James Fortune and the A&T Gospel Choir kicked-off Homecoming 2009 on Sunday. NC A&T’s Gospel Concert is the first homecoming event every year. Emotion-filled performances had students, alumni, family and friends praising the Lord together.

“I thought it was an awesome experience. It was a great that A&T started homecoming with a night full of giving God glory. To see all of the alumni and students come out and praise the Lord together was a beautiful sight,” said James Fortune, the night’s headliner, in reference to the spirit-filled evening.

The concert, scheduled to start at 6 p.m., started a record two minutes early. A praise team made up of select A&T gospel choir members started the event singing “Lord You Are Awesome.”

The evenings MC’s were 97.1’s Joseph Level and A&T’s 90.1 representative Vakaya Townsend.

Level came on stage with a message from Winston-Salem State University saying that A&T is starting their homecoming off the right way, worshiping with the Lord.

Level also said despite A&T’s, WSSU’s, and UNCG’s homecomings being this week, everyone knows A&T’s will be the best.

Level could not help but mention the Aggies recent takeover of Howard’s homecoming this past weekend.

The event then officially opened with a series of performances from the A&T award-winning gospel choir. The choir came out singing a melody of songs with their signature emotion-filled choreography.

The choir sang a series of songs, with no break in-between. The choir’s performances evoked a plethora of emotions with the help of the A&T praise dancers and a group of mime dancers.

The choir even incorporated some of Michael Jackson’s famous dance moves from his “Thriller” music video.

Choir member Arturo Cummings felt the choir’s performance was a success.

“We have been prepping for this event for the last three weeks. We practiced almost every day, for many, many hours,” said Cummings.

After the choir’s performance the MC’s came back on stage and did Gospel CD give-a-way. The first few CD’s were given to the oldest people in the auditorium as well as an A&T senior with a 4.0 GPA. 

SGA President Syene Jasmin also came on stage to deliver a message encouraging everyone to go out and vote during the Mayor and City Council elections this week and then gave out the rest of the CD’s to give out to the crowd.

Finally the concert’s headliner, James Fortune & FIYA, took the stage. FIYA is made up of

Fortunes three back-up singers, including his wife. Together they performed his songs, “It Was You”, “I’m Good”, “I Wouldn’t Know”, and his #1 hit single, “I Trust You.”

Fortune shared his moving testimony behind the #1 hit single, “I Trust You”. When he wrote the song Fortune, his wife (who was pregnant at the time), and their two children were homeless. The car they were living from was repossessed, and they lived in a series of tiny motels. It was in one of those motel rooms that Fortune wrote “I Trust You”. Years later it became the number one gospel song for 30 weeks in a row.

Fortune’s testimony moved many students. At the end of the night all A&T student Lenithia Bishop could say was, “I Will Trust You!”

James Fortune was not content with just performing for the crowd; he engaged them in a worship service not only through song, but through spoken word, scripture and prayer.

His message was to “allow your praise to match your expectation.”

At the end of his performance he had members of the audience come down to the front of the stage, hold hands in prayer and praise the Lord.

Harrison Auditorium was full of people shouting, singing, crying, praying, speaking in tongues, and praising God.

Freshman Chelsea Smith thought the event was very inspirational, “James Fortune was amazing, I felt his spirit.” Jasmin said, “It was a great event.

“I’m glad everyone came out. Travis Jackson did a great job putting this event together.”

The success of the night left Vice-President of External Affairs, Travis Jackson, almost speechless!

“James Fortune tore this place up!” said Jackson.

“You don’t go through struggles for no reason, and we didn’t go through this for no reason. This was an amazing way to start homecoming 2009!” 

• Sylvia Obell