ADVERTISEMENT:

 
 

Grant and Bernice Clifton are pastors, worship leaders, revivalists and highly gifted musicians who made an indelible imprint on their church and town the community for more than a decade. They are greeting Louis Trichardt by hosting a choir concert. They will relocate from Agapé Christian Centre to Creare Training Centre and Our Father's Home in Bloemfontein during December. 

Dynamic couple greet town with final concert

 

Grant and Bernice Clifton are greeting Louis Trichardt by hosting their last choir concert on 26 and 27 November.

“The concert is not something you will want to miss,” said the Makhado municipal manager, Mr Sakkie Mutshinyali. “Grant is an innovator who unifies races. I call him a white Zulu boy and a true son of God, leading by example. Bernice is gifted with a melodious voice, a dedicated and humble worshiper. The two are a match made in heaven,” said Mutshinyali.  

The Cliftons are pastors, worship leaders, revivalists and highly gifted musicians who made an indelible imprint on their church and the town community for more than a decade.  “We have no doubt that Grant and Bernice are forerunners in the Kingdom of God. They leave a legacy of honour, faithfulness and godliness,” says their senior pastor from Agapé Christian Centre, pastor Sam van Niekerk.

And forerunners they are. In addition to their extraordinary individual musical talents, they did something unique. They tapped into the sound of Africa, blending sounds of diverse South African cultures, as well as sounds of African countries. Worship leader Peter McKarthy, who travels extensively, referred to the unique way Grant and Bernice would lead worship while flowing effortlessly from Afrikaans to Venda to English to Zulu and other official languages. In October, Grant, Bernice and Peter had the opportunity to lead worship in California in the USA in the city of Redding. The African sound was thoroughly enjoyed by people from different nations.

“Everywhere the Agapé African Choir performs locally, they impact people with their diversity. The choir consists of people of mixed ages and mixed races. Internationally, people commented on the choir’s diversity and the abounding joy they displayed. We found a real treasure in the sound of Africa,” Grant said. The choir performed in East Malaysia in 2013 and toured Indonesia and South Korea in 2014. In 2015, they won the Mzansi Gospel Award for groups.

“East and West love the sound of Africa,” Bernice agreed and added that they would introduce that sound to the places God might lead them to in the future. They have already produced an EP of the Agapé African Choir and are currently in the post-production stage of a full-length album of the choir, which should be ready in the next couple of weeks. “It is like a glimpse of heaven when every tribe and every tongue worships together,” Bernice said.

Grant moved to Louis Trichardt 11 years ago when he was just turning 22. Bernice arrived in mid-2006 and the couple got married on 3 February 2007. They welcomed their children, Sarah in 2010 and Daniel in 2013. “They are a very loving, caring, God-fearing couple, gifted but very humble. They will be missed by the community,” said Rev Robbie Novella of the Diocese of St. Mark the Evangelist (Anglican).The Cliftons taught hundreds of youngsters, and even older people, to sing and play instruments. “They are a prime example of young people who shared their passion and giftedness with the greater community and shared in the people’s sorrow and joy,” said the directors and staff of the Zoutpansberg Private Hospital. The couple sang and played at numerous funerals, weddings, inter-denominational gatherings and prayer events.

The Cliftons are relocating to Bloemfontein in December to join the team at Our Father’s Home with Pastor Cornelis and Jealine van Heyningen and the Creare Training Centre, a ministry school of arts where they both studied. There the couple will soon record their second worship album with a team of worship leaders and musicians. “We bless them in their going and will still maintain our close family ties with them!” said Agapé Pastor Dalene van Niekerk.

 

 

Date:20 November 2015

By: Linda van der Westhuizen

Linda van der Westhuizen has been with Zoutnet since 2001. She has a heart for God, people and their stories. Linda believes that every person is unique and has a special story to tell. It follows logically that human interest stories is her speciality. Linda finds working with people and their leaders in the economic, educational, spiritual and political arena very rewarding. “I have a special interest in what God is doing in our town, province and nation and what He wants us to become,” says Linda.

Read: 869

 

ADVERTISEMENT

 

ADVERTISEMENT:

ADVERTISEMENT:

 

Recent Articles

ADVERTISEMENT

 

Popular Articles