West Coast Mennonite Chamber Choir gives voice to the voiceless

It’s Tuesday at Choices and Connections, a program of Mennonite Central Committee Supportive Care Services (MCC SCS), and lively music can be heard coming from the meeting room. Telma, a support worker here, plays the keyboard, accompanied by Kenny on his guitar. To the average person listening, the music may not be particularly tuneful, but for Kenny who lives with a mental disability, this is the highlight of his week. It seems a simple thing, but making music makes a difference in his life.

The West Coast Mennonite Chamber Choir (WCMCC) is making music of a different sort: glorious choral music. This group of highly skilled amateurs who dedicate their time and talents free of charge, also makes a difference in the lives of people with disabilities. For more than a decade, WCMCC has created CDs, sometimes teaming up with world famous musicians like Edith Wiens and Ben Hoeppner, always benefiting MCC SCS. Over the years they have sold nearly $600,000 worth of CDs, raising enough funds to keep a program like Choices and Connections running for three years.

The West Coast Mennonite Chamber Choir. Conductor Tony Funk is seated in the front row, fourth from the left.

The members of WCMCC get together, on average, about once a year. They might rehearse eight times before a recording session, do one concert to introduce the CD, and that’s it. Last year alone, they sold over $75,000 worth of CDs.

Conductor Tony Funk feels that they have been successful because the choir is about more than performing or striving for awards. For Funk there is also a personal connection in that his family has a history of depression. He knows that awareness and support for people with mental illness or disabilities is important. Choir members also share this sense of participating in something that is at once enjoyable and necessary.

“The singers enjoy it because it’s a satisfying experience,” Funk says. “We sing a challenging repertoire and we have fun. The choir knows it’s going to a great cause – helping people. The paradox is that we are using our voices to help people who have none. That’s what Jesus did – He gave dignity to people who would otherwise be ignored and that’s what MCC SCS is all about.”

MCC SCS is a non-profit society that provides services, resources, and advocacy for people living with mental, physical and/or emotional disabilities.

Awareness of the choir and its cause is growing. The CDs are sold all over the world and the letters of praise and gratitude that they receive indicate a true appreciation for what both the choir and the organization are doing.

“The focus can be on the choir or on MCC SCS,” says Steve Thiessen, executive director of Supportive Care Services. “But the people we serve have called us to be this community of support and we strive to honour that.”

Back at Choices and Connections, Kenny’s mom tells Telma that Kenny has no problem getting up on Tuesdays because he knows he’ll be making music that day. And down the road, in his office, Funk is already planning the theme and choosing the music for the next CD, which will go into production later this year. Although they have never met, they share a love of music and a desire to be a part of a supportive community; something that MCC SCS has provided for them both.

More information about MCC SCS and the West Coast Mennonite Chamber Choir can be found when you visit MCC SCS.

—Angelika Dawson