THE UK BLESSING: The Lord bless you, and keep you, Make his face shine upon you, and be gracious to you…
MYRNA BROWN: Next up on The World and Everything in It: the rise of virtual choirs during the pandemic.
What you’re hearing here is a viral video featuring singers and musicians from 65 different Christian churches and movements scattered all across the United Kingdom. The video is titled: “The U.K. Blessing”—featuring a song written by Chris Brown, Cody Carnes, Kari Jobe and Steven Furtick.
The lyrics come from Numbers chapter 6 and is sung as a prayer over a hurting world. It’s also meant to be a reminder that while church buildings may be closed, the church is very much alive. As of today, nearly 2.5 million people have watched the video.
MEGAN BASHAM: Last month, 31 Nashville Studio singers participated in a similar project. Using cell phones, tablets, and laptops, musicians recorded themselves singing at home during the first days of the stay-home order.
The Ten-Two-Six Music Group organized the virtual choir and edited them all together.
The song? Horatio Spaford’s hymn of hope: “It Is Well with My Soul.” Music by Philip Bliss and arranged by David Wise.
The song has been edited to fit our remaining space. Enjoy!
Thank you so much for finishing with such a creative performance of “It is Well”. The Church is supposed to comfort the afflicted, which includes all of of us, at the moment.
I have been blessed by the virtual choirs during this season of social distancing, partly for the quality vocals & lyrics, but even more, as it represents the cooperation of local churches. I think “The Blessing” was first produced as a virtual choir by 30 Pittsburgh churches for Easter and then the concept spread around the globe.
30 Pittsburg churches on Easter: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kdxMgmN9NpA
85 Orlando churches: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UT9sgMz2Uh8
65 United Kingdom churches: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PUtll3mNj5U
South Africa churches: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8EPcd0B5SNs
Christ Church Choir April 26: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kH7uUzWs1u4
But, I think the concept may have started with David Wesley, a nurse in Ontario. His first virtual choir was in 2016. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Cvv5uDOzvM&list=RDRY4CW5pte98&index=9