Community Gospel Choir will ‘Go Tell It,’ in yuletide celebration | Local Religion

The 17th annual Community Gospel Choir of St. Louis Christmas concerts will trumpet in the holiday season with 60 voices, a full jazz ensemble, dancers, featured soloists, and inspirational guests.

The first free concert, titled “Go Tell It,” will be performed at 4 p.m. Sunday Dec. 3, 2023, at Northside Seventh-day Adventist Church, 9001 Lucas and Hunt Road.

The second showcase will take place at 4 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 9, at Kirkwood United Methodist Church, 201 W. Adams in downtown Kirkwood.

By bringing together singers from diverse backgrounds, the Community Gospel Choir seeks to build bridges that restore “unity to community.” Formed in the summer of 2007, the choir is recognized as one of the premier and most inclusive gospel choirs in the region.

Suzanne Palmer serves as the choir’s artistic director and conductor. She is also is the fine arts director and a music teacher in the Normandy Schools Collaborative.

Palmer was recently honored with the 2023 Arts and Education Council Art Educator of the Year: Legacy Award. She was also recognized for her contributions to gospel music by the Gospel Music Workshop of America in 2023.

“What really attracted me was the choir’s endeavor to bring races together concentrating on the genres of African American spirituals and gospel music,” Palmer says on the choir website.

“I thought, ‘We should definitely focus on bringing God’s people together, bringing the Good News of Jesus.’ The choir can show through song an intentional outreach of love and respect for each other in good faith.”

Helping healthcare workers

LaShonda Gray, a St. Louis native and certified registered nurse anesthetist, learned through her career that healthcare workers could use daily, inspirational encouragement.

Her new book, “Scrub Pocket Devotions: A 21-Day Devotional for Healthcare Workers” provides “Bible based inspiration” for her peers, she said.

It is a way to provide encouragement, spiritual refreshment, and a sense of community to those who serve in the medical field,” Gray explains.

She even realized the importance of the size of her book for healthcare workers. 

“The books are perfectly crafted to tuck inside a scrub pocket or bag, with each devotional written in a way to connect Bible verses and Bible stories with real-world experiences that healthcare professionals face every day,” she said. 

“I hope to make a positive impact on the hearts and minds of healthcare professionals everywhere. I want to remind them that they are appreciated and valued, and that their hard work and dedication do not go unnoticed.

“Having spent over 20 years in the medical field, I wanted to give back to my colleagues and offer a Bible-based resource that will encourage and inspire them to keep moving forward.”

Gray added she wants to “revolutionize the way nurses, doctors, and all medical professionals stay spiritually grounded and uplifted in the midst of their fast-paced and high-pressure work environment.”

Scrub Pocket Devotions is now available on Amazon, both in print and eBook format: https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0CKFLDKWY/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1698418939&sr=8-1