Southern Africa Union Conference

Southern Africa Union Conference hosts first music festival in more than 30 years

Choirs from across the Union gathered in Bloemfontein, South Africa, for a weekend of choral worship and participants consecrated their mobile phones for digital evangelism.

South Africa

Southern Africa-Indian Ocean Division
Southern Africa Union music festival highlights. Photo: Southern Africa-Indian Ocean Division

Southern Africa Union music festival highlights. Photo: Southern Africa-Indian Ocean Division

Choirs from across the Southern Africa Union Conference (SAU) gathered in Bloemfontein for a weekend of choral worship at the Union’s first music festival in more than 30 years.

Bloemfontein Manne Koor opened the festival with a rendition of “The Lord’s Prayer,” after which Batho Choir, one of two local choirs taking part, opened the musical program.

Participating choirs included Orlando West Choir, New Brighton Choir, Unambitho Choristers, Batho Choir and Bloem City Choir, along with others from across the Union.

During the weekend, participants also consecrated their mobile phones for digital evangelism. In an initiative led jointly by the SAU’s Stewardship, Personal Ministries, and Communication departments, participants were invited to dedicate their personal social media accounts to sharing the gospel.

Southern Africa Union music festival highlights.

Photo: South Africa-Indian Ocean Division

The festival was linked to the OneVoice27 initiative, and choirs were encouraged to use both their voices and their online presence to extend their ministry.

SAU Music director Dr. Bulelani Bomela said the festival had been a long time coming. “This is a historic moment for the Southern Africa Union,” he said. He also thanked students from the Central University of Technology (CUT) Seventh-day Adventist Student Movement for the energy they brought to the gathering.

SAU president Dr. Paul Shongwe was among those in attendance, along with departmental directors, pastors, choir members, and their families.

The original article was published on the Southern Africa-Indian Ocean Division news site.

Southern Africa-Indian Ocean Division

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