Black Gospel Music – GospelWire.com

San Marcos — Earlier this year the Anointed Voices community choir was scheduled for a program in Brenham, but the group needed a van. They had only two cars and 18 kids. That afternoon, founder Roy Coleman had to call and cancel the gig.

It’s something he hopes he never has to do again.

“Any time you have youth that are willing to serve God on Friday or Saturday or Sunday or any day, they shouldn’t have problems getting to their program,” Coleman said. “They’re trying to do something that’s positive.”

Coleman and the 25-member choir will host a barbecue benefit from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at Wesley Chapel AME Church fellowship hall. Coleman, the son of long-time Greater Bethel Baptist Church musician Grace Sanders, says they hope to raise funds towards a van so they can travel to churches around Texas and perform.

Anointed Voices was formed by Coleman in late 2008 in hopes of recruiting local youth to perform both gospel and contemporary songs.

“My nephew came up to be in December of 2008 and said ‘hey uncle, are we still going to get that community choir started?’” Coleman said. “And so we did, and kids just started signing up and we’ve been making music…. These kids are not only completed gifted singing wise, but some write poetry, some play different musical instruments. And we try to incorporate all that in the group.”

Directed by Birdy Jefferson, the choir has performed Austin, Luling, Lockhart, San Antonio and Gonzales, and hopes to record several of their original songs in the future.

Anointed Voices rehearses weekly and the Springtown Retirement Center, and ends each session with a Bible study. Coleman says that to his relative surprise, the youth have become a tight knit group that depends on one another since forming.

“They talk about subjects going on in their lives, they’re there to help out with situations that arise in their lives,” Coleman said.  “It’s the best group of youth that I’ve ever worked with.”

By Jeff Walker