Choir Showcase Brings Community Together in Faith, Church Raises Thousands for Alzheimer’s Research

Community members and worshipers from throughout the Inland Empire converged last Saturday at the Moreno Valley First Apostolic Faith Church (MVFAF) on Postal Avenue for an evening of praise and Alzheimer’s awareness during the church’s first Inland Empire Choir Showcase. The church sanctuary was nearly filled to capacity as four choirs from throughout the local area battled it out to be named the winner of the event. The event was brought to the community by TaylorMade Productions, which hosts various entertainment events and is owned by MVFAF Church Associate Minister Matthew Taylor. Derrick Delaney hosted the event and the choirs were judged by Denise Leonard, Debra Taylor and Elton Richards. Sponsored by Staples Office Supply, Adams Motorsports Park, Casablanca Express, Green Onion Restaurant and the Moreno Valley First Apostolic Faith Church, proceeds from the event directly benefited the California Alzheimer’s Disease Centers and the Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, Taylor shared. “My grandmother passed away two years ago, and she suffered from severe Alzheimer’s,” Taylor said. “My mother is also showing signs of development of dementia, and it was an important cause that I wanted to do something about and raise awareness of.” Five choirs participated that evening, visiting from Moreno Valley and from areas as far away as the High Desert and San Diego, including House of the Lord, the Box Springs Parish, 3MC San Diego, A Vision from God and the Thokoza African Gospel Ensemble. The show kicked off with an opening prayer by MVFAF Church pastor James G. Belle and a spiritual praise dance by members of the MVFAF church. “Alzheimer’s disease has crippled mothers, fathers, grandmothers and grandfathers,” host Derrick Delaney said before the choir performances began. “To my knowledge, it does not discriminate. There is a lot of information tonight on this disease,” he told the crowd. “In the Word of God, we perish because of lack of knowledge.” From hand-clapping performances and those choirs who sang hymns from hymn books, the performances last Saturday were diverse, shared Taylor. Out supporting his wife, Denise, who was judging the choirs that evening, T.R. Leonard, a pastor at Relationship Community Church in Ontario, Calif., said he believed that Taylor’s vision was a good one. “It’s amazing what he’s doing. There are a lot of people living with Alzheimer’s, and I’m sure there aren’t enough funds out there for everyone to get the care they need. It’s good that he is making people aware and is helping to educate others about it.” Doors opened at 5 p.m. and the show kicked off at 6 p.m., with various vendors (Organo Gold, Juice Plus, The Wildest Journey, M 2 You Café, Gina, Big Dee’s Texas BBQ, 5 Linx, Sweet Tooth, Veatrice Jewelry Designs, Touchdown Soul Food, Kingdom Kraft Generation T-shirts, Origami Owl, Diva’s 4 God, Cookie Lee, YourVilla Magazine, Princess House, Traci Lynn Fashion Jewelry, Taylor Made Bowties) selling products and food. “I would like to express my deepest appreciation to those who help me make this dream a possibility. Furthermore, I would also like to acknowledge with much appreciation the crucial role of our host, staff, choirs, vendors and all who had a hand in helping make the program a success,” Taylor said. He also thanked teammates Kim Price and Y’shaundra Wright, “who were there at the start of this project.” The church was able to reach their fundraising goal of $5,000, Taylor shared, and Thokoza was named the winner of the $500 grand prize that evening.