Emma Nord spent July traveling Europe with the Eastern Mennonite University Chamber Singers. They concluded their trip by performing with four other ensembles at Mennonite World Conference’s Anabaptism at 500 celebration in Zurich, Switzerland.
Emma Nord graduated from Eastern Mennonite University in 2025 and continues to live in Harrisonburg, Virginia, where she attends Community Mennonite Church. She grew up in State College, Pennsylvania, where she attended University Mennonite Church, and Greenville, Illinois. She is excited to begin her career as a high school math teacher this fall, and she loves to bake, craft and sing.
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I have very fond memories of singing my way through the Netherlands, Germany and Switzerland with the Eastern Mennonite University Chamber Singers. The generosity of our hosts, the talent of my fellow musicians, and the comfort and hope that our music offered to ourselves and — I hope — our audiences are blessings I will not soon forget. The time we spent in Zurich, Switzerland, with Mennonite World Conference to celebrate Anabaptism at 500, however, holds an extra special place in my heart.
One moment that stands out was our first combined rehearsal with all five ensembles that were to participate in the MWC celebration. We were about to sing “Ehre Sie Gott,” when music director Rashard Allen commented that this song was for Swiss and German Mennonites what “Praise God From Whom” — good old 606 — is for Mennonites in North America. This quickly led to each ensemble sharing what song would be comparable in their context, and since many of us did not recognize the titles that the other groups named, we began to sing them for one another. The pure joy with which Eastleigh Fellowship Centre, Agape Band and Tiara burst into heartfelt song is a testament to their musical talent and their faith.
Yet, if possible, it was even more powerful to lift up our voices together.
Joining our voices with Anabaptist siblings from Kenya, Indonesia, Paraguay and Switzerland, we sang a few songs I’ve known all my life and many more that were new to me; these songs were in were in unfamiliar languages or styles. Yet each song felt so genuine, so worshipful. As we sang together, it was hard to remember a time when I hadn’t known them. Perhaps the old dear hymn “God is Love” (Voices Together 7) says it best: “Come, let us all unite to sing, God is love. Let heav’n and earth their praises bring, God is love.” I’ve sung these lines many times in my life, but now, I have a glimpse of what it sounds like when earth — and I suspect heaven, too — brings its praise to the God whose love sustains us.
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