City group turns to music to save souls

LYNN – A Lynn nonprofit that tries to turn the lives around of troubled city teens is reaching out to churches to help accomplish its mission.The Saving Our Souls Foundation will hold a “Battle of the Choirs” in downtown Lynn at the end of this year, and is inviting churches of all faiths and cultures from across the state to join in.The event, to be held Dec. 29, will serve as a fundraiser for the longtime nonprofit to help it continue to reach out to young gang members and criminals in the area, said Pamela Burton, the executive director of the nonprofit.”We connect with them, and we help them transform and rebuild their lives so they can become healthy, productive citizens in the community,” she said.The nonprofit has put together similar events over the years, including a Battle of the Hair Salons, where salons and barber shops in the area competed in March to be voted the top salon, and a Battle of the Dances, where teens showed off their skills in a talent show while anti-violence and education experts spoke.The running theme for all these events, Burton said, is the word “battle,” which her organization hopes to reclaim as something positive.”We’re producing the battle to say that we can have fun without violence,” she said.Burton said church choirs from across the state are welcome to lend their voices to the competition.Already, My Father’s House Church in Revere, a bilingual Spanish and English church, has committed to having its choir participate.Pastor Felix Gonzalez and Pastora Elizabeth Gonzalez said they are happy to support a mission that is in line with what they’re already preaching.Felix Gonzalez said he was once a troubled youth. He eventually got off the streets by joining a local YMCA and playing basketball, and he said he believes music can accomplish the same thing.”We have music that reaches out to the youth,” he said of the choir at My Father’s House, which he says sings fast-paced songs that repeat again and again and invite audience participation. “They like that. It brings them in.”The Battle of the Choirs also fits perfectly with the Hispanic Evangelical Church in Peabody, said Osualdo Morales, one of the church’s founding members.The church will also participate in the event.”We were called to God to spread the Gospel by singing,” he said of his fellow choir members Andreina Morales, Vanessa Morales, Susana Morales, Edward Rivas and Maribel Santini. “Our mission is to spread the gospel outside and also reach the young people.”Demetri Underwood, 20, is a mentor youth advisor for Save Our Souls. He said he thinks the church choir competition is something young people in the city will be interested in attending.”It’s a positive thing for churches to help reach out to kids,” he said.Save Our Souls’ Youth President Mike Robinson agreed.”We’ve done battle of the dance, talent shows, hair shows, let’s bring the gospel in there now and give them something a little bit different, not in their comfort zone,” he said. “But they’re going to have a joyful time.”And Burton said an event like this that brings together so many different cultures through music is bound to have a positive effect on the community.”It’s going to bring unity into the community, and that’s going to make the community stronger and more interested in helping our children.To register your church to participate, visit www.savingoursoulsfoundation.vpweb.com or call Pamela at 781-913-0860 or Michael at 978-332-0182.Organizers are still deciding on a venue for the event.Amber Parcher can be reached at [email protected].