EVS Rachel ByrdClass opened with prayer; not a single prayer but a medley of voices making their requests and praises known to God, uniting into one beautiful hum. A gospel hymnal followed as hands of every color raised to worship the Lord. A small African- American women, with determined eyes and a kind smile, boldly bounced to the podium at the front of the room and greeted her audience of diverse college students Hello chiiiillldren, its so good to see you all healthy and well, I am so happy youre here. Every Tuesday and Thursday evening at 6:00, Lee University Evangelistic Singers rehearsals, led by Mrs. Gloria Scott-Richmond, typically begin this way. EVS, known on campus as the black gospel choir is infamous for both their passionate, jubilant and soulful worship style and their adored instructor. Mrs. Gloria or Mama Gloria as she is affectionately known by her students is a powerhouse who leads the class with confidence, integrity and grace.Phenomenal! Mrs. Gloria is truly a God send! She is more than just a director and she is consistently so supportive. She will randomly call to check in on her students and go above and beyond to make sure they are okay, said Odelcer Hanley, an EVS student from the British Virgin Islands. Although the Evangelistic Singers are known as a predominantly African-American choir, and the majority their songs are pulled from old black spirituals or current black gospel genres, they are far from monochrome. I would say EVS is synonymous with diverse. We have members from the islands, we have whites, blacks, Hispanics, and you name it. One alumni recently informed me that at one point we had over 20 different nationalities in the choir! said Hanley.EVS has kept me surrounded by people who are always working towards being spiritually sound and Christ-like, said Jocelyn Rooks, who has been a member of the singing group since 2011, EVS is like a big, happy family. The way we joke and laugh with each other, but are still ready to be an ear when you need one, makes it feel like we are all truly brothers and sisters.Both Oldecer and Jocelyn agree that traveling with the group is an awesome experience. EVS has traveled to the Bahamas, the British Virgin Islands and all across the United States. They plan to take a trip to Trinidad and Tobago during the summer of 2015. My favorite part about EVS are the ministry opportunities. We have travelled all over and have had many experiences where we saw lives changed, and that's always an awesome thing. Traveling with EVS is so much fun and we are passionate about what we do, so it makes it all-the-more enjoyable, said Rooks.EVS is a fun, diverse dynamic singing group which brings a little flavor to the legacy of vocal excellence at Lee University. They are led by a truly Christ-centered leader with a huge heart and the students themselves are welcoming, laid back and loads of fun. Best of all, they are focused and determined to share the love and word of God to everyone they get the opportunity to minister to.