
Gospel choir doubles in size, full of new faces, hope
The OU gospel choir has more than doubled in size since last year, with new faces at every meeting.
Sophomore Jocelyn Clardy said the new people bring new flavors that the gospel choir has never had before.
"None of the new members have every sung this type of music before, but when you hear us perform you would never know that," she said. "Our group is very diverse and I feel more groups on campus should follow suit."
Junior Brittany Fain is the student leader of the gospel choir and has many new plans and performances in store for the choir this year.
These include performing at several different churches and hosting a gospel choir workshop. She also has long term plans to keep the choir expanding.
"We plan on next year not only recruiting singers, but musicians as well. This year is a new year because we were under construction, so we are just hitting the ground running," she said. "Hopefully by my senior year we will have at least 20 students in the choir with a band as well."
Fain said the gospel choir is about more than just singing praise songs. The members of the choir sing out of love for God and want to praise him with their voices. It is a way to minister, as well as to strengthen their spiritual lives, she said.
"Singing to me sometimes strengthens ones relationship with God. If they had a relationship it will strengthen it, and if they didn't, I think it will establish it," she said.
Clardy said it is a powerful group who are very focused on what their purpose is and why they choose to be there and sing.
"Before every rehearsal, we clear our mind of everything that has happened in our day so that the music will be from the heart," she said. "We sing from the spirit and in that, must have everything in us focused on the Lord and the wonderfulness of Him. When we sing in gospel choir we are singing to the Lord and our words have meaning."
Each member of gospel choir is touched in a different way and has similar, yet individual goals.
"I always told myself that if I could make one person see Jesus while I'm singing then it's all worth it to me. I joined gospel choir because it's an opportunity for me to express his love for me and why I am thankful," freshman Justin Smallwood said.
"Being in this choir makes me feel like I'm at home. It means so much to me because I love to sing," Fain said. "I also get to show how I worship, and show what my culture does to praise God so this group means a lot to me."
Get Top Stories Delivered Weekly
More oucampus News Articles
- If You're Reading This It's Too Late
- Looking for Fall Break entertainment?
- Seniors to freshmen: Handling the transition into college life
- Starting Over
Recent oucampus News Articles
Discuss This Article
MOST POPULAR OUCAMPUS

Accessories Every College Student Needs By Matt Haake

What I Didn't Learn in College By Matt Haake

Not as Easy as You'd Think By Rodney Latham

Not So Summer Lovin' By Rodney Latham
GET TOP STORIES DELIVERED WEEKLY
FOLLOW OUR NEWSPAPER
LATEST OUCAMPUS NEWS
RECENT OUCAMPUS CLASSIFIEDS
OUTSIDE THE LINES
- Sun Smart Schools: Teaching Student Sun Safety In Nevada
- Make Your Home A Safe Haven
- Twenty Ways To Cook Up Some Safety At Home
- To Raise Creative Kids—Let Them Play
- Lifesaving Ideas Rewarded
- Seeing Is Believing When It Comes To Road Safety
- Home-Brewed Coffee That's As Good As It Gets
- Stop What You're Doing And Download These Free...
- It's Good To Be Prepared For Bad Weather
- The ABCs Of IBD Treatments
FROM AROUND THE WEB
- A Primer for First-Time Homebuyers
- If You're Stuck at Sea, There's An App for That
- A Simple Test to See If You're Up to Installing Your Own...
- This Subscription Box Helps People Do Good and Feel Good
- MovoCash Embraces Culture of Community
- Gifts to Give on Administrative Professionals Day
- How to Defeat A Clog
- American Winemaking Family Continues with Next Generation
- Boat Insurance Basics May Help You Stay Afloat
- Life's Biggest Moments Take Center Stage in New UP TV Series
COLLEGE PRESS RELEASES
- Mental health app Pacifica gives free Premium to students for finals
- Cengage Partners with Phi Theta Kappa Foundation to Offer Free Cengage Unlimited Subscriptions to College Students
- THE POPPY WAR
- Cosmopolitan Roots: Keynote and Q&A with Dr. Kwame Anthony Appiah
- CENGAGE AND REDSHELF STRENGTHEN PARTNERSHIP WITH CENGAGE UNLIMITED, INCLUSIVE ACCESS