KIRKLAND, N.B. – St. David’s Presbyterian Church in Kirkland, N.B. is going international this year for its 139th anniversary celebration. The Hyssongs, an award-winning, full-time southern gospel group from Rockport, will be perform at the church on Sunday, Aug. 23 at 2 p.m.
“We are extremely blessed to have this international family group come to our little community,” said Judy Cole, church secretary. “With 250 performances a year, we had to book the Hyssongs a whole year ahead to make sure we could have them join us. They will bring trumpets and trombones and vocal harmony for a powerful medium of music to fill St. David’s all the way to the rafters.”
Cole said the audience will also have an international flavor this year with some church descendants travelling all the way from Oklahoma to attend the service and revisit their Presbyterian roots.
The performing Hyssongs are a family trio (Dell, Susan and Richard) who have been singing together for more than 18 years, earning many accolades for their quality, inspirational southern gospel sound.
The group was named the Top New Trio at the 2014 Singing News Fan Awards and has consistently placed on the Top 40 gospel charts for their songs and renditions. They were the cover story in an issue of Christian Voice Magazine in 2012 and have been featured in the Singing News Magazine on several occasions. The group has also performed on Paul Heil’s Gospel Greats radio program out of Pennsylvania.
Rev. Justin Kim of Woodstock has been invited to officiate at the Kirkland service. A free will offering will be received. Memorials to former church members and residents of the community will be included in the program.
Following the service, the congregation will gather outside the church for anniversary cake and lemonade. There is no potluck supper at the Kirkland Community Hall this year.
St. David’s Presbyterian Church was named a provincial historic site in 2005. For the past several years, it has hosted many gospel groups from around the province and continues to attract large audiences for its anniversary service. St. David’s was built by the community of Kirkland in the late 1800s, primarily by Scottish, Irish and English settlers who came to the area as pioneers. The established date of the church is 1876.
For more information, contact Cole at 506-277-9895.
