GGCC goes on the road...to Calne!

"We're in Calne!"

Here they are, the intrepid GGCC choir members arriving in Calne, Wiltshire on Saturday afternoon.

The lovely Kim!

Rob is a true gent and helps folk off the coach

Heading up the hill to the church

Why were we in Calne? Good question! The Pastor of Calne Baptist Church, Sam King had invited us to come and give a concert at his church to raise money for Alzheimer's Research UK. It just so happened too that Calne was where Emma grew up and Calne Baptist Church was her old church, so double the reason to go!

Emma went ahead of the choir in the afternoon to run a Gospel Choir workshop in the church and the lovely Heather Staley went with her too. There were 14 workshop participants and they were brilliant! We managed to teach and learn 5 songs in just 2.5 hours, including actions!

Em explaining roots of Gospel Music to workshop crew...see if you can spot Heather too!

The workshop-ites then joined GGCC for the concert in the evening and became part of a bigger choir. They also got to sing on their own so they could show off what they'd achieved that afternoon. Some of them also volunteered to sing in small groups for one of the songs, at least one of them had not sung in public since they were told by a music teacher at school they couldn't sing (shocking!) so that was a massive step forward for them.

GGCC were treated to a wonderful tea provided by the church, no run of the mill sandwiches and cake there! We felt so welcome.

The concert itself was amazing. GGCC were their usual brilliant self, sang so well and joined in with the actions they'd never done which Em had added to one of the songs, with loads of energy. It was the first time Em had ever led the choir for a whole concert and she loved it. The support and love GGCC gave her made such a huge difference as well.

After the end of the concert it was time for GGCC to get back on the coach and it sounds like there was much fun and laughter...and singing all the way back to Bristol.

Em got an email from Sam at the church too to say a big thank you and also to let us know they'd managed to raise £550 for Alzheimer's Research so that's fantastic!

Shirehampton Primary Gospel Choir's first performance!

Shirehampton Primary School Entrance

On Wednesday this week (17th April) an intrepid group of children from Shirehampton Primary collectively now known as the Shirehampton Primary Gospel Choir performed for the first time...ever!!! They were amazing!

We have been meeting over 7 sessions on Wednesday lunchtimes, each just 30 minutes long and in that time managed to learn words and actions for 3 songs. There were around 16 children who performed on Wednesday to the rest of their school...which is a lot of children! As they had never sung these songs in public before it was slightly daunting but they were all brilliant, sang their hearts out and made me very proud!

It has been a lot of fun getting to know the group, they came up with most of the actions for the songs themselves and even a new verse for one of the songs. We will now take a break over the Summer as Naomi won't be able to help Emma run it anymore. Emma hopes to find a helper for September so she can restart it then...watch this space!

The Wedding of the Century!

So, it's official Geraldine and Carey are now Mr & Mrs!

Geraldine couldn't contain her excitement!!!

It was such a privilege for the GGCC choirs to be part of what was truly the 'wedding of the century'!

From the moment we all arrived at Christchurch Clifton there was a massive buzz of excitement. We all assembled in the crypt area downstairs for warm up and run through.

Em & Kim Samuels were the Choir Directors for the day, leading a combined Renewal/GGCC choir of about 150 people!!!

Before we knew it it, rehearsal time was over and it was time for the wedding. We quickly all assembled on stage and waited for the bride to arrive, and she was bang on time!!!

Geraldine and her Bridal party came down the aisle dodging hundreds of balloons, led by a group of djembe drummers.

Accompanied by the most amazing group of musicians (harp, brass section, djembes, organ, guitars, bass, drums, piano & keys) we all sang our hearts out. The new anthem written by Geraldine & Carey was beautiful and we all remembered it...well most of it!!! 

It truly was a musical extravaganza. All the hymns just came to life and the choir did a fab job of leading the singing. 

Geraldine & Carey exchanged their vows and rings and then sang a verse of Be Thou My Vision (while Em & Naomi frantically tried to get GGCC back on stage as they had to be there sooner than we thought!!!).

