MSU Praise sets Christmas program

By GWEN SISSON
sdnlife@bellsouth.net [2]

Sharing “The Spirit of Christmas” in the midst of finals and holiday preparations and family obligations and parties, can be overwhelming.
But despite the stress, one group of Mississippi State University students are presenting a special musical that shows how the true spirit of Christmas can prevail through the “stress” of the holiday season.
“The Spirit of Christmas,” featuring the sights and sounds of the season, is a 90-minute musical production that will be held Nov.22, at 7:30 p.m. in Lee Hall’s Bettersworth Auditorium, with doors opening an hour earlier. Members of the MSU Praise Chorale (MSU Praise) and members of various on-campus ministries will entertain the crowd. The performance is free and open to the public.
DeAundrae Clayton, MSU Praise Director said the purpose of the MSU Praise Chorale (MSU Praise) is to act as a vehicle to promote unity and diversity through programs that encourage musical excellence, spiritual growth, multicultural evangelism, and humanitarian development.
Clayton said this student-directed performance is way to challenge MSU Praise members spiritually, physically, and most likely emotionally.
“At first I was like there is no way possible that something of this magnitude would be possible, however, I was reminded of a simple Bible verse found in Philippians 4:13, ‘I can do all things through Chrsit who strengthens me.’” Clayton said. “After asking around campus inquiring if anything like this has ever occurred on campus before the general consensus was not to this magnitude.”
Excitement began to build and MSU Praise began the journey of preparing for “The Spirit of Christmas.”
MSU Praise is a new organization on campus, established as an on campus ministry that would be reflective of the university, of various Christian backgrounds and would create “a long standing multicultural evangelism atmosphere for individuals who shared the common denominator of music ministry.”
In the spring of 2010, MSU Praise was inducted and recognized as an official student organization of MSU. In January, students and non-MSU students from all over the Golden Triangle Area attended an interest meetings, auditioned, and 30 members were selected to be part of MSU Praise.
“We continue to follow the Lord, to God be the glory for all the things He has done, is doing, and will do in the future of MSU Praise,” Clayton said.
For more information, contact MSU Praise at 325-3068 or msupraise@gmail.com; and follow them on Twitter@MSUPraise or become a fan on Facebook: MSU Praise.