Standing ovations don’t happen when the Celebration Choir performs. The audience usually gets to its feet way before it’s time to applaud, so it’s not a standing ovation- but standing participation from beginning to end. And it was standing participation all the way from one end of Seattle to another during their recent USA tour.

^ Part of the Celebration Choir.

45 members of the Celebration Choir and Church ranging from as young as 8yrs to well over 60yrs in age went on the trip, themed An Expression of Reformation, which saw them performing 20 concerts at 15 venues between 19th February (2009) and 15th March.

“We performed to people who are used to sitting down and just nodding their heads in church but we had them up on their feet dancing,” said a member of the choir who went on their trip. “They were totally awed by our music and energy.”

Another choir member who said that she lost her husband to a petrol fire several years ago, but found strength through her faith, said that the tour opened her eyes as to how blessed she really was. “There is a lot of material wealth in the United States,” she said, “but a lot of the people there feel so empty inside. It is an area where we are rich and have a lot to share with the world.”

“People were ecstatic and they cried and cried and cried because they just were so encouraged by what God was doing and the fact that they are in recession now and we have managed to stay above our massive recession, hyperinflation etc- they were blown away by the calm, peaceful aura surrounding us and the joy,” said a third member.

The delegation, led by Senior Pastors of Celebration Ministries, Pastors Tom and Bonnie Deuschle undertook the tour to tell the story of hope and growth in Zimbabwe through the last fifteen or so years of political and economic turmoil. Central in their performances was the story of how they built the 4 000 seater Celebration Centre in Harare, paid for with cash, in one of the toughest economic climates in the world. At a time when the Zimbabwean economy was shrinking faster than any other and when the inflation levels were hitting record highs, they tell- through song, dance and narration- of how the church and its congregation marched forward, completing the building and going on to open churches around the world.

^ The Celebration Centre in Harare.

Currently, many companies in the USA are downsizing due to the global financial crisis. One member of the tour delegation noted that even churches in the US are laying off people and reducing the number of programmes they are running.

“From the least and last of nations, we are going out to fulfil our mandate of reformation,” Pastor Tom Deuschle said, during a report back on the tour.

A highlight of the tour was performing at The Pacific Institute and having the presentation broadcast to all the institute’s offices around the world. The Pacific Institute coaches leaders  internationally to help them improve their personal effectiveness and to reach their full potential. Founder Lou Tice was there for the performance and was so touched that he broke down into tears.

Other venues where they performed are Northwest Community Church, River of Life Church, Christian Faith Centre, The City Church and Cedar Park Christian School.
The Celebration Choir was last in the United States in October 2007 when they toured six southern states including Texas, Florida, Louisiana, Oklahoma and Kansas. They are planning on returning on another tour in December this year.

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