What do Missouri, USA; September 1966, A Baptist Youth Fellowship Rally in Victoria (Australia) and Negro Music have in common?
All contributed to the beginning of The Proclaimers - Australia's longest running Gospel Group.
Missouri, USA was visited by The Rev. Stan Stewart, a former minister of the Rosanna Baptist Church in Victoria, Australia. The visit was part of a ministerial exchange organized by the Baptist Union of Victoria. Stan was assigned to a Negro Church in Missouri, where he was enraptured by the contemporary gospel music used in their regular worship and the spiritual fervour of their services that he brought back some sheet music and records.
September 10th 1966 was the date of the first performance of the gospel music brought back from Missouri by Stan. The items performed by The Rosanna Baptist Youth Choir (later known as The Proclaimers) were "Christ Is All", "Climbin' Up The Mountain", "Hold On Out Until The End", and "Lord Be My Protector".
A Baptist Youth Rally in Victoria, (Australia) was the reason for the first performance by The Proclaimers.
Negro Music: By now you may have guessed that each of these performances, and many of the early performances consisted of Negro Spirituals. Negro music was alive, vibrant and vital. It contained a message that people could easily understand, made up in the sound of those days. The Proclaimers stood out from the other groups with their gospel message and the way it was presented, and to whom. This is still true today.
Early performances included trips to Sydney, Adelaide for the Adelaide Arts Festival, Perth and Launceston. A series of Television programs were made for the ABC and GTV9. The Proclaimers appeared on the television shows "In Melbourne Tonight", "Peter Couchman Show", "New Faces", "Sounds of Sunday". The choir has also performed in Christian Television Association shows and commercials. Major concerts and services have included performances at the Sydney Opera House, the Pope's Ecumenical Service and the Melbourne Cricket Ground in 1986, and participation in the Bendigo Gospel Music Festival in 2001 and 2002. The Proclaimers also regularly participate in the Christmas Eve "Carols by Candelight" at the Sidney Myer Music Bowl in Melbourne.
The Proclaimers have, in its long history, led church congregations in worship on over 300 occasions. The Proclaimers are committed to presenting the gospel of Jesus Christ through our music, as well as leading worship through children's talks, role-plays, Bible readings and sermons.
There have been over 350 members during the life of The Proclaimers. Our members come from most denominations of the Christian Church and from a wide geographical area around Melbourne, Victoria. Membership involves a significant commitment, both to rehearsal to maintain a high performance standard, and to the purpose of the choir - proclaiming Jesus through music.