A handful of choral groups will join for a Church Choir Festival at 3 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 26, at Dahlonega United Methodist Church.

Groups taking part will include the Chancel Choir at Christ the King Lutheran Church, Grace Baptist Church Choir, Dahlonega United Methodist Church Sanctuary Choir and choral ensembles from North Georgia College & State University.

The festival will be directed by Dr. John M. Broman, director of choral activities at North Georgia, and accompanied by Mary Beth Hutcheson.

"I began organizing the event in the spring of 1995 and have coordinated and directed the Festival since its inception," said Broman.

I recruit for the event, choose the music, direct the mass choir, and put together the printed program."

Each of the individual choirs will present special music and then the 140-voice mass choir will sing "True Light" by Keith Hampton, "Amazing Grace" by Mack Wilberg with bagpipes, "The Battle Hymn of the Republic" by Peter J. Wilhousky and "Christ We do All Adore Thee" by Theodore Dubois (in the round).

"Our largest mass choir has been 300 (singers), with most of our large groups being between 150 and 200 singers," Broman said. "It has been an opportunity to get groups together to sing sacred music individually and collectively."

Broman says he used to direct the Lutheran Church Choir Festivals in Iowa, but because Lutherans are sparse in the area the event was opened up to all types of Christian churches.

The event is free and open to the public. A reception provided by the participating choirs will follow the afternoon program.