High Praise
Four Finalists Compete in Gospel Showcase Showdown
Praise and worship raised the roof at Prince George’s Community College Center for Performing Arts on September 28 (part of the Center for Performing Arts grand opening celebration) as four remaining gospel groups competed in the Xfinity 1 Voice Regional Gospel Showcase finals for a chance to win $5000. The groups; Chester L. Burke & CO Ministry (Washington, D.C.); First Baptist Church of Highland Park (Hyattsville, Md.); Fort Washington Baptist Church (Fort Washington, Md.); and Mt. Ennon Baptist Church (Clinton, Md.) took the audience to church while shaking the heavens with voices raised in song.
Along with the competing gospel groups, the evening also featured performances by gospel sensations Fred Hammond (international gospel artist), Kierra Sheard (gospel singer, fashion designer, and radio host), Deitrick Haddon (gospel singer, songwriter, music producer, pastor, and actor) and Tim Bowman, Jr. (gospel singer, and 1 Voice music director).
For Judges Hammond, Sheard, Haddon, and Cheryl Jackson, (evangelist, youth pastor and Praise 104.1 on-air personality), choosing a winner was tough. All four groups were amazing. But in the end, Mt. Ennon Baptist Church took home the coveted $5000 prize.
Co-hosts for the program were Madelyne Woods, (Majic 102.3 FM on-air personality) and Shomari Stone, (WRC-TV 4 (NBC) reporter). Dr. Yolanda Powell, leading faith and women’s empowerment influencer was the 1 Voice show announcer.
Presented by Comcast, the Xfinity 1 Voice Regional Gospel Showcase is a collaborative effort designed to celebrate the breadth of outstanding local talent within African-American houses of worship in Maryland, Virginia and Washington, D.C., while highlighting key Faith-based initiatives that bring the community together.
At the end of the evening, Vice President of Inclusion and Multicultural Marketing at Comcast, Janet Uthman commented on an amazing night of competitive fellowship, “The Xfinity 1 Voice Regional Gospel Showcase was a great opportunity to bring the community together while showcasing some outstanding local talent in our African-American houses of worship in Maryland, Virginia and Washington, D.C. We congratulate our winner, Mt. Ennon Baptist Church, and thank our celebrity judges and other guests.”
