If you’ve ever watched the US singing competition The Voice, you will recognize that as the show’s tagline. There is also a UK version of The Voice airing on BBC One. The new year’s competition begins tonight, Saturday 9 JAN. One of the performers will be a priest in the Church of England, the Revd John Barron.
The vicar serving in Gateshead England has been singing much of his life, before his ordination to the priesthood. Now, serving in Dio Durham in northeast England, Father Barron sings in church and for local charity and fundraising events. In 2015 he joined a local group, the Gibside Singers to raise money for Mother’s Union Prison projects. And he also joined his daughter, singing to raise funds for a new church heating system in a night of musical theater.
I very much see singing as a way to further the work I do in the Church, reaching out to people in the community – which is core to our aim to grow the engagement of the church. This is part of what we do in the church – trying our best to use what God has given us to be a blessing to our communities.
The Revd Barron has an eclectic taste in music, signing and listening to a wide variety of genres and styles. He will be singing This is the Moment from Jekyll and Hyde in tonight’s opening episode.
The photo and story are from the Anglican Communion News Service.
The logo is from the Voice UK.