Ministry Highlights: Independent Ladies at Samford University
| Ministry Highlights | Joel Burks
On Sunday, January 23, we hosted the Independent Ladies group from Samford University for breakfast and invited them to attend worship with us. Joel Burks has worked with this group for several years and shares a little more about our partnership with them.
I have had the distinct pleasure of arranging music for the Independent (Indie) Ladies for the last four years. Sara, my wife, was an Indie Lady during her time at Samford University and after graduating she got me involved with arranging the music. Here's a brief overview of what I do for the group. In November, the Indie Ladies gives me a list of songs that will comprise their show. I create a "karaoke" track made up of their selected songs, arrange harmonies for them to sing, and then teach the harmonies to the group which is comprised of 70+ ladies.
Since I've been involved, I have desired for the group to be able to rehearse here at Mountain Brook Baptist Church, and this year an opening appeared for our staff to be able to invite them into our space. This past January, the ladies spent two weeks' worth of late nights rehearsing their chorography and singing up in our gym. During these two weeks, I served as our church's liaison by working the front desk in the CLC and cleaning up after their rehearsals were through. The ladies also, on more than one occasion, got to meet Mary Splawn who offered greetings, encouragement, doughnut treats from Krispy Kreme, and even an invitation to join our church for breakfast and worship on an upcoming Sunday. On Sunday, January 23, many of the ladies joined Mountain Brook Baptist Church for our Contemporary Worship Service. They were served breakfast and then offered their voices to the congregation during the 11 a.m. worship service. Since then some have even joined a Bible study that I co-lead on Sunday afternoons.
We have an amazing opportunity for our church to show the love of Christ through the Indie Ladies visiting us. Right now, these college students live right around the corner from our building. They have come from many parts of these United States and spend four years away from the families of faith where they grew up. If you happen to see some new faces in our services or small groups over these next weeks, I encourage you to join me in helping to make them feel welcome here.