Nine local churches join together to produce a Good Friday service, to be presented live April 10 at Duncanville High School’s Shine Performance Hall.
After the live performance was cancelled due to COVID-19 orders, the churches decided to present a virtual concert. Each piece was filmed separately to stay within social distancing guidelines, and then put together in one piece.
The Good Friday event is available for online video streaming starting at 7 p.m. April 10, and anytime thereafter. Duncanville Community Chorus, orchestra, and ministers from the nine churches are featured in the video. The chorus is directed by Nyadia Thorpe, with accompanist Deborah Titus.
Nine Local Churches
T.G.I.F. is available for no charge on the websites and Facebook pages of each of the nine churches. The participating churches are ARISE Church, Duncanville’s First Baptist Church, Centro Familiar Cristiano, First Presbyterian Church of Duncanville, Grace Place Church of Christ, Trinity Church of the Nazarene, First Freewill Baptist Church, New Life Christian Bible Fellowship, and Temple Missionary Baptist Church.
First Presbyterian Rev. Dr. Ginger Hertenstine writes, in a message to Duncanville Chamber of Commerce members, “(This project) has really brought us together in a special way, highlighting our strength as a diverse community sharing the unifying message of Christ. Also, a community without faith has a deep lack–we need all of us, including the church, to be a balanced, stable, flourishing city.”
The video program is available on the church website at fpcd.org/live-stream.
Additional pastors involved in the production are Jerry Gonzalez, Grace Place Church of Christ; Chris Gutierrez, Arise Church; Jaime Andrade, Centro Familiar Cristiano; Clay Iglehart, Temple Missionary Baptist Church; Miguel Lopez, Duncanville’s First Baptist Church; Kevin Williford, First Freewill Baptist Church; Wayne Putman, Trinity Church of the Nazarene; Darrell Thomas, New Life Christian Bible Fellowship; Kim Lowe, Grace Place Church of Christ; and Manuel Lara, Centro Familiar Cristiano.
Production staff includes Larry R. Nicks, Director of Production; Steve Bayless, Production Coordinator; Joshua Bayless, Recording Engineer; Jennifer Johnson, Art Graphics Manager; and Sean Russell, Dramatic Orator.