Concert lit up by TV talent 

Participants from ITV’s popular talent shows the X Factor and Britain’s Got Talent were the special guests at a concert at Barking Baptist Church that showcased much more

“Light Entertainment” was hosted by the East London church's young people and featured music, drama and dance when staged on Saturday evening (7 November).

While this title might have conjured up unfortunate images of end-of-the-pier concert parties back in the 1950s, organiser Yemi Aderibigbe explained it was a reference to Jesus Christ as the light of the world. The motto of the evening, inscribed on the trophies, had been “Let Your Light Inspire”.

Performers included Tonatha Raihan (pictured), described by Simon Cowell as "the collest teacher in the world" when she appeared as a contestant in this year’s series of the X Factor. Tonatha proved she is equally talented as a singer and a dancer in her brief set.

Dancer Ezinne Asinugo, a semi-finalist in the 2013 series of Britain’s Got Talent, explained that her upbringing in a church had grounded her and prepared her for her career in show business.   
 
She spoke briefly about her role as a practising Christian in the creative arts. Ezinne’s recent credits have included working as a dancer and choreographer at this year’s MOBO (Music of Black Origin) awards event.

The concert also included performances from several other artists, drawn from the Barking area and further afield. Contemporary dance was a major component of the evening with impressive routines from Kim and Jay, (Acro dancer) Teckisa Selkegha, and 11-year-old Sapphira.

Musical highlights included West London singer/pianist Gabriel, and the Lynch Sisters who performed their own version of the Mary Mary hit Shackles.

The six-piece band HighLow, from the High Road Baptist Church in Ilford, raised the decibel level with an al-too-brief performance which successfully combined rock with current worship music. Their main choice of song was God’s Great Dance Floor, a contemporary Christian classic originally recorded by former Delirious? front man Martin Smith.  

The youth group from Barking Baptist Church performed Forgiveness for Free, a short drama which transposed the four gospels’ accounts of Jesus Christ’s death and resurrection into a 21st century setting (pictured).   

At the close of the concert, trophies were presented to the young people who had taken part in the evening.  

Councillor Rocky Gill, representing the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham, spoke in appreciation of the concert and explained how his own Sikh faith had supported him through difficult times.   Places of worship, he said, had an important role to play in serving and uniting  local communities.

This was the third “Light Entertainment” concert hosted by the young people of the Barking Baptist Church.