St. Luke’s UMC hosts Africa University Choir on May 4

by PegNews wire

St. Luke Community UMC will present the internationally renowned Africa University Choir in performance on Sunday, May 4, 2008. The 16-student choir from United Methodist-owned Africa University, located in Old Mutare, Zimbabwe, has scheduled a two-week tour of North Texas cities. St. Luke Community UMC is one of ten churches on the choir’s itinerary.

The Africa University Choir, composed of students from eight African nations will arrive at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport on April 25. They will be featured at the United Methodist General Conference in Fort Worth in addition to the tour appearances.

The Africa University Choirs have been privileged to tour to the United States several times. In the weeks prior to their departure, the University escalates the students' regimen of rigorous academics, rehearsal sessions and performances in order to assure that, in the excitement and distraction of visiting a new country, the quality and precision of their presentations will remain intact.

Africa University is a United Methodist established and supported institution, which opened in 1992 with 40 students and currently has an enrollment of 1,395. Students from 23 countries study Theology, Agriculture/Natural Resources, Education, Management/Administration and Humanities/Social Sciences. Postgraduate classes are offered in Management/Administration, Theology and the Institute of Peace, Leadership and Governance.

The university is a vibrant, multi-cultural community, which brings together students from throughout the continent and faculty members from Africa, Europe and the United States. Students are encouraged to bridge ethnic, language, social and cultural barriers as they learn, conduct research, and generate new knowledge.

Some students have been displaced from their countries, spent time in refugee camps, or fled their homes for political reasons. Such students often speak of their desire to obtain an education so they can return to their home countries and assist people in rising above the ravages of poverty and war. The Choir Tour will provide an opportunity for United Methodists to meet and hear stories of students whose lives are being changed through continued education.

Source: St. Luke's UMC