A Seventh-day Adventist church choir originally launched to bring in members from the community to perform an annual concert has found surprising success, going on to sing for weddings, civil ceremonies and even win a reality television show.

Five years ago the Luton Adventist Church invited community members to join their gospel choir, regardless of their religious affiliation, based at the 400-member church 30 miles north of London.

Andrew Leonce, pastor of the Luton Adventist Church, says with the influx of immigrants from the Caribbean and Africa into England, gospel music is becoming popular in a largely secular country.

“It’s a bit unusual for a gospel choir to be made up of non-church members,” Leonce says.

Though church members were at first cautious of the concept of a community gospel choir, the group has become an outreach tool for the church, Leonce says.

“Gospel music is this thing that church people do but everybody likes it,” says Gail Windrass, Luton church youth ministries leader.

Four community members have joined the church because of the choir. Windrass says a gospel choir can reach some kids in a way a sermon can’t. She hopes the words sung will stimulate thought even if they decide not to join the church.

“When they are going through [difficulties] sometimes those songs will make a difference,” she says.

Nyasha Kapfunde, 19, joined the choir at its inception. She’s not a member of the church, but says gospel music is “definitely the best.”

“Gospel music touches my heart and blesses me,” Kapfunde says. “It lightens my heart if I’m feeling heavy.”

Leaders at Luton Adventist Church agree that gospel music’s ability to comfort and uplift is what makes this choir a powerful outreach tool.

Colin Stewart, Youth Ministries director, for the Adventist church in South England, says churches take on an element of risk when inviting community members to partner in their activities.

“But we are happy to take the risk and support those who take the risk,” Stewart says. “The bottom line is we are sharing our faith through song. We are also teaching our young people that we have to engage people to witness to them. We can’t witness from the pews. You’ve got to get into communities.”

Stewart says the success of Luton choir has set a trend that other Adventist churches in South England are considering.

The choir is also an opportunity for young people to receive mentoring in different facets of music—kids learn to play instruments, read music and conduct. They learn some of the administrative aspects of managing a choir and benefit from positive role models.

In January the Luton choir appeared on a reality show hoping to raise money to expand the resulting mentorship program. They left the show, “Fortune Million Pound Giveaway” with 27,699 pounds or more than US$53,000.

The group recently recorded a CD honoring their fifth anniversary this October and will place proceeds into their mentoring program.

For more information, see the Web site http://www.lutongospel.co.uk.