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Opera star Indra Thomas is featured artist for our Atlanta Music Festival 2011
Mission and History
Meridian Herald exists to promote the interaction of worship, music and culture, bridging communities and traditions of the past and present. Through worship services, concerts, programs, and publications of exceptional quality and artistic character, Meridian Herald seeks to challenge the church and society to higher ideals of creativity and moral purpose. Meridian Herald's unique worship services, science and theology programs, lectures, storytelling events, and commissioned music address contemporary society's need for imagination and spiritual depth, while emphasizing the indigenous traditions of the South. Established in 1997, Meridian Herald has distinguished itself as a creative force in the cultural life of Atlanta and the Southeast.
Our initial project was modern
camp meeting services on October
2, 3, 1998 at the historic Salem Camp Ground, just east of Atlanta.
Fred B. Craddock preached and Steven Darsey and the Meridian Chorale offered
music. Meridian Herald went on to offers Georgia's established
Southern Folk Advent
and
Southern
Folk Passion services. We initiated an annual program with Emory
University exploring science and theology and now present an annual program
of African American music with renowned composer/theologian Dwight
Andrews, who chairs our advisory board.
This ongoing collaboration is included in the article on the
Atlanta Colored Music Festival in the New Georgia Encyclopedia. Meridian Herald also founded and supports the Meridian Chorale.
Dwight Andrews
Current Season Highlights
Our fourtenth season of programming begins with our Atlanta Music Festival,
September 21-24 at several Atlanta venues. Please see our
Atlanta Music Festival site
for more information. Our annual Camp Meeting service will be October 16,
5:30 PM at Marietta First United Methodist Church and our
Folk Advent Service featuring
Emory's Distinguished Professor of American Church History, Brooks Holifield
and the Sonny Houston Bluegrass Band will be December 3.
Steven Darsey sings a concert of folk songs, "Sing
the Wind," January 28 at the historic Arden mansion in
Buckhead, and our
Southern Folk Passion
will be April 1 at Druid Hills Baptist Church, with
Brenda Bynum reading the Passion narrative -
all with Steven Darsey and the Meridian Chorale singing.
The Meridian Chorale sings at Dunwoody UMC
Pictures
Brooks Holifield
Several of our annual programs include compositions
and arrangements
written by Steven Darsey. Meridian Herald supports Darsey's work
as a composer, including his oratorio setting of Sidney Lanier's poem, "The Marshes
of Glynn." The Glenn Chancel Choir and the Meridian Chorale gave a performance reading of
this work, March 2nd, 2008.
During the summer of 2009, he completed the orchestration.
For his work on Georgia’s Ossabaw Island on this composition, he was named the
Sandy West Ossabaw Fellow for 2010. The Paideia School of Atlanta presented a gala evening on Lanier's "Song
of the Chattahoochee," including a performance of Steven Darsey's choral
setting of the poem by the Paideia choirs under the direction of Katherine
Murray, October 30, 2006. For more information, go here -
Compositions
Fred
Craddock, our Founding Preacher Laureate and Emeritus,
after twelve years of faithful service, retired in 2009 as our preacher and
storyteller. We wish him Godspeed in his future endeavors. For pictures from our
previous Winged for the Heart folk programs, go here:
Winged for the Heart
Meridian Herald, Inc. depends on contributions from individuals and foundations. Please join our mailing list by submitting the form below, and if you would like to contribute, please send your check to our address below. Contributions to Meridian Herald are tax deductible. If you would like more information, click here and send us your question: info@meridianherald.org
Fred Craddock and Steven Darsey prepare
for our 2009 Winged for the Heart folk program
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“With gratitude for your strong
support, Meridian Herald proudly begins our fourteenth season.
The worthy traditions
of our forbears challenge us to discern and proclaim divine truth for modern
society.
We warmly invite you to attend these programs and join us in this
pursuit.”
Steven Darsey,
President
Ó Meridian Herald, Inc. 2002
camp meeting camp meeting camp