Brief Account of JCCA and who we are
The history of the Joint Christian Choir Association (JCCA) begins with the development of new styles of worship more of harmony with African culture and lifestyle. The independent indigenous churches that broke away from the missionary established or mainstream churches brought about a dramatic change. Rather than singing from Western hymns hopelessly badly translated in some Liberian languages that were directed by missionary churches, and worshiping in unemotional and individualistic way, a spiritual revolution was necessary. The Holy Spirit descended, as on Pentecost day, to proclaim afresh the Gospel message in languages which Liberians understood and through revelations manifested in trances, dreams, visions and prophecies. They demonstrated most dramatically how the African musical sensibility differs from the hymn books of the mainstream churches that they broke away from.
The independent indigenous churches, value the Bible and its teachings, their practices are highly founded on biblical principles thereby demonstrating the true African expression of the Christian religion. The members of theses churches celebrate their faith with hand-clapping, dancing, and playing traditional instruments. The call and response form so commonplace in traditional African music demonstrates the relationship between a song-leader and the congregation, who respond with their refrain even before the leaders improvised verses have ended. The songs and instruments extent a powerful emotional influence on worshipers as they put on increasing emphasis on strongly accented beats. While the rhythm is accentuated, the harmonies of the chorus tighten. The loose collection of voices (of the call and response) becomes a tight, single unite. The rhythmic and harmonic ramifications push the singers into a state of maximum spiritual involvements.
From 1950 up to the 1970s some of the independent indigenous churches that broke away from these established missionary or mainstream churches still carried with them the formation of their hymnal style of singing. Those that accepted the indigenous people segregated their worship services and did not permit them to dance, and play traditional music.
During occasions such as funerals, conferences, and if they were invited to participate in government programs, the independent indigenous church choirs could not unite their voices because of the lacked of proper trainings. In the middle of 1960 some pastors, choir leaders, and church elders of some of the Bassa indigenous churches decided to organize Bible study groups. As the studies continued, Bible stories were clearly translated into songs and these songs were taught in the independent indigenous churches. As the membership of these groups expanded, they changed into independent gospel singing groups. There were three groups namely, Sinkor Union Choir of Monrovia, Harbel Union Rally Choir of Harbel-Firestone, and Buchanan Union Choir of Buchanan.
Call-and-response
When a leader sings out the main line or phase, and the congregation or the group answers with either the same or another set of words “in response.” In the late 1960s, Mother Eileen W. Karnga, a famous Bassa gospel singer and composer, and the late Bishop Benjamin K. Nukah saw the need to talk with leaders of these groups to be united and form an autonomous Christian organization.
After protracted negotiation among the leaders of the groups concerned, the Joint Christian Choir Association was officially established on the last Friday of August 1971. Its goal was to train choir members; prepare mature choir leadership; improve the gospel songs by translating the Scripture into songs, and to further strengthen the bond of Christian unity that was lacking among the various independent indigenous church choirs in Liberia.
Because it would serve as a bridge between Christian church denominations, the Holy Spirit brought the various groups together to fulfill the vision and yearning of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ to call humankind towards that which exists in the triune Godhead. They realized that diversity is to be celebrated while unity is to be affirmed.
Who we are
JCCA is nonprofit and nondenominational Christian organization. It is autonomous in functions and is governed by a general board of directors and a general administration. The general board of directors is composed of a national board of directors and local board of directors. Each head of the board of directors is headed by a chairperson. The general administration is composed of national administration and local administration. Each administration is headed by a president.
JCCA embraces different languages, people of different cultural, socio-economic, and people of denominational backgrounds for worship and fellowship and for the up building of the Christian community and to work for the unity of the church of Jesus Christ. Ultimately the purpose of the Association is to glorify the triune God and encourage its members to witness effectively and faithfully among peoples and nations. The Association holds two conferences each year to raise funds for its projects in Liberia. The anniversary conference is held in August and the annual conference is held in March.
As a Para-church organization, JCCA is involves in the training of choir leaders and its members, give equal importance in its order and governance, encourages relationship with other Christian organizations and considers evangelism as its foremost obligation.
