THE MESSIAH COMES
Sunday,December1,2024|10AM
Rev. William H. Lamar IV, Pastor
From the Pastor’s Desk
Beloved,
Advent is upon us! We await God’s promised redemption and deliverance. The fulfillment of God’s promises depends upon our willingness to partner with God in Christ to make the world more just, peaceful, and beautiful. As we wait for God during this season, God is waiting for us to live into the revolutionary calling and character of the gospel
Human beings create beautiful art in the midst of great tribulation. We do so as an act of worship. We do so as an act of defiance. In this sacred house called Metropolitan African Methodist Episcopal Church we have never ceased to worship and our spirits have never been broken. As a community of faith, we defy the world’s definitions and diagnoses. This is God’s world. We are God’s people. “And God shall reign forever and ever!”
Thank you for joining us for this worshipful and defiant presentation of The Messiah Comes. We will sing, we will rejoice, and our spirits will be renewed. Thank you to our amazing Music and Worship Arts Ministry. Thank you for the time and care you take as you serve God and God’s people.
We await the Promised One as we labor and pray for God’s reign upon the earth. The Promised One, the Christ, waits for us to be the disciples who will make God’s dream for humanity and creation come true.
Grace and peace,
William H. Lamar IV Pastor
Greetings from the Director
The angel said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be holy; he will be called Son of God And now, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month for her who was said to be barren. For nothing will be impossible with God.”
Then Mary said, “Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word ” Then the angel departed from her. Luke 1:35-38
Since 1976, the Cathedral Choir of Metropolitan AME Church has offered an annual presentation of George Frederic Handel's Messiah during the Advent season. Over the years, this tradition has evolved into The Messiah Comes, a rich and dynamic celebration of the Advent of Christ, drawing on the depth and beauty of our multi-generational Diasporic traditions
Today holds special significance for me, as it marks my final presentation of The Messiah Comes in this sacred space. It has been an incredible blessing to serve here at Metropolitan, a place where music is truly holy. This is a church where high anthems and hip hop co-mingle, where traditional gospel and modern worship are both embraced, and where the sacred and the secular are never divided. It is a space I have dreamed about, one where creativity thrives in worship.
As a young adult, a woman, and an artist, my vision for this ministry has been guided by an intention to honor the wisdom of our ancestors while staying true to the contemporary context of our faith. Each labor of love has been an act of worship, rooted in purpose and guided by grace
The Messiah Comes is a celebration of the promise of Jesus a Brown baby born to bring hope to the world. Through music, movement, and spoken word, we proclaim this joyous truth.
As I prepare to close this chapter of my journey, I invite you to magnify the Lord with us. Let us lift the name of Jesus together through the transformative power of creative arts in worship. Thank you for sharing this moment with us and for being part of this sacred tradition
Blessings always,
Brittany Chanell Johnson Director of Music and Creative Arts Ministry
MOTOWN CHRISTMAS OVERTURE
The MET Live Band
HAVE YOU HEARD ABOUT THE BABY BY
SHELDON BECTON
NARRATOR'S MONOLOGUE FROM BLACK NATIVITY
The United Voices of Metropolitan - Annette Boxley-Drew, orator
AND THE GLORY OF THE LORD
BY G.F. HANDEL
OH THOU THAT TELLEST GOOD TIDINGS TO ZION BY
G.F. HANDEL
The United Voices of Metropolitan - Brittany Chanell Johnson, soloist
WHO WOULD IMAGINE A KING SHEPHERD LEAVE YOUR FLOCK AND FOLD
The United Voices of Metropolitan featuring Celeste Moy Street & Ed Street Avani Botts, orator
BETELEHEMU NIGERIAN CAROL ARR. WENDELL WHALUM
The United Voices of Metropolitan & the Soul in Motion Drummers
OFFERING GIVE LOVE ON CHRISTMAS DAY
The MET Live Band
HIGHLY EXALTED
Kin-dom Kidz
HE SHALL FEED HIS FLOCK BY JAMES CLEVELAND
The United Voices of Metropolitan - Phyllis Camper-Bunch, soloist
THE MESSIAH IS COMING
Rev. Thomas A.Brackeen, Jr.,
GO TELL IT ON THE MOUNTAIN ARR. MELVIN CRISPELL
The United Voices of Metropolitan & the Kin-dom Kidz
Sydney Coleman, Taylor Conley, Naima Reynolds, and Kaylyn Moffat-Williams, soloists
HALLELUJAH CHORUS
BY
G. F. HANDEL BENEDICTION
The United Voices of Metropolitan Pastor William H Lamar IV
SOUL IN MOTION AFRICAN DANCE & DRUMMING
In 1984 Michael Friend and his sister Khandi started performing as the Soul In Motion Players. The debut performance was at Michael’s alma mater, Howard University during Black History Month. Original members included HU Fine Arts Department Grads Cheryl Butler Poole, Gregory H. Poole, Gisele Jackson, & Wanda Whiteside. The troupe began touring to other colleges and universities on the East Coast. SIMPINC was performing famous works from highly acclaimed writers including the Last Poets, Maya Angelou, & James Baldwin.
