A 200 voice choir will release “The Sound of Heaven” during an ambitious live CD/DVD recording at Word of Faith Christian Centre in Port Elizabeth on Sunday (November 6).
Worship groups from Word of Faith and 11 relating churches in the area were collaborating in the recording which would include seven original songs and eight covers, said Music and Arts Director Anika Millhouse.
Everybody was welcome to attend the event which was intended to make a declaration that the church in Port Elizabeth was coming together in unity saying “We are a gateway. We are going to make a difference here. And we are not going to be held back by negative words spoken or by division,” she said.
A vision of Port Elizabeth as a city that had been established with the divine purpose of being a gateway for the release of God’s blessing into South Africa, Africa and the world had provided the initial inspiration for the music recording, said Anika. The “gateway vision” that was received by Word Of Faith Pastor Jimmy Crompton late last year has been embraced by Christian leaders in the city and was one of the focus areas of a recent metro-wide day of prayer in the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium.
“I looked at how did this vision relate to the music department of our church. I felt God showing me that we were to release the sound of heaven,” said Anika.
She said that her goal was to express musically the fact that Christians had access to heaven where they received things which they brought back to release in the world.
“There are songs about heaven on the CD. But it is not simply about that. It is about faith, it’s about justice, it’s about if we release heaven here on earth there should be changes in the community.”
She said most of the original songs had been “given” to her and her assistant as God gave them a musical key, then a verse and then the words. Another of the songs had been written by one of the students from a worship school, called The Sound Of Heaven, which the church was piloting this year. Another song had been birthed during a time of worship of one of the related churches.
Anika’s husband, William, who is directing the choir of 200 plus voices, said they would have a six hour practice on Saturday.
“It is going to be a fun time. We are going to create a thunderous sound. I believe even the neighbours will be touched by the sound of heaven,” he said.
The event starts at 6pm and entry is R20 for adults and free for learners and children. People who attend the live recording can pre-order the CD/DVD set at a cost of R80. Thereafter the set will be sold for R120. More information about Sunday’s recording can be obtained by calling Word of Faith at 041 399 4400 or by emailing admin@wordoffaith.org.za.
I love the idea of “Sound of Heaven” and will try to attend. To my mind, Music is not only an ‘international’ language – it is the language of the ‘Soul’ and as such it is ‘inter-dimensional’.