- December 20, 2024
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Yvette Bynum, who has been sharing her musical talent with the Palm Coast United Methodist Church congregation for the past 11 years, is retiring as the church’s Voices of Faith Choir director.
The church, at 6500 Belle Terre Parkway, will honor Bynum with a celebration following the 10:30 a.m. worship experience on Sunday, June 30.
“We’ll have refreshments, a few words of appreciation and just celebrate who she is,” Senior Pastor Kevin James said. “She doesn’t like a lot of fanfare, but we do want to show our appreciation for her contribution to not just our church but to the community and her long years of music ministries that she has extended sharing her talent with others.”
In the past 11 years, Bynum said she has held just about every musical role within the church, including music director, director of the handbell choir, accompanist and the Voices of Faith Choir director.
She and her husband, Reggie, are planning to travel and see their grandchildren more, she said.
“I’ve been a church musician all my life since I was a child,” she said. “I’ve been playing piano since I was 3. I started formal lessons at 7, and I’ve been playing in the church since I was 11. I’ve done it a long time. It’s been a good run.”
Reggie is a singer in the choir. They met at music college.
Yvette attended a performing arts high school in Philadelphia and Westminster Choir College in Princeton, New Jersey. She received her master’s degree in counseling from Montclair State university and worked in New Jersey public schools for 30 years before moving down to Palm Coast.
She said she will continue to be a member of the church, just not in a musical capacity.
“I’ll sit in the pews, no more seat on the piano bench or the organ bench,” she said. “It’s been a pleasure to work there. Pastor James has been very supportive.”
James said replacing Bynum will be “a tough order.”
“One of her former classmates, Rhonda Calloway, assists us now,” James said. “But Rhonda works for the school system and wants to be part time. Replacing Yvette is huge.”
In an open letter of appreciation to Bynum, James wrote:
“Certainly we have been blessed to hear a variety of musical genres with the Voices of Faith Choir under your leadership. … On behalf of the church we want to thank you for sharing your ability to organize, play and develop this amazing choir.
“Finally,” James wrote, “Quincy Jones, the legendary musician and producer once said, ‘Music is the soul of the universe.’ Yvette, you have made the universe sing.”
