Everybody knows what a choir does. But, not many know what the MUMC Chancel Choir does. It’s not just about singing. The 130 voice Chancel Choir has been a source of support for community agencies serving those in need for many years. This is the 10th year the Chancel Choir has supported the local community with more than 11 tons of food collected and Christmas gifts totaling more than $25,000.

“The choir began its outreach volunteering in the kitchen of The Bridge at Centenary United Methodist Church downtown for several years,” Diane Lawrence, coordinator of the choir’s mission projects, recalls. Choir members took turns working in the kitchen there cooking for the church’s shelter for the homeless. They also helped the shelter with construction projects and painting.

Then in 2013 choir members wanted to do more to help people in areas nearer the church. The food pantry at Circle of Concern in Valley Park became the choir’s mission focus. “Circle of Concern serves residents in the Parkwood, Rockwood and Valley Park school districts. They are literally our neighbors,” Diane said.

It all began with monthly food drives. Singers brought groceries with the to weekly rehearsals and the food was delivered to the Circle pantry each month. “At first we didn’t have a way to measure our contributions, so we counted full grocery bags. Different food items were requested each month. In 2014, we donated 67 bags of groceries,” Diane said. We’ll use 10 pounds as an estimate for each bag or 670 pounds food that year. “We also started collecting gift cards to local stores for Circle to give to their clients for Christmas. That first year, gift cards totaling $2,090 were donated by the Chancel Choir.”

That strategy worked well until the pandemic hit. The choir shut down in a time when demand for assistance from the food pantry was at an all time high. After sitting at home on Thursday nights for several months missing rehearsal, the choir decided to conduct drive through parking lot food drives on Thursday nights. They brought food to the church parking lot handing it out their car windows or parked and brought donations to a van from a safe distance while wearing masks.

Suddenly an act of kindness also provided a time of needed fellowship and the choir’s food pantry project took off. In 2020 when the choir was shut down, 4,388 pounds of food was delivered to the Circle pantry and $2,725 in gift cards. The donations have risen steadily since then.

Once we returned to rehearsals, once a month a van in the parking lot greets choir members as they enter the church.

In the 10 years since the choir began supporting Circle of Concern, a total of 23,064 pounds or 11.5 tons of food has been delivered to the food pantry and Circle clients have received $25,745 in gift cards for Christmas.

It’s more than just singing for the MUMC Chancel Choir.