Preparations are underway for the seventh annual Mission's Festival of Songs. The event benefits the homeless prevention efforts of the Dyersburg-Dyer County Union Mission is March 2 at the First Baptist Church of Dyersburg. Discussing the event are, from left, Bill Kelly, Jerry Edmundson, David Willard, Mike Walker and Jim Ewell.

Talents from Dyer and Lauderdale counties will be coming together next week to raise funds for the homeless prevention efforts of the Dyersburg-Dyer County Union Mission.

The seventh annual Mission's Festival of Songs will be held at 2 p.m. March 2 at First Baptist Church of Dyersburg, located at 220 West Masonic in Dyersburg.

The afternoon will feature the choirs of Hillcrest Baptist Church, First United Methodist Church of Newbern, and FBC-D each performing two songs, two dramas by The Acts of God Youth Drama Team of Cumberland Presbyterian Church of Dyersburg and pianist Bill Kelly. The event will open and close with congregational singing.

An offering will be taken during a performance by Kelly and Teresa Archer. Proceeds will be used by the Mission to provide lodging, transportation, food and other necessary services for those who otherwise would be facing potential homelessness.

The first Festival of Songs was held in 2002 at Dyersburg High School. First Baptist was the first church to host the event in 2003.

Returning to this year's Festival is the Hillcrest choir, which had performed every year but 2007 due to the illness of minister of music Bobby Atkins, who passed away in November. This will be the first time for the church's interim minister of music Mike Walker to participate in the Festival. For the performance, he has chosen "Jerusalem," which the choir performed several years ago during the Festival, and "Champion of Love." "I thought they would be very effective for the Festival," Walker said.

The FBC-D choir will perform "In Christ Alone" and "Voice of Praise," under the direction of minister of music David Willard.

"I selected 'Voice' because it's high energy, an exciting piece to sing," he said. "The choir hasn't performed it for the church yet. 'In Christ Alone' was the suggestion of a choir member, of whom it's a favorite. It contrasts nicely with the other piece."

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Kelly has been a part of the fundraising concert every year. He will be performing some different selections than in the past.

"This is a magnificent organ and I called David to see if we could use it. So, I'm doing 'Now Thank We All Our God,'" he said. "It's one of my favorite pieces on organ."

For one of his piano pieces, "I'm thinking of doing 'We Shall Behold Him,' which I've never done here before," Kelly said.

The 2008 Festival of Songs will be marking a first. It will be the first time youth have taken part.

The Acts of God Youth Drama Team of Cumberland Presbyterian Church of Dyersburg will perform two pieces that involve drama and movement. "Flower in the Rain" will be directed by Maleia Lee. "The Woman" will be directed by Brenda Cottrell. The team director is Brad Sanko.

The team is composed of ninth- through 12th-graders. "We're excited that are youth will be participating this year and adding something the concert hasn't had before," Sanko said.

Rounding out the performers is the choir from First Methodist in Newbern.

Minister of music Bob Schlabach has selected an arrangement of "How Great Thou Art/Majesty" and "Salvation Is Created."

'It's a really fine, beautiful arrangement," he said of the Strader piece. "It's very listenable of how 'How Great Thou Art' is blended with 'Majesty.' It's very provocative. I like it very much."

"Salvation Is Created" talks of heaven and provides a "message of peace and living together that's needed today," Schlabach said.

"We appreciate everybody's involvement" in the Festival, said Jim Ewell, the Mission's director of development/volunteer coordinator. "This primarily a volunteer organized event that has become the first fundraiser of the year for us. We ask everybody to do it - the choir director, the choirs, and Bill make it happen. We appreciate very much their taking the time to provide every year this beautiful Christian music for a needed cause - the prevention of homelessness."

Preventing homelessness and helping the homeless is something the Mission has done since it was chartered in 1961. "We do everything we can to prevent someone from being homeless," said Mission executive director Jerry Edmundson. "Every day we encounter families who are going to be evicted basically because they haven't paid rent because of job loss, disability or they can't pay their utilities, or their house has burnt or been destroyed. Some may be homeless because of their own doing or because of circumstances beyond their control. If we know of someone who doesn't have a place to go, we're going to be sure they're not homeless. It takes dollars to put them up for a week or a month or pay rent until they get a job or recover from their situation."