Area church singers perform with musician
BY JOHN O'CONNELL
joconnel at journalnet.com
IDAHO FALLS — For a fleeting moment, all eyes were on one guest performer — a local woman — on stage with renowned gospel singer Lyle Lovett's Large Band.
Louvenia Thomas took a deep breath and commenced singing her two-line soprano solo: "You should have been there back in 19 and 10. They were rolling the women like they were driving the men."
The deafening applause lasted considerably longer than the lines themselves. Thomas waived until the crowd's roar of approval died down, but she never stopped grinning throughout the rest of the concert last Saturday at Grand Targhee Resort.
Lovett introduced Thomas and the eight other members of the Community Church of God in Christ Choir as his "very special guests" and thanked them repeatedly throughout the performance.
Directed by their pastor, Donald D. Patterson, the choir members sang backup vocals for gospel numbers and a few of Lovett's most famous songs with the energy and animation normally reserved for Sunday church service.
Thomas' part came in the midst of the song "Ain't no More Cane in the Brazos."
"It was awesome, and Lyle Lovett was awesome. He was so friendly and so sweet. He's kind of skinny though. He could use some good Southern cooking," Thomas joked. "Even on stage he looked back at us and smiled and clapped. He was very supportive."
The choir also assisted Lovett in performing "To the church," "I will rise up," and "I'm going to wait." The choir plans to add "I'm going to wait" to its repertoire of songs for Sunday service.
Thomas, who moved to Idaho Falls in 1991 so her husband could take a job at the Idaho National Laboratory, became acquainted with the Community Church of God and Christ while working at Sam's Club. Pastor Patterson and members of his congregation were loyal customers who invited her to check out the church. She liked the small congregation, which includes about 100 people. And she also felt comfortable with the church's laid-back atmosphere.
Patterson said it was a tough job to pick the top nine singers from his choir to make the trip to Driggs to perform with Lovett at the resort's annual Targhee Fest. But Thomas was a no-brainer for the solo.
"She is a wonderful singer. That was an automatic decision," Patterson said.
The church has been a presence in Idaho Falls for 60 years, and Patterson has been a member for all but the first two of those years. Growing up in the church, he was profoundly influenced by two of its former pastors, both of whom have gone on to be bishops for the church in Utah.
Fifteen years ago, Patterson assumed the role of pastor.
"I always did know in upbringing in the church that I would always serve in some capacity in the ministry of the church," Patterson said.
Though his college degree from Idaho State University was in business administration, Patterson has found the subject matter has translated well into his present job of running a church.
"Truly in pastoring, you're running a business also, and yet you're also administering the operations of the church and administering in people's lives," Patterson said.
If the church is known for one thing nationwide, it's music. Patterson opens and closes services with songs. More than half of the members of the congregation have sung in the choir. And they sing a variety of songs — hymns, spirituals and contemporary Christian selections included.
Each Sunday the choir stays around after church service to spend another hour and a half or so practicing. Patterson believes music lends focus to worshiping, and he quotes a Bible story to back up his belief that music is as integral to church as a big Sunday lunch afterward.
"I always have to refer back to the Bible and I refer back to David. David he was a great instrumentalist. Even in the scripture it says even when he would play before King Saul, and a mean spirit would be in King Saul, David would play until that mean spirit was subdued by the praises or the instrumental music of the Lord," Patterson said.
"Music brings a focus, and truly we are singing about our creator our Lord and savior. We're singing about his blessings, his goodness and just with that focus here it does something to the inner spirit of man and woman. It brings everyone on a the same level of gratitude and praises, just a oneness."
And Patterson adds there's benefit of a music-heavy service — nobody ever falls asleep in his church.
Patterson said it's known throughout the country that Community Church of God Christ choirs are top notch. That's especially true of Tennessee. A company in Nashville that works with Lovett contacted Patterson. The official asked the pastor if his choir could perform the Church of God in Christ Praise Anthem. Patterson assured the official they could. Then he asked Patterson if the choir could handle "Oh Pass me Not Gentle Savior." Again, Patterson said they could do it.
The official said he'd also conducted a survey of local people that corroborated Patterson's choir as a good choice. For three weeks, choir members listened to Lovett albums, memorized lyrics and practiced together three times per week. On the day of the concert, they got to rehearse with Lovett's music director.
In the end, Lovett was so pleased, his people assured Patterson his choir will be the first choice the next time the Large Band returns to the region and needs some backup.
On the van ride home, one of the band members was so energized by the experience, her fellow choir members had to remind her to sit down and put her seat belt on.
"To me it was just an awesome, awesome experience. And after the first song and you heard the response from the audience, I just felt water welling up in my eyes," Patterson said. "There was a song where we were doing a lot of clapping, and when I turned around and just was clapping and facing the audience, it was just like a strong wind had hit me in the face. It was just that awesome.
"You don't always want that to be a once in a lifetime experience, but that's what I'd have to say it was."