Branches and not Chapters
According to John 15: 5 Jesus said, “I am the vine; you are the branches. If any man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruits.” Prior to the civil war in Liberia the association operated in six of the then nine counties. Branches were established in Montserrado, Grand Bassa, Rivercess, Margibi, Bong, and Nimba. It has over three thousand members. The membership is growing in Liberia and the United States.
JCCA-USA
During the heat of the civil war in Liberia and with the migration of Liberian family members to the United State in the 1990s, many former members and well wishers of the Joint Christian Choir Association of Liberia who have been residing in the United States decided to establish a branch of the same organization so as to strengthen a fellowship of the indigenous people from Liberia living apart with the same tradition in worship and service, strengthen their friendship and develop a greater love and obedience to the Word of God.
March 1994 a branch of the Joint Christian Choir Association was officially established in Staten Island, New York with fewer members. The branch was called JCCA-US. By 2002 the JCCA-US branch has increased its membership and became to operate as a national association. As of 2009 JCCA-US has five outstanding branches in the United States namely New York, Rhode Island, South Jersey, North Jersey and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
JCCA emphasizes the dire need of Bible study and personal devotion as a foundation of our Christian life while nurturing our spiritual growth; and the task of its members is to illumine the Christ-likeness within us so that all may be drawn to Him.
The Association calls for the commitment toward a life of sacrifice, and to serve as a common organ for visible manifestation of unity, witness and service to all Christian churches in general and the world at large.
The JCCA-USA administration has put forth a strategic vision that of being creative and intuitive; a vision for new and desirable future reality. In our development efforts, an acre of land has been purchased in Liberia for infrastructure development. Our future plans are to build schools, clinics, orphanage homes and day care centers in Liberia and the United States.
JCCA With outreaching love, the Christian ministry is the expression of the mind and mission of Christ, and as a community of faith that demonstrates a common life of gratitude and devotion, witness and service, celebration and discipleship, the leadership is asking you to join us to carry on these tasks.
Music is an important aid to worship. JCCA songs have some sorts of functions – some are songs of praise, others are living lessons explaining and clarifying biblical teaching, Bible stories and others are prophetic. Invite JCCA to your church occasions, weddings, conventions, and other desirable programs.
The history of the Joint Christian Choir Association (JCCA) begins with the development of new styles of worship more of harmony with African culture and lifestyle. The independent indigenous churches that broke away from the missionary established or mainstream churches brought about a dramatic change. Rather than singing from Western hymns hopelessly badly translated in some Liberian languages that were directed by missionary churches, and worshiping in unemotional and individualistic way, a spiritual revolution was necessary. The Holy Spirit descended, as on Pentecost day, to proclaim afresh the Gospel message in languages which Liberians understood and through revelations manifested in trances, dreams, visions and prophecies. They demonstrated most dramatically how the African musical sensibility differs from the hymn books of the mainstream churches that they broke away from.
The independent indigenous churches, value the Bible and its teachings, their practices are highly founded on biblical principles thereby demonstrating the true African expression of the Christian religion. The members of theses churches celebrate their faith with hand-clapping, dancing, and playing traditional instruments. The call and response form so commonplace in traditional African music demonstrates the relationship between a song-leader and the congregation, who respond with their refrain even before the leaders improvised verses have ended. The songs and instruments extent a powerful emotional influence on worshipers as they put on increasing emphasis on strongly accented beats. While the rhythm is accentuated, the harmonies of the chorus tighten. The loose collection of voices (of the call and response) becomes a tight, single unite. The rhythmic and harmonic ramifications push the singers into a state of maximum spiritual involvements.
From 1950 up to the 1970s some of the independent indigenous churches that broke away from these established missionary or mainstream churches still carried with them the formation of their hymnal style of singing. Those that accepted the indigenous people segregated their worship services and did not permit them to dance, and play traditional music.
During occasions such as funerals, conferences, and if they were invited to participate in government programs, the independent indigenous church choirs could not unite their voices because of the lacked of proper trainings. In the middle of 1960 some pastors, choir leaders, and church elders of some of the Bassa indigenous churches decided to organize Bible study groups. As the studies continued, Bible stories were clearly translated into songs and these songs were taught in the independent indigenous churches. As the membership of these groups expanded, they changed into independent gospel singing groups. There were three groups namely, Sinkor Union Choir of Monrovia, Harbel Union Rally Choir of Harbel-Firestone, and Buchanan Union Choir of Buchanan.
