Summer - Lee University

Lee’s CommunityService ProgramRecognizedBy MISSY COLTERVoices of Lee BecomeRegulars at “Miracle Theater”By MARCUS WHITFIELD, Lee ClarionOn March 23, the acclaimedensemble Voices of Lee began their firstof many appearances at the MiracleTheater in Pigeon Forge, Tenn.“Pigeon Forge/Gatlinburg hostssome 15 million visitors each year,”stated Voices director Danny Murray.“We are thrilled with our relationshipwith the Miracle Theater which gives usa chance to hopefully ‘brand’ the LeeUniversity name and share the talents ofour students with thousands of visitors.”He went on to say the group is doing afull production 90-minute program onSunday nights from Easter throughChristmas. The program includes a sectionof patriotic music, another of funand uplifting tunes and then concludeswith inspirational “music of the heart”gospel and spiritual songs.“This is unlike anything Voices hasever done before and it just so happensthat I, along with the rest of the currentgroup, get to be the ones to help get itstarted,” Voices member Bryan Sanderssaid. When the opportunity opened toperform at the Miracle Theater, severalmembers were surprised, but acknowledgedtheir innovative leader whopieced the opportunity together.“From day one it seems that Godhas just been opening the doors for thisseries to happen, and for Danny thatmeans that we should work all theharder to make it great,” ensemblemember Phillip Nitz said. “We’ve beengiven a pedestal to make a statementthat there are young people who arestill willing to serve the Lord with thegifts God has given them and with adedication to excellence.”Murray added that there are severalnew components to the Voices ensembleincluding a barbershop quartetcalled “Sonic 4,” “Treble Three,” a gospeltrio of girls, and a side-splitting comedyroutine with the “Smoky MountainMonks” performing the Hallelujah Chorus.Six of the songs in the programwere arranged and three of themorchestrated by Voices alumnus BradleyKnight of Dallas, Texas. Also, Lee alumsLester and Holly Rector are now starringin a Miracle Broadway musical productionalong with Jonathan Weathersbywhich plays Monday through Saturdayat the Miracle.Voices of Lee concerts begin at 7:30p.m., and tickets are $19.95, availableonline at www.miracletheater.com orby calling 1-800-768-1170.Lee University’s community serviceprogram was recently selected for thePresident’s Higher Education CommunityService Honor Roll for the secondconsecutive year by the Corporation forNational and Community Service, anindependent federal agency striving tofoster an ethic of volunteerism and servicein America.This highest level of recognition wasawarded to six institutions. An additional518 schools were listed on thehonor roll. Of these, 127 were listedwith distinction, which includes suchnotable schools as Stanford, NYU, andDuke. Lee University was once againlisted among these institutions. .Lee was one of only four schools inTennessee to receive the distinctionalongside Crichton College, Rhodes College,and Tusculum College. In addition,only five other schools on the Councilfor Christian Colleges and Universities(CCCU) were on the honor roll withdistinction, including Azusa PacificUniversity, Messiah College, and PalmBeach Atlantic University.“Receiving this award for two consecutiveyears is encouraging news forour service-learning program,” says Dr.Mike Hayes, assistant vice president forStudent Life. “It is an award for all ofLee University and for our communitypartners. Our students should be commendedfor their efforts to use theirgifts to meet significant needs in ourcommunity and around the world.”The President’s Higher EducationCommunity Service Honor Rollacknowledges colleges and universitiesnationwide that “support innovativeand effective community service andservice-learning programs.” One of theprimary goals of this program is toincrease public awareness of the activeinvolvement of college students in serviceto their communities.TORCH • Summer 200815