Critically Acclaimed singer/songwriter Sara Groves brings the Christmas spirit to the women of an Illinois prison in her upcoming holiday release Sara Groves O Holy Night Tour: Live The Prison Show. In the spirit of giving, Groves is making the album available to everyone for free through www.sararoves.com starting today.
The INO Recording artist partnered with Hope Shows Ministry, an organization that produces Christian concerts in prisons and benefit events on behalf of prison ministry, and brought Christmas to the women singing some of her holiday favorites showcased on her album Oh Holy Night (2009) while also sharing the true meaning of Christmas.
“When we began planning our Christmas Tour last year, we found a theme emerging – the story of Christmas is that Jesus enters suffering that wasn’t his own, and invites us to follow him in this type of life, providing a cup of cold water, clothing and feeding the poor, and visiting the prisoner,” explains Groves. “The night culminated around a live phone-call from a friend and ex-inmate that spent 18 Christmases in prison. He shared what it meant to him to have prison ministry volunteers enter his story week after week.
So it was simply providential that we got a call from Hope Shows asking us if we would be able to bring our O Holy Night Christmas Tour into a prison they partner with. Like any group of people, there is no monolithic persona for inmates. This is always the biggest surprise for anyone who visits. Our prison populations are made up of a diversity of men and women who are made in God’s image, and Jesus himself asks us to not forget them (Matthew 25:36). We are giving this recording away for free so that you can enjoy the rawness of this night of music, and hear the fellowship we experienced.“
Groves was able to connect with the women in treasured conversation sharing personal experiences and the meaning of Christmas before giving two intimate performances to over 1000 enthusiastic women, giving Groves what she says to be the best audience on the tour. However, this experience is not a foreign one for Groves, it is actually a ministry she holds dear to her heart.
“In selecting Sara for the first Hope Shows prison concert, we knew we could trust her heart to deliver a hope-full Christmas performance, and her family’s past experience in prison ministry uniquely prepared Sara to minister to and connect with the women,” says Robyn Lyn founder and director of Hope Shows. “My favorite moment was when the band stepped out from behind the microphones and stepped in to the audience to sing Christmas carols with them … the sounds of the inmates voices mixed with Sara and her band were absolutely amazing.”
To hear the unique and raw live recording, fans can download the full record for free through her website www.saragroves.com where you will be directed to Noisetrade where guests will be able to donate to Hope Shows, where the proceeds will go towards arranging more artists to participate in prison ministry around the country.
Groves will continue to share the Christmas story to audiences on her “O Holy Night Tour” as they visit select cities in the U.S. The joyous celebration will begin December 2 in Milwaukee, WI and carry through December 19 in Clearwater, FL.
For more information on Groves and tour date listing please visit www.saragroves.com.
DECEMBER 11
O Holy Night Tour
Carpenter’s Way Church
Lufkin, TX
7:00pm
936-632-6599
www.cwbc.org < http://www.cwbc.org>
DECEMBER 12
O Holy Night Tour
First Baptist Colleyville
Colleyville, TX
9:30am & 11:00am
817-944-9640
www.fbccolleyville.com < http://www.fbccolleyville.com>
DECEMBER 16
O Holy Night Tour
The Square Room
Knoxville, TN
8:00pm
865-544-4199
www.thesquareroom.com < http://www.thesquareroom.com>
DECEMBER 18 & 19
O Holy Night Tour
Cypress Meadows Community Church
Clearwater, FL
18th 6:00pm, 19th 10:00am & 6:00pm
727-725-4570
www.cypressmeadows.org < http://www.cypressmeadows.org>