Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
Staff Writer
A church choir will accompany the symphony of bird and animal sounds at the Hillcrest Park Zoo this weekend.
The Central Baptist Church “His Voices” choir is presenting a one-hour “Creation Celebration” concert 3 p.m. Sunday at a pavilion near the tiger exhibit. Admission to the zoo will be free for everyone from 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.
“The Hillcrest Park Zoo is such a wonderful facility where so much of God's creation is the featured attraction,” said Worship Pastor Damon Pearce in a press release. “We thought (what) better place could there be to celebrate the Creator than in the midst of that creation.”
Assistant Zoo Director Mark Yannotti said this is the first time the zoo has hosted a concert.
“It sounded like a pretty good idea,” Yannotti said. “When it's something like that you don't want a rock concert or anything that is going to upset the animals, but for something like a choir — that's pretty neat.”
According to the release, the concert will feature a variety of styles of music that focuses on the theme of creation.
“The theme of worshipping God for His creative work has been an important idea for composers of church music as long as the church has been singing,” Pearce said. “We will be singing songs in a classic choral style, as well as some Gospel music as well as contemporary arrangements. There will be something for everyone in this concert.”
Although the concert is being held near the tiger exhibit, Yannotti said if “Sooner” the tiger isn't happy with the show he can go into his house.
“Keepers will be standing by,” Yannotti said. “If (the animals) don't like it they will open their doors and let them inside.”
The concert is being held at a covered pavilion, but in the event of bad weather the show will go on at Central Baptist Church.
“We are excited to share this program with our community Sunday afternoon,” Pearce said. “Our choir has been working for many weeks to share this music in the beauty of God's creation.”