Call-and-response
When a leader sings out the main line or phase, and the congregation or the group answers with either the same or another set of words “in response.” In the late 1960s, Mother Eileen W. Karnga, a famous Bassa gospel singer and composer, and the late Bishop Benjamin K. Nukah saw the need to talk with leaders of these groups to be united and form an autonomous Christian organization.
After protracted negotiation among the leaders of the groups concerned, the Joint Christian Choir Association was officially established on the last Friday of August 1971. Its goal was to train choir members; prepare mature choir leadership; improve the gospel songs by translating the Scripture into songs, and to further strengthen the bond of Christian unity that was lacking among the various independent indigenous church choirs in Liberia.
Because it would serve as a bridge between Christian church denominations, the Holy Spirit brought the various groups together to fulfill the vision and yearning of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ to call humankind towards that which exists in the triune Godhead. They realized that diversity is to be celebrated while unity is to be affirmed.
Who we are
JCCA is nonprofit and nondenominational Christian organization. It is autonomous in functions and is governed by a general board of directors and a general administration. The general board of directors is composed of a national board of directors and local board of directors. Each head of the board of directors is headed by a chairperson. The general administration is composed of national administration and local administration. Each administration is headed by a president.
JCCA embraces different languages, people of different cultural, socio-economic, and people of denominational backgrounds for worship and fellowship and for the up building of the Christian community and to work for the unity of the church of Jesus Christ. Ultimately the purpose of the Association is to glorify the triune God and encourage its members to witness effectively and faithfully among peoples and nations. The Association holds two conferences each year to raise funds for its projects in Liberia. The anniversary conference is held in August and the annual conference is held in March.
As a Para-church organization, JCCA is involves in the training of choir leaders and its members, give equal importance in its order and governance, encourages relationship with other Christian organizations and considers evangelism as its foremost obligation.
Branches and not Chapters
According to John 15: 5 Jesus said, “I am the vine; you are the branches. If any man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruits.” Prior to the civil war in Liberia the association operated in six of the then nine counties. Branches were established in Montserrado, Grand Bassa, Rivercess, Margibi, Bong, and Nimba. It has over three thousand members. The membership is growing in Liberia and the United States.
JCCA-USA
During the heat of the civil war in Liberia and with the migration of Liberian family members to the United State in the 1990s, many former members and well wishers of the Joint Christian Choir Association of Liberia who have been residing in the United States decided to establish a branch of the same organization so as to strengthen a fellowship of the indigenous people from Liberia living apart with the same tradition in worship and service, strengthen their friendship and develop a greater love and obedience to the Word of God.
March 1994 a branch of the Joint Christian Choir Association was officially established in Staten Island, New York with fewer members. The branch was called JCCA-US. By 2002 the JCCA-US branch has increased its membership and became to operate as a national association. As of 2009 JCCA-US has five outstanding branches in the United States namely New York, Rhode Island, South Jersey, North Jersey and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
JCCA emphasizes the dire need of Bible study and personal devotion as a foundation of our Christian life while nurturing our spiritual growth; and the task of its members is to illumine the Christ-likeness within us so that all may be drawn to Him.
The Association calls for the commitment toward a life of sacrifice, and to serve as a common organ for visible manifestation of unity, witness and service to all Christian churches in general and the world at large.
The JCCA-USA administration has put forth a strategic vision that of being creative and intuitive; a vision for new and desirable future reality. In our development efforts, an acre of land has been purchased in Liberia for infrastructure development. Our future plans are to build schools, clinics, orphanage homes and day care centers in Liberia and the United States.
JCCA With outreaching love, the Christian ministry is the expression of the mind and mission of Christ, and as a community of faith that demonstrates a common life of gratitude and devotion, witness and service, celebration and discipleship, the leadership is asking you to join us to carry on these tasks.
Music is an important aid to worship. JCCA songs have some sorts of functions – some are songs of praise, others are living lessons explaining and clarifying biblical teaching, Bible stories and others are prophetic. Invite JCCA to your church occasions, weddings, conventions, and other desirable programs.