On Sept. 12, 2002, a group of 15 singers and players met for the first time in the sanctuary of Perseverance Christian Church, near Dundas, to consider forming a new singing group. Joan Parrish recalls, “We began by closing our eyes and singing the first song most of us learned as children, “Jesus Loves Me.” The beautiful harmony that filled the sanctuary that evening remains in our hearts today as we continue to gather each week and worship through music. There is one requirement to be in our group—you must have a love of music.

The group is The Perseverance Praise Group. Parrish goes on to describe their music as, “a mix of traditional hymns, country gospel, praise music and typically, four-part harmony. Some faces in our group have changed during the past 16 years but our purpose remains the same – to take a brief time from our busy schedules each week to come together, acknowledging God’s presence in our lives and His blessings, sharing our faith, praying with and for each other, and blending our voices in praise to our great and awesome God. Our faith continues to be strengthened because of these special times together. It is our hope that our music will make worship more meaningful for those who listen.”

On Friday, Sept. 28, the group will provide an evening of music for the fourth in the Lunenburg County Community Concerts series. Also sharing a variety of musical selections during the evening will be Sue Wilkinson Palmer. Palmer is a well-known and very talented pianist and vocalist. She grew up in Perseverance Church and is a music therapist at Piedmont Geriatric Hospital. Rounding out the program will be Beverley Hawthorne, also from Dundas, sharing her voice at Perseverance Church with solos and in the choir. Terri Way and her husband, new to the Dundas area, are from northern Virginia, but are now a part of the Perseverance family. Terri has been a professional singer for 30 plus years and has already shared her talents in several venues in the area. The evening’s entertainment will begin at 6:40 p.m. with pre-concert piano music provided by Stacy Sharpe Branch.

Lunenburg County Community Concerts are hosted by Victoria Baptist Church, located at the intersection of Eighth Street and Washington Avenue. Handicapped parking is available near the side entrance, as is elevator access to the sanctuary level. This event is free and open to the public. Follow us on Facebook at Lunenburg County Community Concerts.