Mars Hill College News

Korean Children’s Choir Performed at

MARS HILL BAPTIST CHURCH

Color, pageantry and sound characterized the performance of the Far East Broadcasting Company's Korean Children's Choir at Mars Hill Baptist Church on June 23. 

The performance by the 42-member choir included singing in both English and Korean, colorful costumes, and traditional Korean dance and drumming. But according to those in attendance at Mars Hill Baptist Church, the performance was much more than entertainment.  It was a meeting of cultures, an expression of the joy of childhood, and a moving celebration of the unity of the Gospel.

"There was a real sense of enthusiasm, joy and warmth in what the performers were doing," according to Mars Hill College President Dan Lunsford.  "They were well-trained and talented performers, but throughout the evening, it was clear that they were also children who were having fun."

The highlight of the evening for many was when the children sang "Jesus Loves the Little Children," in English while they filtered into the crowd and hugged those present.

"It was a real blessing," Lunsford said.

According to Mars Hill College Director of Church and Community Relations Gordon Benton, who was instrumental in planning the Mars Hill visit, the FEBC Korean Children's Choir is internationally regarded for its excellent performances. The choir has performed internationally in six European countries.  In the United States they have held concerts in Los Angeles, Dallas, San Francisco and Texas.

The choir, a ministry of the Far East Broadcasting Company of Korea, was established in 1999 with the goal of glorifying God through music, developing Christian culture and spreading the Gospel with its talent. The choir includes 45 members in all (3 were unable to make this trip) who range in age from 7 to 13 years old.  They are selected through a rigorous audition process and receive training from a voice teacher, choreographer and a conductor.   

The performance at Mars Hill Baptist Church was part of the choir's most recent U.S. tour, which ended the last week of June.  The local performance was sponsored jointly by Mars Hill Baptist Church and Mars Hill College.

Two highlights of the American tour were performances intended to show gratitude to veterans of the Korean War.  On June 25^th, the anniversary of the beginning of the Korean War, the choir performed at the Western Carolina State Veterans Cemetery in Black Mountain.  Two days later, the children performed at Gaylord's Opryland Resort and Hotel and presented a letter of gratitude to Tennessee veterans of the Korean War.

During their stay in Mars Hill, members of the choir stayed in the college dorms, as well as with members of Mars Hill Baptist Church and Calvary Baptist Church in Mars Hill and North Point Baptist Church in Weaverville. 

Off the stage, the choir members were clearly just kids.  At the home of former Mars Hill College president Max Lennon and his wife, Ruth, six of the choir members enjoyed catching fireflies, playing in the neighbor's pool, and tasting American foods like potato chips (though they ate them with a Korean hot beef pepper paste). 

"It was just a wonderful experience," Ms. Lennon said.  And though they were so young, and half a world away from home, Ms. Lennon said, they were very open to the new experiences of their surroundings.

"They were a joy to have," said Becky McDaniel.  Her husband, Robert, described the four boys who stayed in their home as "very sharp, very well-mannered children." The children had fun at the McDaniels' house playing ping-pong, board games and computer games.  Mr. McDaniel said meeting the children and spending time with them was "as good an experience as I've had in years," he said.

The McDaniels had been told the children would not like meat, so they fixed rice and eggs for breakfast.  But the children soon discovered sausage.  "After that, I had trouble getting sausage for myself," Mr. McDaniel said.

According to the U.S. Director of FEBC, Cliff McArdle, the parents of choir members raise money so their children can come to the U.S.  They do this, he said, because it is a great honor to be chosen for the choir, which is extremely popular in Korea.  Families in Korea also want their children to experience the United States, he said, with the hope that they might later be able to come to college here.

FEBC is a non-denominational, international Christian radio network that broadcasts in more than 150 languages from 32 transmitters located throughout the world. FEBC-Korea owns and operates nine Christian radio stations, including an international station on Jeju Island.

The president of the Far East Broadcasting Company is an internally-known evangelist, Dr. Billy Kim. Dr. Kim is pastor emeritus of the 15,000-member Central Baptist Church in Suwan, Korea, which he served as pastor for 45 years. He also served a five-year term as president of the Baptist World Alliance and has frequently worked with the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, serving as an interpreter during Graham's crusades in Korea.  Dr. Kim was unable to attend the Mars Hill performance due to health concerns.

RECENT ADDITIONS TO MARS HILL COLLEGE STAFF

Mars Hill College has added three new staff members recently.

Robert Gecan has been hired as a financial aid counselor in the Mars Hill College Admissions Office.  In that position, Gecan will help students and their families understand the variety of assistance options available to them.  He comes to Mars Hill from Warren Wilson College where he served as the director of aquatics.  He has a bachelor's degree in business administration/accounting and a master's degree in education/college administration. 

Leslie Smith, as the new program coordinator for the Liston B. Ramsey Center for Regional Studies, will be directing many regionally related programs and events, including the Bascom Lamar Lunsford Festival and the traditional sector of the Madison County Heritage Festival. Prior to accepting her current position at Mars Hill, she was the historic interpreter at the Zebulon Vance Birthplace State Historic Site in Weaverville.  She has also served as an interpretive park ranger in her native Tennessee.

Smith obtained both her bachelor's degree in Geology and her master's degree in Appalachian Studies from East Tennessee State University.

Tiffany Hill has returned to the advancement office at Mars Hill College as Director of Stewardship.  Hill spent over six years in the advancement office after she graduated from Mars Hill in 2001 with a degree in business administration.  Most recently, she has been doing bookkeeping for her husband's plumbing business. 

As Director of Stewardship, Hill will be contacting donors to the college, making donor visits, and assisting in the planning and coordination of alumni events.  She will also assist with fundraising for the college's Annual Fund.

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This page was last updated on Thursday, 03 July 2008 03:22 PM