Then we had our surprise...SECRET SONG! It was a song Em & Naomi had written especially for Geraldine & Carey and rehearsed in secret with the choir. Called 'The Right Time', the GGCC choirs sang it beautifully and Geraldine was genuinely surprised and I think touched by the song. So well done GGCC! You can hear a version of the song we recorded when you watch the video there is a link for below.

So, after singing Total Praise (WOW!) with Renewal choir it was time for Mr & Mrs Luce to leave. They danced down the aisle to 'Celebrate' by Kool & The Gang which the choirs and band performed...so much fun!

One of many kisses!!!

What a day! We have a short video of the day from the choirs perspective, to watch CLICK HERE

Em & Naomi are so proud of all the GGCC family, we loved being able to celebrate such a joyful occasion with you all

Here's one last pic of the happy couple cutting the cake at the reception!

So, we now send Geraldine off to her new life in London with Carey...we will miss her SO much but know she will come and visit!

Next for GGCC is our concert in Calne on 27th April...watch this space!

Bye for now!

A Fitting End...And Beginning!

On Thursday 7th March the three GGCC choirs from Westbury Park, Shirehampton & Easton came together to celebrate 10 years of the adventure that is GGCC!

It was an evening full of emotion. We were treated to amazing performances of the 'best of' GGCC songs by all the choirs.

Geraldine shared how GGCC had started, with just one song 'Hold on' a decade ago, never dreaming we would be where we are now!

Geraldine warming the choirs up!

Emma explained how she had joined the GGCC family back in January 2007 and then how the Easton GGCC was launched in September 2009

We watched a video which captures a bit of the story of GGCC and we hear from choir members about why they like the choir. You can see this video by clicking here .

GGCC members watching themselves on the video

Nikky & Ju talked about how the Shire Choir had started in 2011 and how it has such a lovely family feel.

Shirehampton GGCC singing Lean on Me

It was also an evening to say goodbye. Firstly goodbye officially to the Westbury GGCC choir as this group won't be continuing after Easter. It has been a wonderful community these last 10 years where Geraldine, Naomi & Emma have all learned so much which has enabled them to take the GGCC dream out to other parts of Bristol. Lives have been touched and changed and we are so deeply thankful. We have invited all the Westbury GGCC to stay in the GGCC family and maybe join one of the other choirs.

We also had to say goodbye to our lovely Geraldine. Yes we'll still see her at the wedding and wedding rehearsals but this was out last GGCC concert with her. It seems impossible to imagine GGCC without her, what an inspirational, funny, talented, humble, Godly woman. She will be deeply missed. Geraldine's move to London means the end to the current GGCC team so it was very fitting that Em & Naomi sang 'I just can't give up now' with Geraldine again. This was a song that deeply impacted both them and many many other when they sang it in March 2012. 

Then after goodbyes it was time to say some hellos! A big hello to the new GGCC team...Heather Staley & Ruth Chandler who have both been part of Westbury GGCC for a while are joining Naomi & Emma to guide GGCC into the future. So they joined us to sing 'Shackles'...and we found a couple of men to join with us too! Thanks Mark & Rob!

To finish off the evening all three choirs sang 'Total Praise'...a favourite of Geraldine's. You can get an idea of how amazing it sounded by clicking here

And the evening wouldn't have been complete with another rendition of the amazing three spiritual medley! Yes Nobody knows, Steal Away & Swing Low Sweet Chariot all sung together, in harmony at the same time! Wow!!!

Before I sign off for now here are a few other pics...

Smiley GGCC!

Before the concert, warming up

Janice & Mearl from Easton GGCC

Marsha sings People Get Ready

A lot to be thankful for Geraldine!

That's it for now. Back soon!

Concert week!

Wow, this term has gone so fast! I cannot believe it's our big concert this week!

We are really looking forward to celebrating 10 wonderful years of GGCC with you and your friends/family...do get inviting if you haven't already! It'll be our last GGCC concert with Geraldine so we may need to have a few tissues handy...only the women of course!!!

