One Word … Wow!

What transpired at the National Sports Centre on Saturday night was nothing short of spectacular!

The 250-voice Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir took the stage at sometime around 8.30 p.m. and proceeded to delight and amaze the 7,000 strong crowd with each and every note.

The concert was ably opened by the Cornerstone Total Praise Dance Ministries and the Cornerstone singers led by Eugene Phillips; a thoroughly charming warm-up.

Then there was the parade of singers which ran from the tour busses to the stage, took all of ten minutes and had more than a few jaws on the floor before the entire choir was in place on the stage.

The atmosphere was charged with righteous energy from beginning to end, and the setting was exceedingly impressive.

Two giant screens flanked the main stage, and although it took a while to get the color and contrast just right, the set was breathtaking none-the-less.

The actual performance felt more like a church service than an actual concert.

Pastor Jim Cymbala ministered throughout, and there were testimonials by Genelle Guzman-McMillan (the last survivor pulled out of the World Trade Towers debris) and Danny Velasco (a born again former heroine addict), as well as a gentle request for an ‘offering'.

In between the efforts to deliver our souls to the lord, there were some quite awesome vocal offerings, and the approval was just as loud and vociferous as the performances were magnificent.

Highlights included the beautifully delivered “We Lift our Hands in the Sactuary,” the stirring “Lord I Believe in You,” the humbling “I Give You Praise,” and the heart-wrenching “Jesus I Love You”.

Soloists were nameless and fantastic throughout, as the choir was presented as an all powerful entity designed to promote unity and strength through worship.

The only individuals mentioned were the testifiers and the dynamic husband and wife team who initiated the vision; Carol (the marvelously skilled choir director) and Pastor Jim Cymbala.

There were also tributes to those who have passed. Rochelle Tankardand Alan Gatton (who both died in the World Trade Towers), as well as Gladys Saunders, Manuel Pacheco, Stephen Symons and Nicole O'Conner (who were taken by Hurricane Fabian a year ago) were all celebrated and honoured by the organisers and attendees in a very tasteful display of compassion and fellowship.

The night came to a close at sometime around 10.40 p.m., but not before stunning renditions of “My Life is in Your Hands,” “Days of Elijah” and “Hallelujah I am Saved” were delivered and cherished by the masses.

The concert closed with a sermon by Pastor Jim Cymbala, which chastised denominational Christians for thinking that they are better than everyone else and then went on to claim that his church was (gasp!) the best … oh well, the hope still remains I guess.

There was an impromptu prayer vigil and a song to leave by (“Joy”) and then the noise faded out into the night; even while it remained quite strong in most of our hearts.