On Friday 27th April parents and scholars gathered in the chapel to hear and join in the joyful sounds of their chart topping favourite hymns.
Having asked all of the College community to vote for their favourite hymns over the past few weeks, this morning was the grand occasion for Bearwood's Director of Music, Mr Christopher Enston, in his signature bright blue jacket and carrying a wad of bad jokes, to reveal the “winning numbers".
Around 30 parents who were able to attend gathered in the Billiard Room for a quick whet of their whistles with coffee, tea and juice and then joined almost 400 scholars and members of staff in Chapel to “sign-along-ahymn-along”. The parents sat with their children's Houses mingling adults young and old(er) within the congregation.
Participants bobbed up and down in Mexican waves in Lord of the Dance, heard each House offer verses from their favourites and those over 18 had a chance to warble their very best notes to the younger audience. It was a masterful performance by Chris Enston, who has conducted over 400 congregational singing practices during his time at Bearwood College.
Mr Enston commented ‘It was a stunning success, the singing was fantastic, it was a magnificent example of the College united’.
All in all great fun was had and the buckets which were shaken at the end of the service for donations for the restoration of the Chapel organ (CORA) raised in excess of £580. This pushes the total raised past £28,000.
The winning hymns were:
1st Jerusalem
2nd I vow to thee my country
3rd Lord of the Dance
4th Shine Jesus Shine
5th Give me joy in my heart
6th Tell out my soul
7th Guide me O thy great Redeemer
8th Lord of all hopefulness