Special to Iredell Free News

The N.C. Baptist Singers & Orchestra will perform a special concert at Trinity Baptist Church in Mooresville on Monday, January 8.

The concert, which begins at 7 p.m., is free and open to the public.

The N.C. Baptist Singers & Orchestra includes ministers of music, church music directors, accompanists and other church musicians from across North Carolina.

“When more than 130 North Carolina Baptist music leaders, singers, and musicians from Murphy to Manteo — figuratively speaking — get together, you know you’re in for an exciting evening,” said Andy Roby, former choral co-director of the group. “All of them sing well, and play well. It can be a pretty glorious sound.”

The group was originally formed 56 years ago as the Singing Churchmen. The group was renamed the NC Baptist Singers & Orchestra as more women became music leaders in their churches and joined. While the group is associated with the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina and the majority of its members hail from Baptist churches, several members are “grandfathered in” from different denominations.

Members attend an August retreat, which serves as the group’s primary rehearsal, before embarking on seven performance dates throughout the state. The group performs music ranging from traditional hymns to contemporary praise songs and everything in between.

“When you get a good four to six part harmony group that can sing like these guys can do, there’s nothing like it,” said the Rev. Fred Weber from Lincolnton. “It’s all geared to one thing — focus on God the Father, Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit. The merged talents of so many gifted music professionals in one setting can uplift the spirit in a way you might not expect. It’s probably one of the most breathtaking experiences that you could really have.”

Trinity Baptist Church is located at 221 Ervin Road in Mooresville.