August 21, 2014 (Jackson) - Dr. Stephen and Mrs.Carolyn Sachs led Belhaven music students and alumni on a choir mission trip to Austria over the summer. The team worked with House of Hope, an outreach for refugees from all over the world and used their musical gifts to perform in churches, parks and other venues in Linz, Austria. Dr. Stephen Sachs said, “We were taking western music back to a root area of western music, we were presenting music with excellence to a culture that highly values that music. We connected with their aesthetic right away with music. Our group became credible because the music was credible and that provided a vehicle for the gospel message to be shared.”
The group was comprised of alumni Anna Cullnane ('11), Brooke Edwards ('14), John Mathieu ('13),current students Beth Walczak, Rachel Walczak,Rachael McCartney and other choir members from Covenent Presbyterian Church in Jackson. They used performances as a way to talk with people about the Lord and develop relationships with the community and staff for future outreach.
Mrs.Sachs said, “How do you go and approach someone who is not hungry for the Gospel? I believe that music is one of the best ways to connect with people and opens the door for the Gospel message. We were connecting with a wide range of people who would not have any reason to hear us sing. We were one of the seeds planted and the friendships forged in this initial connection will be used by the Lord to further His kingdom.”