America 250 was not to be missed by the Millville Woman’s Club Chorus.
Mildred Cyrelson, left, and her daughter Deborah Moyer, both of Stow Creek, were among many who dressed for the occasion. RIGHT: Judy Crowe starts the program by reading the poem “Ragged Old Flag” by Johnny Cash. ALL PHOTOS BY THE AUTHOR
The renowned 40-member Millville Woman’s Club Chorus inspired a crowd of about 230 attendees with its powerful “Patriotic Celebration of America” concert held recently. Hosted at Greenwich Baptist Church, the program featured more than a dozen musical selections. While many songs were performed as straight-ahead classics, Director Debbi Permito crafted special arrangements of some old standards to captivate modern listeners.
The emotional peak of the performance arrived near the end of the show with the “Freedom Medley,” written by Permito, which brought some in the audience to tears.
The afternoon’s setlist featured classics like “The Star-Spangled Banner,” “Fanfare for the Common Man,” “America the Beautiful,” and “From a Distance.” In a unique twist, the chorus paired many selections with specific passages from the Preamble to the Constitution.
Adding to the variety, “The Bellas”—an instrumental subgroup of about a dozen chorus members—delivered a special performance. Audience members enthusiastically joined in for sing-alongs of “United We Stand” and “God Bless America.” At the concert’s conclusion, following a thunderous standing ovation, the chorus performed “Thankful for the USA” as an encore.
The group’s growing popularity has even sparked merch sales after their performances, with all proceeds benefiting the Woman’s Club Chorus Scholarship Fund.
The entire program was dedicated to guest of honor Ann Mosely, who is 104 years old and very able.
Longtime chorus member Cindy Berry, along with her husband, Rev. Ed Berry, pastor of the church, organized the event. Government leaders from both parties were sent special invitations. Cindy Berry believes everyone can come together in celebrating America.
“We have more in common than we do in differences,” she said. “We all come from the same roots; we all come from that same group of amazing people who created this country.”
Chorus Director Debbi Permito. RIGHT: Though technically not in the audience, our first president (in cutout form) best captured the vibe in the room.
The afternoon’s celebration of American history matched the deep roots of the host venue itself. Located on Ye Greate Street in the center of town, Greenwich Baptist Church developed from a rich regional history and maintains a strong presence in the community.
Baptist churches in America were first built in New England in 1636. Less than a century later, West Jersey’s first meeting house was built at Sheppard’s Mill in 1710. This colonial West Jersey territory laid the foundation for the region, eventually giving rise to modern southern New Jersey counties like Cumberland, Salem, and Gloucester. Today, the current Greenwich Baptist Church structure stands as a local pillar of that enduring heritage at nearly 200 years old.
