The Salt and Light Youth Choir of St. Andrew United Methodist Church, of Plano, Texas, one of the premier church youth choirs in the state of Texas, consisting of 50 young men and women, ages 12 to 17 recently completed its annual choir tour, presenting musical worship experiences to more than 1,000 audience members in eight cities in five states.  Performances were held in Oklahoma City, Okla.; West Memphis, Ark.; Amory, Miss.; Tylertown, Miss.; Baton Rouge, La.; Waco, Plano, and Athens, Texas, where, on a Monday evening, the choir celebrated its highest attended concert in its history.

This year’s program, titled “Sometimes a Light Surprises,” focused on the element of light and how it is essential to life and hope and used throughout scripture to guide God’s people.  The choir utilized choral anthems, congregational songs and prayers to explore this focus.

“Summer tour is always the highlight of the year for these students,” said Chris Crook, Minister of Music & Worship and Director of the Youth Choir, St. Andrew UMC.  “They work so very hard to create beautiful, meaningful music, and the opportunity to share it with others along our journey is a real gift.”

Last year, the Salt and Light Choir was named the featured youth choir to perform at the 2014 Alleluia church music conference at Baylor University.  The Alleluia Conference is one-of-a-kind enrichment event featuring outstanding clinicians who re-energize and inspire over 250 worship leaders, music ministers, children's choir leaders, and keyboard ministers from across the state of Texas.

“Because of the choir’s special honor last fall, the tour ended with this conference performance in Truett Chapel on the Baylor campus, where they received high praise,” added Crook.   “These tour performances in churches and retirement communities are ways we live out our calling to be salt of the earth and light to the world.”

Two plaques were presented to the choir: one from Alleluia and one from YouthCUE, the organization that co-sponsored Salt and Light’s appearance at the conference.

“Randy Edwards, founder and executive director of YouthCUE, even made the journey to Plano to speak to the home crowd about the choir’s impressive performance in Waco,” added Crook.

Salt and Light Youth Choir rehearsals resume on September 14 at St. Andrew. There is no audition, and singers are not required to be members of the church. All students are invited to be a part of this award-winning chorus.

For more information on the Salt and Light Choir, call Chris Crook, at 214-291-8037, email ccrook@standrewumc.org or visit www.standrewumc.org

St. Andrew United Methodist Church is a vibrant, growing, intergenerational church.  Begun in 1986, St. Andrew is located on a 21.214 acre campus at the corner of Plano Parkway and Mira Vista and includes a sanctuary, education, music and nursery wing, completed in 2003.  Nearly 2,000 come together every weekend through six different worship services: Saturday Night Alive!-5:30 p.m.; Sunday Early Service-8:00 a.m.; Teaching Service-9:30 a.m.; and Traditional Service-11:00 a.m.; The Well contemporary worship at 9:09 a.m. and 10:39 a.m.  St. Andrew is an outward-focused church striving to lift the world around us toward God and provides a number of local and global mission opportunities including the Seven Loaves Community Center, which provides a myriad of services to qualifying residents of all Collin County zip codes directed at improving lives and breaking the poverty cycle.  A number of caring ministries are in place to support members in all phases of life from support groups to career care in addition to ministries focused on each age group.  Additional ministries include a strong music program with choirs, instrumental groups, as well as the Academy of Music, offering private lessons.  St. Andrew provides each individual with opportunities to connect to the community and contribute their unique gifts to the congregation's spirit. St. Andrew United Methodist Church is located at 5801 Plano Parkway, Plano, TX  75093.  Additional information can be found at www.standrewumc.org