Stillwater NewsPress, Oklahoma
March 14 2009
Singers off to Armenia, Israel
Monique Headley
Under the moniker of The Singing Men of Oklahoma, the Singing
Churchmen of Oklahoma and The Oklahoma Baptist Symphony will travel to
Tel Aviv, Israel, and Yerevan, Armenia, April 16-30.
Dr. Bill Green will lead the group of almost about 270 spiritual
troubadours, instrumentalists and supporters on their performance and
ministry trip.
Area residents going on the trip include Jim Hoipkemier, Glenn Rowland
and Jeff Gammill of Stillwater, Ralph Hickman of Cushing and Chan Ray
of Pawnee.
`It’s always an event to go anywhere with the group and it’s always a
blessing to sing for Jesus. We are extremely honored for the
privilege,’ said Hoipkemier, minister of music at Shekinah Church. He
has sung with the group for more than 20 years.
Equally ecstatic are Armenian officials. Considered a cultural
exchange, Hoipkemier said, he was told by pastor Garik Khachatryan, of
the Armenian Evangelical Baptist Church Golgotha, that the group’s
trip will be the largest envoy of Americans ever to visit Armenia at
one time.
He added, `They were so excited when Dr. Green confirmed we were
coming, the mayor of the town we will be singing in actually knelt at
Bill’s feet.’
According to Hickman, associate pastor and minister of music at First
Baptist Church of Cushing, `We are Oklahoma Baptists trying to help
Armenia as well as minister to an enclave of about 500 Armenians
living inside the Eastern Gate of Jerusalem, Israel. Two percent of
Armenians are Muslim, 2 percent are Christian and 96 percent are God
fearing but do not know Jesus Christ.’
Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma men’s ministry assistant
Barbara Billingsley said, `The people the group will be performing for
have access to orthodox Christianity ‘ what their leaders feel is
appropriate. It’s not closed to evangelicals but the people just
haven’t been bathed in it like others.’
Perhaps the biggest performance opportunity for the group will be on
April 24 for an estimated audience of 1 million people. That date is
what Armenians worldwide consider Genocide Memorial Day.
The date honors the hundreds of Armenian leaders massacred by Turkish
officials during World War I which, in turn, triggered the genocide of
an estimated 600,000 to 1.5 million Armenians, according to the
group’s brochure.
This isn’t the first trip the Singing Churchmen have taken
`I joined the group 10 years ago,’ Hickman said. `So far the Singing
Churchmen has traveled to Russia, Estonia, China, Spain, Romania,
Japan, and Australia. In Australia, we sang at the Sydney Opera
House. Oh, it was so exciting. In Armenia, we will be singing at
various churches, civic spaces and at the Genocide memorial.’
The group has also sung in several states across the country.
Hickman said it has taken almost two years to plan the trip. On
average, the group travels once every three to four years.
As ministry assistant, Billingsley is instrumental to overall
coordination and group affairs.
`It is a great joy to work with these men,’ she said. `I like their
spirit, attitude of cooperation and music. I’ve heard all types of
choirs and voices, the men are my favorite.’
The approximate costs for each participant is just under
$5,000. Several raised money with spaghetti dinners and CD sales. The
group also accepts donations.
Once in Israel, the group will also tour several religiously
significant areas including Gethsemane, Golgotha, Via Dolorosa, the
Sea of Galilee and Mount Zion.
It was in 1960 that the Church Music Department of BGCO started the
Singing Churchmen. Next year, the group will celebrate its 50th
anniversary.
It has several CDs available, including `Foundations: An Evening of
Praise,’ `Come To Jesus’ and `Live In Sydney.’
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