Biography
The First Mount Zion Baptist Church Recording Choir of Dumfries, Virginia is under the ministerial leadership of Reverend Dr. Luke E. Torian. The choir is lead by Minister Sylstea C. Sledge, an accomplished choral director, arranger, composer and specialist in American Gospel Music Tradition. He has served as the director of Music and Arts ministry at First Mount Zion Baptist Church since 1989. The CD recording entitled “Give God The Glory” was released on September 30, 2012. Each song on the CD is intended to inspire and encourage the heart and soul of the listener. Highlighted choruses, original compositions/arrangements, instrumentations, soulful melodies cover a tradition of music ministry which includes the Men’s Choir and Children’s Choir, Jewels.
The First Mount Zion Baptist Church Gospel Recording Choir is comprised of members of its Mass, Women, Men, Voices of Zion and Jewels Choirs. Shared ministry was delivered by members of this choir throughout the United States and neighboring countries. Members of this choir have provided missionary services, and performed locally and abroad. In addition to numerous local renditions, they have rendered concerts and served as missionaries in Arcadia, CA, Rome, Italy and Montego Bay, Jamaica.
The mission of the Recording Choir is to serve the Lord and each other in love as we minister “beyond the walls” of First Mount Zion. We worship on the premise that music could not and will never have a role as important and enjoyable as in worshipping amongst God’s people. It is our belief that music is designed to reach out and call the many distraught and fragmentary experiences of life and hush the jangling and rasping of worldly cries to the unity, togetherness and hope of purpose in the lives of men. In addition, our purpose is to minister to God’s people and to stabilize the foundations of hope; speak softly amid the din of disappointment. The First Mount Zion Baptist Church Gospel Choir is committed to making music more than “just” a song.
2 Chronicles 5:11-14 (NKJV)