Falls Creek Baptist Conference Center will celebrate its 100th year serving Oklahoma Baptists in 2017. As a part of the celebration experience, a choir of what is expected to be 500 members strong, will sing joyful songs unto the Lord this Sept. 3 at the Homecoming Service.

Randy Lind, Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma (BGCO) worship and music specialist said of the event and its significance, “For most people, depending on your era, when you think of Falls Creek there are two things you remember: the preaching and the music.

“Oklahoma has a huge heritage of, not only at Falls Creek, but with Falls Creek music with musicians like Gene Bartlett and Bill Green being pioneers down there in music.”

Lind explained how early on in the planning process for the Homecoming Service, especially from Executive Director-Treasurer of the BGCO Anthony L. Jordan, there was a great importance placed on the appearance of a choir at the celebration.

This was when Lind began to reflect on the legacy that Falls Creek has created among Oklahoma Baptists, which turned into the beginnings of an artistic creation.

Lind wrote the lyrics to a song that will celebrate the 100 years of Falls Creek. Once finished, he sent the lyrics to Phil Barfoot, a composer, author and music ministry professional at LifeWay Christian Resources and Rebecca Peck, also from LifeWay who helped fine tune and produce the song called “Legacy of Faith.”

“From one generation to another, we sing of your great name,

“Declaring that there is no other who has the power to save,

“So go before us, shine upon us the light of your sweet grace,

“As we pass along this timeless truth, our Legacy of Faith;”

As Lind, Barfoot and Peck constructed the song, they kept in mind looking back at Falls Creek over the years, looking at Falls Creek in present day and looking towards the future of the iconic campgrounds nestled in the Arbuckle Mountains.

“Thinking about the people that started Falls Creek and all of those in between, whenever they went to Falls Creek, people see it through their lens,” explained Lind, “So the legacy of people from the very beginning prepared the way for the next generation, not only for Falls Creek but I believe that about life and ministry in general.”

When asked about the importance of worshipping through song in a relationship with the Lord, Lind exclaimed, “I don’t think it’s any mistake that the largest book in the Bible is Psalms, the song book.”

Lind went on to say that throughout Psalms, no matter the writer, singing together is mentioned over and over, “Jesus even talks about the disciples singing songs, so from the beginning to the end of the bible, there are people singing together.”

The call for members to sing in the Falls Creek Centennial Reunion Choir inside the R.A. Young Tabernacle has stretched far and wide. Lind spoke about people who have been touched by Falls Creek throughout their lives from hours away and across the country and wish to participate in the chorus this coming September.

One requirement of those wishing to participate in the celebration choir is that they come to one of three rehearsals for the celebration. To register for the Centennial Reunion Choir, visit www.bgcoworship.org/falls-creek-centennial-choir.

Those interested in further details about the Homecoming Service on Sunday evening can access all information about the event at www.fallscreek.org/100.