BUCKHANNON – The Martin Luther King Jr. Male Chorus will be performing at the First United Methodist Church Sunday, Jan. 26.

The group will perform at 5 p.m. in the main sanctuary. Pastor Steven Meadows said the concert is free, but there will be a free-will offering to help cover the group’s expenses.

“The MLK Jr. Male Chorus has traveled to congregations large and small across the state of West Virginia and has carried its music to elementary and high schools, prisons, senior citizen centers, hospitals, reunions and corporate gatherings,” Meadows said. “Over the years, they have received awards and recognitions from a variety of religious, governmental and secular organizations.”

He said the group began in 1996, when they were asked to sing as part of a celebration of Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday. After the celebration, the group continued to perform.

“This group of 30 extraordinary men, ranging in age from 20 to 90 both clergy and laity, are from 26 denominationally diverse congregations from Hurricane to Oak Hill, West Virginia,” Meadows said. “Sharing their witness with song and voice, they sing both contemporary and traditional African-American gospel music that they share with diverse audiences throughout the State of West Virginia and the Mid-Atlantic region of the country.”

Meadows said the group has helped with raising funds for nonprofits, such as Boling, Inc. in Lewisburg and Manna Meals in Charleston.

“In 2006, working with the governor of West Virginia, the Clay Center for the Arts and Sciences and the West Virginia Council of Churches, the MLK Jr. Male Chorus was one of the lead arts group in the state in planning and executing a benefit show that included twelve arts groups,” Meadows said. “This event raised money for Katrina victims who were in West Virginia as a result of the disaster.”

Meadows said other performances the group have participated in are the Multi-Fest of West Virginia, the Appalachian Children’s Chorus Holiday Concert, the Third District Annual Conference of AME churches, the U.S. Postal Service’s ceremony honoring of Randy Moss, the Black Heritage Festival in Clarksburg and they have performed for the president twice.

First United Methodist Church is located at 52 S. Florida St., the corner of Latham and S. Florida streets.