Gospel explosion - 'God is in the house'

From the moment House of Prayer Outreach Mission pastor JoAnn McCauley took the stage and started singing at Academic Hall Saturday, there wasn't a still foot in the place.

Toes tapped, hands clapped. Bodies swayed, music played.

The Cape Girardeau pastor and others had gathered at Southeast Missouri State for Gospel Explosion 2003.

About 200 people danced in the pews, or in this case, at their chairs in the auditorium. They raised their arms and their voices. Singing could be heard in the parking lot behind the building.

As the emcee, the Rev. Jean Hardge said, "God is in the house."

All told, five groups performed, highlighted by Southeast's Regeneration Gospel Choir. More than 30 Regeneration Choir members performed six songs.

"I'm excited," said Charles Bobo, a Baptist Student Union campus minister running the Regeneration student ministry. "The Lord truly blessed. I believe they sang under the anointing of God, and you can't go wrong with that."

Self-expression by group

The choir displayed a sense of individualized unity. Members sang and swayed in unison, but there was little choreography as each member showed their own personality. Some put a little extra dip in their sway, others reached skyward, a few touched their hands to their hearts.

"I think everything was great," said Sarah Clay, a Southeast student who attended the event. "I'm glad we got to see so many different choirs."

Mia Lewis agreed.

"I thought it uplifted me and was a really great experience," said Lewis, a Southeast student. "It was good to see a lot of students rejoicing."

One of the groups who spoke the loudest sang nothing.

The Anointed Mime Ministry of West Side Missionary Baptist Church in St. Louis performed to a few songs, illustrating words with expression and dance.

The group was started by 16-year-old Georgia Haynes. Haynes began performing as a mime three years ago, she said, when she saw another mime group performing. She started as a solo act, then three friends from her church -- including Bobo's brother, Michael -- wanted to form a group.

Haynes comes up with the choreography herself.

"I can't play music and I can't sing, so this is something I thought I could do," Haynes said. "It was a gift from God. This was fabulous. I've never been able to do something like this for college students before."

Other choirs performed as well, including the Southwest Missouri State Gospel Choirfrom Springfield, the Legion of Black Collegians Choir from the University of Missouri at Columbia and Christ 4 Real, a group of four girls from Sikeston.

bmiller@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 127