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Chapter 14 ForOlat "Let's Give the Lord a Praise" The five members of the St. James Gospel Choir stand side by side, their matched robes mutely testifying to their unity of purpose. As the singer nearest the Branchettes lifts the microphone, the others smile and exchange glances, showing no sign of uneasiness at being the first group to sing. Their apparent confidence is echoed in Sister Phyllis Love's introductory words.«We give honor to God for our first being here," she begins, her voice strong and steady. The saints respond with calls of "Amen!" and «Praise God!" "And are praising God;' she continues, «because God truly has been good to us." «YesHe has!" cries one sister in the pews. "Amen!" affirms another. Those of us in front can easily hear Sister Love's words. Those at the rear, however, are straining, as the microphone is not turned on. Immediately diagnosing the problem, a quartet singer slips to the choir loft, reaches for the mike, and flips it on. As he does so, a saint fills the pause with a loud, «Thank You, Jesus!" With the microphone restored to her hand, Sister Love, the choir's «president ;' repeats her introduction, changing the words but expressing the same thought. We thank God for enabling us to be here, and for giving us a mind to come this way. We are few in number today, but nevertheless I think about the ladies whose anniversary we are celebrating. We've bumped into them so many times, and seen them on the highwayjust two of them! But nevertheless, we're not going to complain. We going to go on and do what thus saith the Lord! We'd like to say to you, (Alright! /Yeah!) (Lord Iesusl) (Yes!/That's alright!) (Alright! /Iesusl) (Lord Iesusl) (Lord Iesusl) (Lord Iesusl) (Alright!) (Amen!/ Alright!) we from Saint James, we love you! Happy anniversary! (Amen!/Praise God!) (Thank You,Iesusl) Like Sister Bracey and Sister Perry before her, Sister Loveopens with words that sound like testimony. She then immediately apologizes for the choir's small size, suggesting that more members are usually present. As she saysthis, I can't help but think about the Branchettes, who themselves came together as a group only after they found themselves singing at a program for which none of their fellow choir members had shown up. But numbers, say the saints, don't really matter. Nor, for that matter, does the particular excellence of one's singing. (Though, of course, special excellence doesearn special acclaim.) What reallymatters are sincerity and spirit. That's why,when the speaker saysthat the choir is not complaining and that they're going to do what "the Lord saith," the saints respond so enthusiastically. Programgoers from every corner of the church cry words of encouragement, letting the singers know that they don't care if the choir numbers five or fifty. As long as they're truly doing the Lord's work ... Upon wishing the Branchettes a happy anniversary, Sister Love lays the microphone back on the railing and steps back into line. For a moment, all is silent. Then, with a quick glance to make sure everyone is ready, she launches into an up-tempo rendition of "Give the Lord a Praise." The first line is hers alone; the second rings with all five voices, joined in loose but inspired harmony. As the voices come together, so too do the choir members' enthusiastically clapping hands. Instantly, the women are swaying in tight unison, their movements punctuating every other clapped beat. Bythe third line, dozens of saints in the congregation are singing along. Give the Lord a praise! GIVE THE LORD A PRAISE! LET'S GIVE THE LORD A PRAISE! THE LORD IS WORTHY! OH YES, HE'S WORTHY! LET'S GIVE THE LORD A PRAISE! (Go ahead!) (Yeah!) As if to confirm the emcee's assurance that singers without musicians "needn't worry;' a full complement of accompanists have already joined the singing. A tambourine player eases in first, adding a double-timed sizzlebefore the end of the second line. The electric organ slips in midway through the next line, while the bass joins during the fourth. Next comes the guitar, introduced by a shriek of electronic feedback. Within seconds, the guitarist brings the feedback under control and is adding a stream of slurred notes to the thickening musical texture. Bythe end of the chorus, a teenage boy has joined on the drums, while...

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