Choir performs at prize giving day

Tendai Manzvanzvike —
The end of each academic year is marked by memorable moments as pupils, teachers with parents and guardians in attendance say good-bye and wish one another happy Christmas and New Year holidays.

The gatherings are celebratory and also emotional, especially for pupils that receive prizes for best performance in various academic disciplines.

A Harare school, Melbourne Private Primary School in Tynwald North this year invited a church choir – New Gate Chapel (NGC) choir to perform at its prize giving day.

It was a thrilling time witnessing pupils so involved with the event punctuated by melodious grace worship by the five-member group comprising two families.

Not to be out done, the pupils also gave their best through poetry recitation, plays and dance. It was indeed a fitting cap to a year of academic excellence.

The aura of the whole ceremony framed perfectly well into the motto of the school: “Great fish are bred in great waters.”

Mr K Remba, the institution’s spokesperson said the fast growing school had already embraced the new curriculum in line with Government’s new thrust.

“The prizes awarded mirrored the new curriculum with pupils excelling in sports disciplines such as swimming and basketball, getting honours.

In academics, awards were given to those doing exceptionally well in French and computers among other disciplines. We promise parents and the community a great year ahead in which the school will be a national pride,” said Mr Remba.

The New Gate Chapel choir gave a splendid and polished act that left guests on their feet throughout the performance.

Three members from the same family are part of the choristers. Mr Clemence Chawagarira, an evangelist is a singer you would want to hear sing more and more, while his wife Mrs Wendy Chawagarira is the lead singer who is blessed with an angelic voice. On the keyboard was their 13-year-old daughter, Makanaka.

Mr Chawagarira spoke about the rare combination and talent: “Well, I don’t have much to say except that God’s is enabling the family to serve Him through grace, praise and worship. To those who are waiting for our CDs and DVDs, the waiting is coming to an end. We’re actually in the process of compiling an album of grace music, which will be launched in 2017.”

He added, “Our presiding pastor is passionate about worship and is keen to see us become an international grace choir in the shortest possible time, a vision we also embrace.

“We’re persuaded by what the Lord says in Luke 1:37 – ‘For with God nothing shall be impossible.'”

Pastor Constance Tafirei, spokeswoman of NGC also commented on the vision under which the choir is serving: “They are a choir with a difference. To get the full picture of NGC and its future, you need to understand what it is all about. It is a mission with a mandate to affect many areas of life in this nation. The Church is commissioned to preach the gospel of Christ, which is the grace of God unto the end of the world. We are here to serve and stay,” she said.