The Unity of Deliverance Mass Choir

Shane Pierre from Brooklyn, New York, was the Deliverance Mass Choir’s (DMC) director from 2017 to 2024 and understood the value of teamwork. Shane attended Andrews University for music education and graduated in the spring of 2024. He currently works in security and assists with a couple of churches’ music departments while looking for a job in education.

Shane shared what DMC was like before this school year. “There were between 50 to 60 members when I joined, and that number fluctuated through the years, going past 70 some years and below 20 in others. After 2021, however, choir numbers were the lowest I’d ever seen. I think we had less than 20, and maybe a consistent 15 members showed up. Conversations about letting the choir rest so that the campus could understand the need for DMC were held, but I’m personally glad that didn’t happen. Those years might have been the most vulnerable for us, and the close group got to each other. Our singing was just as heartfelt as any other year.”

It is never easy getting new members to join a choir and for the chemistry to be good amongst every single member while balancing ministry and worship with performances. There were some trips that Shane took DMC on, such as a choir retreat in 2018 and performances they held at a hospital that same year. 

“The retreat helped us to bond on a deeper level and get away from campus which did wonders for our chemistry as a group,” he said. “The hospital performance we gave felt like we were able to worship in a place that wasn't a church, ministering to people that we wouldn’t normally see.”

Singing at New Life Fellowship, one of Andrews’ campus churches, is one of many experiences that Shane cherishes with DMC. Others included “singing ‘Were You There’ for Easter, directing ‘Tears of Joy’ at my late girlfriend’s funeral, which gave me intense hope and a deeper respect for DMC as a whole, singing at our ‘Gospel in the Park’ concert later that year where we sang Jonathan Nelson’s ‘Healed,’ and finally, directing ‘Jesus’ with last year’s members were moments I enjoyed a lot. It was the song that I feel they worked on the most and had the most fun singing.”

Shane stated that the public response and reaction to a predominantly Black choir at Andrews was mixed. He doesn’t know much about the initial public perception of the group, which was founded in 1995, but said, “By the time I arrived at Andrews, DMC had already made a name for itself, being established and ministering for just about 20 years. There were some members who weren’t Black, which indicated to me that we might be getting past the idea that DMC is exclusively a Black choir, which it is not.”

“I wish we could’ve traveled more,” Shane said. “There was a trip to the Caribbean. We didn’t get to go on for one reason or another, and the retreat we went on in 2018 was the only one I've been on with the choir. I think that traveling with the group would’ve been edifying, bonding, and fun-filled.”

Some of Shane’s best moments he had while being a part of DMC were making Bible skits and songs during worship time, singing with his closest friends and feeling supported by them, and directing new members while watching and assisting their growth as singers and group members. While there are ups, there are also downs; some bad moments for the choir were small hiccups when they sang songs that they weren’t confident in or weren’t directed confidently on. “Hiccups in moments where I directed songs and losing practice time to late attendance is another thing,” he shared.

Other members of DMC have had overwhelmingly positive experiences with the choir over the years too. Huldah Nyamweya (sophomore, biology) said, “My favorite memory of being a part of DMC was when each section in the choir would come up with a chant, and the band would pick the best section. The altos came up with a hype chant, and we brought a lot of energy. I joined DMC because I’ve watched DMC performances growing up, and they sounded really good and really worshiped. I’ve sung in choirs and praise teams my whole life, and I was enthused when I was given the opportunity to join when I entered college. I really hope that we continue growing together, worshipping, and not losing our drive to be here.”

Zola Sibanda, a senior in high school, said, “My favorite memory in DMC is when we had to make skits out of Bible verses. It was very funny and enjoyable, and the joy in the room was unexplainable. I hope that we are able to continue to grow our relationship with each other and with God and we hopefully are able to record an album one day!”

Gersh William (junior, psychology) said, “⁠[My] favorite memories from DMC is last year when DMC went to sing at LMC for a BHM performance and when I led for the first time at New Life. DMC was a very supportive audience, and my other favorite memory happened this year, DMC Day, back in October. ⁠I joined DMC to sing and to form new connections, and make new friends. My hope for the future of DMC is for it to become a central point of gospel music on the AU campus. When people think of black worship and their worship spaces, I want DMC to be the first thing they think of. I also want it to become a space where singers can come and cultivate and grow their singing voices.”

“I honestly couldn’t put my finger on a reason,” Shane said when asked why he decided to join DMC. “I almost didn’t join, but I felt that as a singer, it was somewhere I could and should be, so I decided to take a whack at it and audition.”

Shane said that God has provided for DMC through the community, meeting with a group of people that bond through a common goal of ministry through song. “I also believe that DMC members are able to find one or two true friends on account of their membership. Healing, often ministering to others but not without ministering to ourselves and each other, singing songs that bring peace, excitement, patience, a bit of understanding and some comfort while we experience all the joys and tragedies of life.”