Diocesan News22 Apr 11

Peace Choir Announces its part in unique Odyssey event

At the end of a remarkable event in Omagh the Director of the Omagh - Waterford Peace Choir announced that one of their next public appearances will be at Maize n' Grace in the Odyssey Arena on 27 and 28 May. The choir spans across borders of both religion and politics to promote peace through their music.

Peace Choir in Sacred Heart Church Omagh

The Omagh - Waterford Peace Choir were singing at a special Holy Week event in The Sacred Heart Church on the evening of 20th April. Singing in the Omagh church, lit only by a row of candles, the Peace choir captured not just the atmosphere of Holy Week but also a heartfelt desire for lasting peace.

South African evangelist and farmer Angus Buchan will be the keynote speaker at Maize n' Grace. The organisers believe he has a message of how the Christian message is able to bring down walls not only between individuals and God, but also between people within communities. His life story is told in the book and film 'Faith Like Potatoes'.

The Omagh - Waterford Peace Choir was formed in the aftermath of the bomb that killed 31 people in Omagh in 1998. It has performed in many places including Parliament Buildings in Stormont. One of its patrons is Jeffrey Donaldson MP.

Phil Brennan is the Musical Director of the Peace Choir. Talking about its work he says, "A new message needed to come out of something as dark as the atrocity of the bombing - the importance of love and reconciliation, that Protestants and Catholics could work together".

Maize n' Grace is a unique event in that it does not represent any particular Christian denomination. The event is public and completely free of charge. No-one is encouraged to join or leave a church, with all parts of the community being offered a warm welcome. It will be one of the largest free public events to be held in Northern Ireland this year. It is taking place on the evenings of 27 and 28 May.

All tickets for Maize n' Grace are free and are available direct from The Odyssey box office.

For more information visit www.maizengrace.com