St. James Choir Prays Through Song

Their voices are many but sing from one heart.

Their music penetrates the soul, glorifying God in every note.

For more than three decades the choir from St. James Church in St. James inspired congregations and gatherings throughout southern Louisiana, from the  hallowed halls of St. Joseph Cathedral in Baton Rouge, to welcoming Oak Alley Plantation tourists by singing on the plantation’s terraces, to funerals in Donaldsonville, to singing at Christian conferences.

They sing with a vibrancy and an emotion that can often leave one in joyful tears.

“Singing is powerful,” choir director Rod Steib said. “I feel that when I’m singing, I’m at a higher level and Christ is understanding the feeling. When I sing I feel it in my heart.”

“Good worship is what people are looking for because it enhances the service,” he added. “Liturgy is at every church but the music we do is inviting people to come and take part.”

Cynthia Clifton, who has been a member since 2011 and serves as choir president, said when singing she feels as if God is talking to her.

“Sometimes I cry, sometimes I smile because you feel it,” Clifton said. “You get goose bumps, you get chills.”

“Sometimes I want to run around the church but I know I can’t,” she added with a chuckle.

“It touches me because I get a chance to use all of my body parts,” said Lisa Weber, a member since 2012. “I can praise the Lord with my body, I can sing, and I can really let myself loose.”

However, being a choir member at St. James requires commitment, beginning with Thursday night rehearsals, when the upcoming Sunday readings are read and members discuss how they were touched by the words.  The choir then intentionally chooses songs to compliment the Sunday liturgy, so that it ties together.

“That makes the worship experience so much better when the priest talks about and (the choir) sings about it,” Steib said. “I feel that is the way it should be, keep driving home the message of the day, which is what the pastor talks about. 

“When you put all of that together, it makes worship so much better.” 

He said the congregation is apprecitive that most of the songs are familiar because they want to be a part of the liturgy.

“That is what we are there for, to help lead with the worship,” Steib said. “We are in no way there to perform. We want to provide a worship experience that people will get into.”

He said people often express their emotion through their body language, including clapping, singing “Amen” during the song and occasionally through liturgical dances. Steib acknowledged some might disagree with those practices but emphasized the clapping is not for the choir but for the song, for what was just sung as it relates to those individuals. 

“It is not a performance clap,” he said. 

Steib admitted he experienced some difficulty when the Gospel choir first began 34 years ago but then-pastor Father Jerry Young encouraged the younger generation to move forward. Steib said some could not understand why after praying some parishioners cried or others would clap.  

“It’s a whole worship experience,” Steib said. “We’ve had some dynamic priests fall in with us. Just because the people seem to get more feeling from when the choir sings does not mean (the priest or deacon) is not giving a good homily. 

“I feel that our singing leads people to get closer to God and the feeling that you get from singing.”

Said Weber: “People feel free to worship the way they want to. The first time I sang in the choir I felt like a heavenly angel.”

“It’s giving God the glory for all of the good things he has done,” said Warren Parker, who has been with the choir since 1991. “Praising him is one of the best gifts in the world.”

Weber said she often hears comments from parishioners who were uplifted by the choir’s music, leaving church on a happy note after entering feeling down. She said there are others who do not read the Bible but know the Gospel through the choir’s music. 

“The music is encouraging and I think they feel inspired,” Weber said.

Gospel music also has a special meaning because some choir members understand many of the songs can be traced back to an era when many of their ancestors were slaves enduring unspeakable horrors. Weber said Gospel music is often the way slaves comforted themselves during those difficult days. 

“When (parishioners) hear those songs they can look back at where we’ve been and how far we’ve come, leaning on God’s strength and through our praise and worship,” she said. 

“People realize that God is here for you; if you hear his words and listen to the words from the song you know he can help you through anything, no matter what you are going through,” Clifton said, referring to the slaves.

The choir has approximately 50 members although not everyone is able to participate in the Thursday rehearsals. He also said that anyone who is interested can participate, that he turns no one away, one reason being he understands singing is praying.

“I use the music and praying to get me through life,” Steib said. “I need him.”