The Night Vigil of Revival showcased the talents of the Universal Gospel Choir at the Cathedral of Faith in Soweto. 
Thousands of excited fans flocked to the Cathedral of Faith in Soweto on Friday, 27th August, for the live recording of the Universal Gospel Choir’s third album entitled, Ngena Ikaya ‘lam. After weeks of preparation, the night everyone had been waiting for finally arrived.
Bishop Marcelo Pires, responsible for evangelistic work in South Africa, opened the show with a prayer and asked God to bless the evening, the choir, the audience and all those who could not attend. The show featured the Universal Gospel Choir performing 12 songs, as well as special performances by the Women in Action musical group and the children’s choir. All these enabled the crowd to experience the true diversity within the UCKG’s musical groups. The Night Vigil was officially due to begin at 10,30 pm, but people started filling up the cathedral from 4 pm in the afternoon.
Universal News spoke to some early arrivals and asked why they had come to the show.
“The first time I saw the choir perform was at the Women in Action’s “Save a Tamar Campaign”. I knew then that I could not miss out on tonight’s performance,” said Cornelia from Soweto. John Selehelo from Park Station said, “When I heard about the Night Vigil and the live recording of the choir’s album, I was very happy. I am here tonight for God to revive my spirit. I expect the Choir to inspire us with their songs.”
Many came dressed in traditional clothes, adding colour and authentic cultural diversity to the scene in the cathedral. A member of the choir, Lesiba Mokwatlo, emphasised the fact that the songs were intended to reflect how versatile and diverse the choir and its audience were. “We wanted to include as many different sounds as we could into this album. The lyrics are simple, but to the point. Many of these songs were written by choir members and we wanted to share our experiences with our listeners in the hopes that they too will find hope and encouragement.”
Asked if he felt that the choir had changed over the years, he said, “We have learnt and grown a lot over the past few years. Our last album was recorded almost two years ago and I believe that this album shows how much we’ve developed our vocal and instrumental skills.”
Outside the cathedral, hundreds watched the show projected on a large screen from tents or from their cars. The evening ended in the same way as it started — with a prayer. Bishop Marcelo prayed for God to revive people’s spirits and asked the Holy Spirit to renew their strength and help them overcome all challenges.
Pastor Bethuel, who coordinates the choir, urged people to buy the choir’s new DVD when it is released.
“The aim of this DVD is to help people understand that music is one of the ways to bring God close to you. The songs on this album are meant to offer encouragement and help bring a solution to your problems. The songs on this album serve this purpose — to inspire, encourage and revive,” he said.
Universal News will keep readers informed on the release of the choir’s new album.
By: Nomsa Masengemu and Prema October
