Despite the challenges the Lee University School of Music has faced due to COVID-19, the Ladies of Lee found safe ways to serve, perform, practice, and record throughout the fall semester.

“In a normal semester, the Ladies would have traveled to several states to sing in churches and schools and may have performed for 5,000 people,” said Dr. Randy Sheeks, director of the ensemble. “While the 2020 semester was frustrating and anything but normal, it is amazing that these ladies still found a way to sing and perform virtually for thousands more people than in a typical semester.”

Ladies of Lee recorded three videos which now have a total of over 85,000 views on Facebook, according to Sheeks. The videos feature “Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus,” “The Lord’s Prayer,” and “Goodness of God.” In addition, the group placed its most recent audio recordings on iTunes, Spotify, and several other streaming services.

In order to bring music to the community within the social distance restrictions, Ladies of Lee formed two small ensembles that ministered in four churches. One group, Hilltop Worship, held a service at Bethany Baptist in McDonough, Georgia, and performed at East Ridge Church of God in Chattanooga. The other group sang at Broad St. United Methodist Church (UMC) and First Methodist UMC in Cleveland.

Ladies of Lee also presented a fall concert in Pangle Hall with a socially-distanced standing arrangement and a limited (100) in-house audience, along with livestream viewing.

The Ladies plan to present a spring concert in March 2021 and, depending on travel restrictions, hope to resume touring by the end of the semester.

According to Sheeks, Ladies of Lee participated in more than music this semester. Megan Falvey, one of the Ladies, had connections with Extended Hands of Hope (extendedhandsofhope.org), a Denver-based ministry that aids victims of sex-trafficking, and the ensemble adopted this project. The Ladies donated blankets, masks, and other personal items to the women who are released from the program. In addition, the Ladies sent the women notes and Christmas cards.

The Ladies of Lee, directed by Sheeks and his wife Debbie, is a female choral ensemble committed to God, to each other, and excellence in music and ministry through the high-quality presentation of diverse choral repertoire in worship and concert settings, serving as inspired and passionate ambassadors for Lee University and the Kingdom of God. The all-female group has enjoyed a thriving history of choral music for over 50 years, performing in churches, schools, and other venues throughout the United States and abroad.

To view the videos, visit the Ladies of Lee YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCvMR0gJ__rM-CjeQlo0mWYg.

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