In 1989 Michael resigned from his government job to pursue the SIMPINC dream. Soul In Motion became a full-time touring company with its busy season occurring during Black History Month. The group would hit the road for week-long stints. While attending a NACA convention in October 1989, Michael began writing his first play, WE ARE AFRICA. During this time-frame, the group grew from just 4 company members to a full ensemble including drummers and dancers. Michael’s longtime friend, Keith Stephens joined the tour as technical director. Keith’s role continues to provide a key element to Soul In Motion’s success.
During the late 90’s Michael was introduced to choreographer/dancer Pam Lassiter Rhone. Pam began performing with Soul In Motion during the final few years of the WE ARE AFRICA era Michael and Pam started collaborating on the idea of the Soul In Motion African Dancers and Drummers This concept would slightly redefine Soul In Motion as the troupe approached the new millennium The original members included drummer Jumbe Gilliam and dancer Phyllis Lewis
Accepting the role of Associate Director, Pam would soon grow the group of dancers to six members while Michael built the drum battery In a relatively short period of time Soul In Motion African Dancers and Drummers has become an energetic 11-member company, performing at some of the premier dance events in the Washington, DC area including the ever popular Dance Africa hosted by the Dance Place
Soul In Motion’s schedule continues to highlight a busy Black History Month season and a full calendar of annual events including festivals, weddings, and a wide variety of corporate events
THE MET LIVE BAND
Darryl Estep, keyboards
Londell Swales Taylor, keyboards
Reginald Truxon, percussion
Alvin Kellibrew, bass
Laura Henderson, organ
MCAM STAFF
Brittany Chanell Johnson, Director of Music and Creative Arts
Armand Peterson, Assistant Director of MCAM
Jordan Stroman, Ministry Intern
Shaq Buck, Howard University Music Business Intern
TECHNICAL TEAM
Edge Media Group DC
Victor Swann
Rayven Williams
MetropolitanMusic & Creative Arts Ministry
UNITED VOICES OF METROPOLITAN
Soprano
Phyllis Camper-Bunch
Deborah Frazier
Pamela Johnson
Penny Socks
Jordyn Taylor
Alto
Annette Boxley-Drew
Jacqueline Higgs Caldwell
Sydney Coleman
Susan Edwards
Helen Harvin
Frances Oxendine
Lisa Simms-Booth
Sidra Smith
KIN-DOM KIDZ
Avani Botts
Taylor Conley
Quincy Fizer-Muse
Kyrie Lawson
Bella Maxwell
Kira Maxwell
Zora McEntyre
Julianna Michael
Xavier Michael
Benji Michael
Kaylyn Moffat-Williams
Charlie Reynolds
Naima Reynolds
Reginald Truxon
Taylor Truxon
Tenor
Pius Bola Akinola
Trenton Beavers
Carlos Botts
William Harcum
Howard Marshall
Thoko Moffat
Ed Street
Bass
Shaq Buck
S. Michael Evans
Wendell Johnson
Greg Johnson
GUESTS
Celeste Moy & Ed Street Soul in Motion
ORATORS
Avani Botts
Annette Boxley-Drew
Rev. Thomas A. Brackeen, Jr
Pastor William H Lamar IV
Reverend Cozette Thomas
Metropolitan Ministerial Staff
Lisa Simms-Booth
Carlos Botts
Jacqueline Higgs Caldwell
Metropolitan A M E Usher Ministry
The Ambassadors of Metropolitan
The Metropolitan A.M.E. Church Community
Sexton Staff
Lucille Knowles
Pius Akinola
Janice Murray
Evan Taylor
Parents and Families of the Kin-Dom Kidz Choir
Acknowledgements
