According to the Malaco Music Group website, The Mississippi Mass Choir is a musical group that “continues to make standard hymns and new compositions of their own while remaining true to the traditional gospel choir sound that brought them safe thus far.”
On March 20 from 7 to 9:30 p.m. in the Wright Center, the choir performed different songs including “We Praise You,” “It Wasn’t The Nails,” “Lift Him Up”, “Having You There,” “Your Grace and Mercy,” “Put Your Trust In Jesus,” “We Praise You,” “It’s Good To Know Jesus,” and “God Is Keeping Me.”
Chemistry and Biochemistry Pre-Medicine major MarKayla Bell said that her favorite song of the performance was “It Wasn’t The Nails.”
“I had never heard this song before, but the message was incredibly powerful,” Bell said. “This song made me truly think about how great God’s love for me must be—so great that He willingly endured extreme suffering for my salvation. This message will never cease to amaze me.”
Associate Provost for Student Success and Diversity and Inclusion Denise Gregory discussed the impact of the choir’s performance at Samford.
“It’s important to provide worship experiences across our campus that magnify our Lord. The Mississippi Mass Choir’s worship experience was designed to share the love of Christ through song,” Gregory said.
Bell also stated that because gospel music is an important value in Black culture, groups like The Mississippi Mass Choir provide non-black individuals an opportunity for insight about one of the many aspects of Black culture.
“Gospel music is a pillar in Black culture, so this event was important to have at
Samford because it encourages everyone to worship the Lord while celebrating one of the many attributes of Black culture. The Mississippi Mass Choir performance (and the other gospel choirs’ performances) beautifully demonstrated the unity elicited in worshipping God in the community,” Bell said.
Those interested in listening to The Mississippi Mass Choir songs can find their music on Spotify, Pandora, YouTube, and YouTube Music.
Staff Writer
