Carlye Thornton | Lariat Photo Editor
By Hannah Neumann
Staff Writer
The Baylor Religious Hour choir held a free concert Wednesday night at the SUB Bowl to bring the community together in worship and raise funds for its annual mission trip.
According to the group’s website, the choir was founded in 1948 by Dick Baker, who recognized the correlation between music and worship and took action to connect the two.
He selected individuals for both their vocal talent and religious devotion.
Attendee and Peachtree City, Ga., sophomore Cailin Ballard said she heard of the event from a friend and decided to use it as a study break.
“I just loved how everyone in the audience felt like they could do whatever they wanted – either to sing or worship or listen, and it was just so different from an in-concert hall experience where you just sit and listen,” she said.
Omaha, Neb., freshman Garrett Sacco said the experience was surreal for him as a first-time performer in the choir.
“It was so great seeing people walk by, not having this planned out in their night and setting down their backpacks and staying the whole time,” he said.
Sacco said although the concert featured what the choir has worked on thus far, it was focused on the worship experience.
“This is about letting the word of God come through us and speak to the people who we are close to and see every day,” he said.
The choir was accepting donations for their mission trip to Mexico at the event.
“It’s a lot of the members’ highlight of the year because they get to worship God and spread his love through more than singing,” Sacco said. “It’s always an eye-opener to anyone to go abroad and see what God is doing there and spread your wings a little bit.”
