CHANGE LIVES Blog | Austin Habitat for Humanity Blog

This past Sunday, about 300 people got in the holiday spirit with some joyful and soulful Christmas music. The choral concert benefitted the first-ever Baptist Build with Austin Habitat for Humanity.

Several Austin-area Baptist churches collaborated to put on “Room at the Inn: An Evening of Christmas  Choral Music.” The event was held at the beautiful Manchaca Baptist Church in Manchaca, Texas. The large, open sanctuary was the perfect place to gather, and it was beautifully decorated with holiday wreaths and Christmas lights.

The evening began with an invocation by Rev. Craig Taylor, pastor of Manchaca Baptist. Performances followed by Manchaca Baptist Worship Choir, University Baptist Choir, Highland Park Baptist Choir, First Baptist Church Austin Sanctuary Choir, and David Chapel Missionary Baptist Choir. In between each choral selection, the entire audience was invited to sing well known Christmas carols.

Next, Dr. Roger Paynter, pastor of First Baptist Church, made the call for the offering. He spoke about meeting Millard Fuller, and about the importance of the Habitat mission.

“What I love about Habitat is that it’s a tangible way to help people,” he said.

The Highland Park Bell Choir played the offertory. Then, all of the choirs combined to sing a mass anthem- “the First Noel.”

Dr. Larry Bethune of University Baptist ended the event with a Benediction. He spoke about all of the different groups of Baptists coming together in the name of Christ to make this house a reality.

All of the attendees were then invited to a time of fellowship and refreshments in the gym. The members of the different Baptist churches mixed and mingles while enjoying cookies and other snacks.

The concert raised a whopping $3,036!!! We are so pleased, and very grateful both to those who helped make the event happen, and those who made donations!

We will raise the walls on the Baptist home, which will be for Sylvia Rodriguez and her family, on January 16th of the New Year!!!

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