The Ministry
Sonlight Ministries, Inc., based out of Grace Community Church in Rincon, Georgia, is a Christian singing group comprised of young people from throughout the Southeast which, since 1976, has been a vibrant, powerful witnessing tool of the Lord Jesus to churches and other selected gatherings in the coastal empire and surrounding states.
The Music
With a mix of choral, praise & worship, and contemporary Christian music, crowds both young and old have been blessed by the gospel in music presented through this ministry and can be styled to the requests of the audience. Highlighting the service is personal testimony from these young ministers, sharing the power of God's conviction, mercy, and love.
The Members
Sonlight has a contrasted group of young people who come from different denominations and backgrounds yet have one thing in common: the joy of Christ in their hearts, with the desire to spread the Word through song! The mixture of high school and college students allows for a better understanding of today's youth and their spiritual needs, which is a focal point of Sonlight's ministry.
The Means
Sonlight is a division of Sonlight Ministries, Inc., sponsored by Grace Community Church of Rincon, GA. A board of directors, including the pastor and elders of Grace Church, govern the logistic and decisional aspects of the ministry. Sonlight is, however, a self-sustaining medium, powered only by income from Sonlight merchandise and love offerings given by the audience at concerts. There is never any charge for the opportunity to spread the Word of God through Sonlight.
The Message
The message is simple: Each of us is a sinner and unworthy of a relationship with our Creator. Yet God sent His Son, Jesus Christ, who died for our sins, arose from the dead, and now exists as a bridge for mankind to reach God, who desires a personal spiritual relationship with humanity, while on this earth and beyond. All He asks is that we admit our sinful nature, believe that Jesus is the only way to Him, repent of our iniquities, turn from our fleshly desires, and confess to the world, through words and actions, that Jesus lives and loves each of us
The Mission
Sonlight's goal is to spread the Word to each and every person in southeast Georgia and beyond, and that through this ministry, people will be saved by the grace of God. Throughout its over 25 year history, Sonlight has witnessed several hundred souls won by the Spirit of God at its concerts. It is our prayer that God continues to use us as vessels for His glorious design.
History of Sonlight:
Started in 1976, a choir of over 100 voices was organized to sing at a patriotic event celebrating the United State's bicentennial anniversary. The leader of that choir was Al Dewitt, businessman & community leader in Effingham county. From this group, Mr. Dewitt hand-picked a select group of singers to form the small vocal group "The New Spirit of `76." This group then was renamed "Sonlight."
Sonlight has travelled all over the Southeast ever since. They have ministered at carnivals, youth rallies, conventions, patriotic gatherings, parades, fund-raisers, & other community-based events. Sonlight has been featured on-stage at Six Flags Over Georgia as well as Disneyworld in Florida. Sonlight hosted the weekly "Gospel Night" on the Savannah Riverboat Dinner Cruise every summer in the 1990's. However, Sonlight's biggest audience for over 25 years has been church congregations, who are encouraged & inspired by the group's talents & testimony.
Sonlight has been comprised of singers aged 14-26, high school & college students, who have dedicated their lives to using their talents for Jesus. Over 120 singers have moved through this ministry in its history. Many of them have since become church music directors, ministers, or recording artists after resigning the group. The group has seen white, black, & Asian singers; denominations have ranged from Baptist, Methodist, Catholic, Lutheran, and so on. In the late 1990's, a 2nd-generation singer joined the group, her father having sung in Sonlight many years before. The demographic variety of the group has been one of the reasons Sonlight feels it has been successful in ministry for over 25 years.
Mr. Al Dewitt, founder of Sonlight, was an insurance salesman and chartered business owner who grew up and lived in Effingham County, Georgia. Insurance was his livelihood, but sharing good music and helping people were his life. For years, Dewitt also acted as his church's minister-of-music. His wife & family were strong supporters of Al's ministry, with both his daughters having at one time been members of Sonlight themselves. On April 20, 1997, just minutes after a Sonlight concert at Calvary Baptist Church, while sitting on the front pew, Mr. Dewitt suffered a massive heart attack. He was rushed to Memorial Medical Center where efforts to revive him were unsuccessful. There is a well-loved phrase between those who knew him well: "In the blink of an eye, Mr. Al went from front-pew Calvary to front-row Heaven, where he's probably taken over directing the angel choir." In 1998, the Effingham County Chamber of Commerce posthumously decreed its prestigious Treutlen Award to Al DeWitt for his civic work and dedication to help fellow citizens.
In the Fall of 1997, after much prayer & consideration, Sonlight came under the direction of Mr. Donnie Smith, who had a son in the group at that time. An accomplished musician & leader, Donnie was no stranger to stage & sound, having long been involved in church praise bands for many years. The sponsorship church for Sonlight was tranferred from Emmanuel Baptist Church in Springfield to Grace Community Church in Rincon. Donnie's sister, Connie Shearouse, assumed responsibility as Sonlight accountant, photographer, & secretary. In 1999, Donnie & Sonlight paid tribute to Mr. Dewitt with a concert held at Calvary Baptist Church in his memory. After many group members resigned in late 1999, Mr. Smith reorganized & revamped the group in 2000, many of whom remain the group today.
Recently, in the summer of 2004, Donnie resigned from the day-to-day operation of the ministry to allow him more time to dedicate to both his family and his ministry as worship leader of Grace Community Church. At this point, a 10-year member of Sonlight, Shane Sanders, took over musical leadership and concert bookings. Mr. Smith remains involved for logistic & technical support as well as his spiritual advisory.
Sonlight has seen members come and members go; but one thing has remained - the love of sharing Jesus through song. We believe that is the backbone of why this ministry has been so blessed and has tenured such longevity for nearly 30 years. We have witnessed hundreds of people accept salvation at Sonlight concerts through the years. As God never fails to work through this group, for what we hope are many more years to come, we thank you & ask for your continued prayerful support.
