Report of the Ministry of Music

Sister Brenda G. Hankins

As we praise God for His infinite grace and mercy, we greet you in the matchless name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. God brought us through 2022 and we are eternally grateful for his faithfulness. I thank all the ministry members, leaders and staff for sharing their gifts, time, and talents as we endeavored to fulfill the vision and purpose of FIBC through the Worship Arts Ministry.

With the exception of Men and Women’s Day, and the Church and Pastoral Anniversaries Sunday, the adult choirs have not yet returned to ministering on a regular basis. We had a high time of fellowship and celebration on those Sundays! Our Children and Youth Choir, under the direction of Sister Tiffanie McGilvery, as well as our youth dance team, ministered in July & October for Generation Sunday. What an exciting time it was to see our young people ministering in song and dance. Additionally, we greatly appreciate the outstanding and inspirational ministry of our adult praise teams, led by our Praise and Worship Leaders, the Reverend Kendall Washington and Brother Phil Shaw, for serving at every Worship Service. The praise team also ministered for the Pastoral Anniversary for the Reverend. Jesse Hutchings, the Pastor at Trinity Church of God In Christ, and at the installation service for the Reverend Raymond Forte, the new pastor of Ebenezer Church. God continues to use them in a powerful way to usher in the presence of the Holy Spirit, to lift up the name of The Lord and to edify his people. We ask for their continued strength in The Lord. We also thank God for the collaborative efforts of our music and drama ministries, under the direction of the Reverend Kendall Washington and the Reverend Donta McGilvery, who presented a special production for Maundy Thursday titled “The Living Last Supper: The Play”. This was one of the highlights of the year!

To everything there is a season…. It is with sad hearts that we mourn the loss of Sister Sheyla Barnett, Brother Clenon Butler, Jr., and Brother Arthur Reid. We do, however, celebrate their lives and the impact they made in the music ministry and beyond. It is with bittersweet anticipation that we prepare for the retirement of Brother Greg McGlothen and Brother Raymond Kirkendall, on January 1, 2023. These two brothers in the ministry have served for over 30 years each and we praise God for their longevity, their loyalty, their love for the ministry and their love for God and His people.

Some of our goals for the coming year are to see an increase in the engagement of our children, youth and young adults in the Worship Arts Ministry, to expand the music ministry band and to train new leaders, by incorporating strategic initiatives, determining obstacles and challenges, and implementing success actions. Despite some of the challenges we experienced in 2022, we prayerfully look forward to what The Lord has in store for us in the coming year. Though we experienced some loss, we also experienced some gain. Praise The Lord! As always, we desire to be a source of inspiration and to do ministry with a spirit of excellence, bringing glory to God and edifying His people. To God be the glory!

Respectfully submitted,

Brenda G. Hankins, Minister of Music