Members of the Hillsdale Church of the Nazarene held a concert and a pancake breakfast April 3.
The Stronghold Quartet, a vocal group, performed at the event. The event began with breakfast and the performance followed in the sanctuary.
Pastor Mike Prince introduced the group and prayed over the event. Between each of the songs, different performers preached small messages about their testimonies.
Prince said his goal for the event was “to encourage people.”
“We had it on a Sunday to encourage the community,” Prince said. “We could do it on a Saturday night but I’m not interested in reaching other churches. They’re doing their own things, but I’m just more interested in getting new people to come in and loving on new people and encouraging them.”
Prince said he heard of The Stronghold Quartet about 22 years ago through his connection to the group’s scheduler Lyn Webster.
“I knew him from being a part of high school events and meeting up with him. He was in charge of the music programs for some of the high schools in the county I was at,” Prince said. “And I just went up and said ‘What would it cost to have the guys come out?’ and he said ‘it’s free will offering.’”
Prince also said the group is like family to him and he has known them for a long time.
Don Byers, a singer in The Stronghold Quartet, said the group’s main goal is to encourage people and bring them to Christ wherever they go.
“We always put the testimonies out there to encourage people that, yeah you know I’m not perfect either, none of us are,” Byers said.
He said the group has performed for 18 years, mainly traveling around Michigan with some gigs out of state.
Byers said he and his brother, Dennis, started the group. Byers later invited his longtime friend Bill Neathammer to join the group as its bass vocalist.
“So I’ve known Bill for a long time. And then Jim just happened to come to our church the day that I sang a solo,” Byers said.
Byers said that he felt the event brought a good turn out but insisted the group never bases their success on the number of people that come.
“We never judge that at all. We’ve sung for five people,” Byers said. “Where two or more are gathered together, you know. We’re not prideful and we’ve had pastors say, ‘I’m embarrassed for the turnout.’ and it’s like why? I’ll sing for one if it’s for his purpose.”
