Community Corner
'Hands of Praise' Preaches Gospel in a Different Language
This past Sunday, the Montco Bible Fellowship presented an uplifting praise concert performed by their talented signing choir.
It was all about listening with your eyes and seeing the sounds of praise.
, located at 160 E. Main St. in Lansdale, was alive with the sounds of Gospel music and the artistic, fluid movements of its Hands of Praise Signing Choir Sunday evening.
Christina Kellman, leader of the ministry group, has been directing the choir at the Lansdale church for more than 12 years. She noted that the choir started with just three women, and the group has varied in size, with as many as 12 members at one time.
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At present, the choir consists of five dedicated women who use their hands as a tool of ministry to make a powerful statement. Their focus is large, even though their numbers are small.
The audience swayed to the music and was touched by the message Sunday.
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Kellman explained why the message of the signing choir is so powerful to the congregation.
“Seeing the words adds another dimension to the worship experience,” she said.
The graceful, flowing movements of the choir intensified the music and more fully captured the feeling and essence of the message conveyed in the Gospel songs.
Through the art of sign language and God’s love, the choir desires to edify the body of Christ," according to its website.
The choir presented 10 gospel songs, including "Sovereign God," "There is an Answer" (which was the title of the concert), “The Answer,” "Your Mercy" and finishing up with "Magnify."
The concert was interspersed with drama participants presenting snippets of real-life dilemmas and “The Answer” to all their problems.
Kellman explained that she has no formal training and is entirely self-taught in sign language; learning American Sign Language is an ongoing process of always learning new words—as in any language.
Other members of Hands of Praise include Dina Lawson, Lynda Liverpool, Elizabeth Salley and Jennifer Sekawungu.
The members of the choir noted that verses 19 and 20 of I Corinthians are pertinent to their message. These verses state that our bodies are a temple of the Holy Spirit, and we are to glorify God in our bodies and spirits. The Hands of Praise use their sign language skills to bring both of these to fruition.
Montco Bible Fellowship can be reached at 215-855-0899 or at www.montcobf.org.
