Larry Vien on guitar and his wife and music director Carol, and Glyn Lloyd, lit up the United Church Sunday. | Supplied photos
Songs that filled Jasper United Church Sunday were different from the usual theme.
The church held a special gospel service last weekend to coincide with the folk festival.
鈥淚t was fun, we had a good time,鈥� said Reverend Nancy Monteith.
鈥淲e try to think outside the box, we were inspired by the folk festival.鈥�
Monteith said she hoped to get all of Jasper鈥檚 churches together to do a service at the festival, but when that didn鈥檛 work out decided to have one at the United Church.
Music director Carol Vien was on keys while her husband Larry played guitar.
They sang songs like Turn Your Radio On, This Little Light of Mine, and Precious Lord by Tommy Dorsey and the reverend told the stories behind the music.
And at the end of the service, the reverend played a video of Elvis Presley鈥檚 Swing Down, Sweet Chariot, a traditional spiritual song, a humorous variation of Swing Low, Sweet Chariot.
鈥淭here are lots of gospel tunes out there that are our history,鈥� said Monteith.
鈥淟ots of folk and pastoral songs come up through the pastoral network, slave plantation worker songs like I鈥檒l Fly Away.鈥�
Monteith said she had heard great comments about the gospel service and is looking to put on a second one in the new year.
