18 Sep 2026, 11:04Ps Wil Masih; edited by SM CommunicationsInverness, Highland, Scotland, United Kingdom
Gospel Fest Opens New Doors for Community Connection in Inverness
Gospel Fest ’26 welcomed around 100 people to Inverness Seventh-day Adventist Church, including first-time visitors and members of the wider Christian community, demonstrating how music can create new opportunities for connection and faith-sharing.
On Saturday 12 September, Inverness Seventh-day Adventist Church welcomed guests from across the local community for Gospel Fest ’26, a day of worship, music and fellowship.
At its peak, around 100 people were in attendance, including many visitors from the local community. Some came from neighbouring churches, others travelled from as far as Fort William, and several were visiting an Adventist church for the first time.
Held during the launch period of OneVoice27, the worldwide Adventist initiative emphasising prayer, sharing Christ and making disciples, Gospel Fest ’26 offered a practical example of how that vision can find local expression through music and Christian community.
The principal guests were the Ukrainian Adventist Gospel Choir from the Paisley area. Singing in both English and Ukrainian, the choir presented a varied repertoire featuring full-choir arrangements, solos, duets and ensembles.
Their distinctive sound blended rich Ukrainian and Slavic choral harmonies with contemporary Christian worship. During the morning session, the choir shared eight songs, including Wonderful Merciful Saviour and The Lord Bless You and Keep You. A particular highlight came when the men’s ensemble received such an appreciative response that they were invited to perform their song again.
The musical worship was followed by a short message from Pastor Wilfred Masih, based on Psalm 40:3: “He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God.”
Reflecting on what it means for God to give someone a new song, Masih said: “We sing because grace is real. We sing because forgiveness is possible. We sing because the cross was not the end. We sing because the tomb is empty. We sing because Jesus lives.”
He concluded: “There is no pit so deep that His grace cannot reach you. There is no past so complicated that He cannot forgive you. There is no life so broken that He cannot begin restoring it. And there is no heart so far away that Jesus cannot bring it home.”
Local artists also contributed to the programme, including flautist Lucy Wade, Melanie Squires, Dan and Stella Urse from Elgin, and the Inverness Adventist Singers.
Following lunch and a time of fellowship, the Ukrainian choir returned for a further afternoon session.
Towards the conclusion of the programme, Maria, the choir leader, shared the story of how the group began. Its origins were among a small number of Seventh-day Adventist families who arrived in Scotland from Ukraine following the outbreak of war. Singing became a natural part of their gatherings, and as more families arrived, Maria began bringing their voices together as a choir.
What began with a few families has since grown into a ministry blessing audiences across Scotland, demonstrating how shared faith and music can help create community in a new country.
The impact of the day was reflected in the comments received from visitors. Two local residents who attended after seeing a Gospel Fest poster said they had “thoroughly enjoyed the music and singing and would certainly come to another Gospel Fest”. Visitors from Fort William described it as “refreshing to experience worship presented in such a welcoming way, with musical praise woven throughout the day”.
Another guest shared that while the music had been inspiring, the preaching had brought a new sense of peace to their soul.
Those attending included people connected with local Baptist, Church of Scotland and Catholic congregations, alongside others who had simply come out of curiosity. The day also created natural opportunities for conversations about faith, including one visitor asking why Seventh-day Adventists worship on Saturday, opening a discussion about the biblical basis of the seventh-day Sabbath.
Throughout the day, new friendships were formed, contact details exchanged and meaningful conversations shared.
With strong support already expressed for another Gospel Fest next year, Gospel Fest ’26 demonstrated how music can bring worship, community and mission together, providing a local expression of the OneVoice27 call to pray together, share Christ and make disciples.
Gospel Fest ’26 welcomed around 100 people to Inverness Seventh-day Adventist Church, including first-time visitors and members of the wider Christian community, demonstrating how music can create new opportunities for connection and faith-sharing.
On Saturday 12 September, Inverness Seventh-day Adventist Church welcomed guests from across the local community for Gospel Fest ’26, a day of worship, music and fellowship.
At its peak, around 100 people were in attendance, including many visitors from the local community. Some came from neighbouring churches, others travelled from as far as Fort William, and several were visiting an Adventist church for the first time.
Held during the launch period of OneVoice27, the worldwide Adventist initiative emphasising prayer, sharing Christ and making disciples, Gospel Fest ’26 offered a practical example of how that vision can find local expression through music and Christian community.
The principal guests were the Ukrainian Adventist Gospel Choir from the Paisley area. Singing in both English and Ukrainian, the choir presented a varied repertoire featuring full-choir arrangements, solos, duets and ensembles.
Their distinctive sound blended rich Ukrainian and Slavic choral harmonies with contemporary Christian worship. During the morning session, the choir shared eight songs, including Wonderful Merciful Saviour and The Lord Bless You and Keep You. A particular highlight came when the men’s ensemble received such an appreciative response that they were invited to perform their song again.
The musical worship was followed by a short message from Pastor Wilfred Masih, based on Psalm 40:3: “He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God.”
Reflecting on what it means for God to give someone a new song, Masih said: “We sing because grace is real. We sing because forgiveness is possible. We sing because the cross was not the end. We sing because the tomb is empty. We sing because Jesus lives.”
He concluded: “There is no pit so deep that His grace cannot reach you. There is no past so complicated that He cannot forgive you. There is no life so broken that He cannot begin restoring it. And there is no heart so far away that Jesus cannot bring it home.”
Local artists also contributed to the programme, including flautist Lucy Wade, Melanie Squires, Dan and Stella Urse from Elgin, and the Inverness Adventist Singers.
Following lunch and a time of fellowship, the Ukrainian choir returned for a further afternoon session.
Towards the conclusion of the programme, Maria, the choir leader, shared the story of how the group began. Its origins were among a small number of Seventh-day Adventist families who arrived in Scotland from Ukraine following the outbreak of war. Singing became a natural part of their gatherings, and as more families arrived, Maria began bringing their voices together as a choir.
What began with a few families has since grown into a ministry blessing audiences across Scotland, demonstrating how shared faith and music can help create community in a new country.
The impact of the day was reflected in the comments received from visitors. Two local residents who attended after seeing a Gospel Fest poster said they had “thoroughly enjoyed the music and singing and would certainly come to another Gospel Fest”. Visitors from Fort William described it as “refreshing to experience worship presented in such a welcoming way, with musical praise woven throughout the day”.
Another guest shared that while the music had been inspiring, the preaching had brought a new sense of peace to their soul.
Those attending included people connected with local Baptist, Church of Scotland and Catholic congregations, alongside others who had simply come out of curiosity. The day also created natural opportunities for conversations about faith, including one visitor asking why Seventh-day Adventists worship on Saturday, opening a discussion about the biblical basis of the seventh-day Sabbath.
Throughout the day, new friendships were formed, contact details exchanged and meaningful conversations shared.
With strong support already expressed for another Gospel Fest next year, Gospel Fest ’26 demonstrated how music can bring worship, community and mission together, providing a local expression of the OneVoice27 call to pray together, share Christ and make disciples.