It seems that new things are already opening up for GGCC without us having to try very hard! Emma & Naomi have started a Gospel Choir in Shirehampton Primary school recently. The first week was a bit manic with 34 children in a small space but the second was a dream with 15, lovely, attentive children. We had a lot of fun and they were full of good ideas for how we could do things. We are meeting on a Wednesday during lunchtime, only 30 minutes and it races past. We are going to perform the songs we've done in a school assembly before Easter.

If you want to take a look at the what the head of Cabot Primary school had to say about our visit before half term and see another pic then visit http://www.headcabot.blogspot.co.uk/ . We recently received some lovely letters from some of the children there, thanking us for our visit. Quotes include:

"I am sorry to say but I thought old people were boring but now I realised they are talented"

"When I am older I think I will try and make a choir with lots of old, middle and young aged people"

"I really want to thank you you inspired me and all of Cabot"

"It made me feel an emotion inside me"

"I loved it when you were smiling and singing"

Really lovely to hear from the children isn't it?

Well better get on with concert preparations! See you all there!

Party Time & Change

On Tuesday we had a very special GGCC gathering. All three choirs came together for a bit of a PARTY! It was an evening to celebrate with Geraldine & Carey and Naomi had made a beautiful cake for them.

It was also an evening to reflect on the last 10 years of GGCC...yes GGCC has been going for 10 years! It started as just one choir at Cairns and is now three with over 100 people. It has been a joy to see how the choir has grown and to hear the countless stories of how much it means to the people who come. 

Once Geraldine and Carey are married they will be living in London. So this means we have to say goodbye to Geraldine at Easter...very sad! She will be missed so much but I know we'll still see her from time to time.

So Naomi & I will be running GGCC without Geraldine from April and have been busy coming up with a plan! We shared the broad headlines with the choir on Tuesday. They are:

1. Sadly Westbury GGCC will be finishing. It has been the choir that has been around the longest and is the biggest but we feel it's right to bring it to and end. As we do so we can celebrate all that it has been, so many people have been blessed by being in this choir and by seeing them perform.

2. Shirehampton & Easton choirs carry on. These two are the younger choirs and will continue. We will take a break over the Summer and relaunch again in the Autumn.

3. A new GGCC in Thornbury! Yes in the Autumn we will start a new choir and the lovely Heather Staley will be leading that with Em & Naomi's support...exciting!

4. School choirs. We have just this week started a gospel choir in Shirehampton Primary and have arranged to begin a other in Summerhill Infants school after Easter. Another exciting development!

So, things are changing. Change brings mixed feelings, feelings of sadness and also excitement. I know that's definitely how I am feeling and I'm sure most of the choirs feel the same. But in the words of that great High School Musical song (that Em & Naomi kept trying to get GGCC to sing!)..."we're all in this together!"

Freedom Is Coming!

Well last Friday a group of about 20 from GGCC joined Emma to take an assembly at Cabot Primary School in St Paul's. It was the last day of Music Week at the school so we were invited to help explain the roots of Gospel Music, sing a couple of songs to the school and then teach them a song.

Emma teaching 'Freedom Is Coming' to the school

We had a blast! The children were so well behaved and one of the teachers commented on how the youngest in particular seemed mesmerised by the singing. We started off with the song 'Hold On' which sounded beautiful. Then one of the choir members, Sarah, who works at the school did a great introduction to Gospel Music and the importance of the message of hope and freedom which is at its core. Then Emma taught the song 'Freedom is coming' in two parts to all the children. They picked it up in no time and soon we had the whole school on its feet, stomping and clapping along too. The Head teacher commented on how he hadn't just been affected in his head by the singing but had felt impacted deep inside which was amazing and he said we could come back any time! To round off a great assembly the GGCC gang sang 'Great Is He' as the children all went back to their classrooms...clapping as they went!

Thanks to all from GGGC who came along, Sarah and Emma were so glad they didn't have to do it on their own!

So, this week is half term BUT CHOIR HAS NO BREAK! All three choirs are still rehearsing...see you there!