Standing Firm: Musicians and Narrators Bring Timeless Message to Fall Festival

Maranatha choir and orchestra members are excited to perform in Fall Festival on October 19. This year’s theme is Standing Firm, featuring, through narration and music, the testimonies of three heroes of the faith.

Standing Firm presents the lives of three people who took a stand for their faith regardless of the cost. For 18 years, Peter Rumachik was imprisoned in the Soviet Union because of his faith. Caroline Crocker, a biology professor at George Mason University, lost her job because she taught intelligent design. Jack Phillips, a baker from Colorado, currently faces a second lawsuit after declining to bake a cake because of his Biblical views on marriage and gender.

For Angela Morris, writer and director of the script, these three stories are not isolated incidents of the past. Rather, they represent an increasing antagonism toward Christianity. “The fight will come to us,” she warns, “and when it does, we have to be ready.”

Morris’ vision is to encourage others to stand firm in the face of opposition. “I hope that through showing these vignettes, we are reminded that there is value in standing for the cause of Christ. The right thing to do is to stand firm.”

For narrators Tobi Altizer and Margaret McMenamin, the message of Standing Firm has already made a lasting impact on their lives. McMenamin reflects, “After hearing these stories, I felt challenged. These people went through and are going through trials that we cannot begin to comprehend. I have been challenged to strengthen my relationship with God now, while I am not undergoing persecution, so that if I am ever faced with those situations I will have the faith to stand for Christ.”

The music was carefully chosen to support the theme, and the members of the three choirs and orchestra look forward to presenting Morris’ vision through song. Dr. David Ledgerwood states, “We sought to choose selections that supported the theme of Standing Firm. The music serves as an encouragement and a challenge, giving Biblical examples of those who stood for God.”

Christians in all walks of life will find themselves confronted by adversity. Morris hopes that by presenting the testimonies of these heroes of the faith, many will be strengthened to stand for the cause of Christ. “It doesn’t matter what God calls you into; you have to stand firm,” concludes Morris. “It’s a timeless theme.”

Written by Makayla Stevenson