smith said, he is excited to work with all the participants.
“I'm excited to have another experience to help create music with people who are also passionate about helping create music,” Smith said. “Since I've moved to Liberal, I've been able to experience some small pockets of people who are passionate about music, so I always look forward to any opportunity to be able to contribute to the arts in this community. There's no better way to do that than to bring back a tradition that hasn't been able to happen until now. I'm just looking forward to working with everyone and excited to bring everyone together. I love the fact that we have the Liberal Ministerial Alliance that brings together so many different denominations from throughout the community, and at least once a year, I would like to see if we can have more of those settings where all the different denominations come together and prove how we're all one body under Christ and how we have the same general mission. It's all about bringing people together, and I want to be part of that.”
Smith added he hopes to keep the choir going for future Pancake Day festivities.
“If we get enough interest in the choir this year, it's absolutely something I would want to keep going for Pancake Day in the future. It's something that hasn't been around for multiple years now, and if possible, I want to do what I can to keep it going,” Smith said. “There are many people who attend the Shriving Service every year and have wonderful memories, and it's all about participating in this unique Liberal event. Maybe you don't run in the races because you have an injury or something preventing you from doing so, so it's nice to be able to come to something like this Shriving Service and still be part of Pancake Day.”
Smith said he hopes to see high turnout at the upcoming rehearsals.
“We just encourage anyone and everyone to participate in this choir, and if anyone has any questions or anything, they can reach me at (276) 618-4822 or Mike Brack at (620) 482-0466, and we'll be happy to have them at rehearsals,” Smith said.
