Jubalheirs on a mission

It was the sound that first attracted Martha Parker.

Parker was a high school choral music teacher in the Atlanta school system when she first heard the Jubalheirs sing.

“I heard them at PraiseSing in Nashville in 1975 and that cinched it for me,” Parker said.

She joined the two-year-old all-woman Georgia group that year and has been singing with them ever since.

“I just loved the sound and the fact that it was a lady’s group,” she said. Parker is one of more than 125 women who are currently members of the Jubalheirs, a praise and proclamation ministry of the Georgia Baptist Convention that began in 1973. The choral group sings a variety of styles of music, performing across the state. The group is organized through the convention’s Music and Worship Ministries and currently directed by specialist Jon Duncan.

“This group presents a dynamic witness and presentation of who Jesus Christ is and what He can do in changing lives. They sing with great passion and joy because the message is real in their hearts,” Duncan said.

Sherri Brown

Jon Duncan, Music and Worship Ministries specialist, directs the Jubalheirs at a concert held at First Church, Albany. Duncan also directs the all-women choral group.

At each concert the gospel is presented and there is an invitation. “We’re very much committed to the aspect that this ministry is a praise and proclamation ministry lifting up Christ and proclaiming his message,” Duncan said.

Jubalheir members are involved in music leadership positions in local churches. Most serve as music directors or graded choir leaders, accompanists, or ensemble directors.

The group meets once a year for a retreat where they learn music. They also rehearse during the day before each concert. All members pay their own expenses for both the annual retreat and travel to the concerts. Any money raised from the sale of CD’s or tapes goes toward mission causes.

Jubalheirs sing several concerts a year, but also participate in mission projects. In the past the group has been to New York, Montana, Toronto, Italy, France, Germany, and Costa Rica. In June they will go to Utah to sing in churches and public settings. The week-long trip will also include training events for local churches and prayer walking.

To join the Jubalheirs ...

Jubalheir members must be:

• 18 years old or over.

• Full-time or bi-vocational minister of music, active music ministry leader (i.e. accompanist, orchestra director, handbell director, graded choir leader, etc.), faculty member of a Baptist college, or serving at a Baptist institution. In addition, anyone active in local church music ministry (i.e. adult choir) can also be a part of this ministry through submitting an audition tape and having the recommendation of their music minister or pastor.

• Members must attend the annual retreat which will be held Sept. 16-18 at St. Simons Island.

For more information or for an application, contact the GBC Music and Worship Ministries office at dbailey@gabaptist.org or 1 (800) RING-GBC.

The Jubalheirs are organized and directed through the Music and Worship Ministries office which is funded through gifts to the Cooperative Program. Your church's giving through the Cooperative Program is vital to the missions and ministries of the GBC and the Southern Baptist Convention.

For more information or to order free educational materials on the Cooperative Program, contact the GBC Cooperative Program office at ahill@gabaptist.org or (770) 936-5240 or at 1 (800) RING-GBC.

You and your church may send Cooperative Program gifts to:
Dr. J. Robert White, Executive Director
Georgia Baptist Convention
2930 Flowers Rd., South
Atlanta, GA 30341-5532