Happy 75th birthday, Baylor Religious Hour Choir!

The end of World War II brought with it a renewed sense of activity on the Baylor campus, as seen in the number of new facilities and traditions that opened or began in those first post-war years. The first decade at Baylor post-war included the debut of the Bill Daniel Student Center, Tidwell Bible Building, Armstrong Browning Library, Baylor’s Air Force ROTC program, All University Sing — and the Baylor Religious Hour (BRH) Choir, which is celebrating its 75th anniversary this spring.

As one of Baylor’s oldest student-led organizations, BRH has spent the last three-quarters of a century building community, encouraging audiences through music, and serving others.

BRH is an audition-based group, taking in about 50 students each year. Founded in 1948 by Dick Baker (who also wrote Baylor’s fight song, “Old Fite”), the choir took its name from its original purpose — to provide choral music for the Baylor Religious Hour, a student-led religious service held Wednesday evenings on campus. By 1951, the choir had established its role as a touring group, visiting religious venues across the south during the summer.

Today, BRH continues to lead worship on campus and rehearse twice a week in the Paul W. Powell Chapel inside George W. Truett Theological Seminary. They play a big part in the annual Homecoming Singspiration, as well as traveling to other churches around Texas to share the gift of music. And they continue to serve others around the world, with plans to travel to South Africa for a mission trip later this year.

Here they are performing “Christ the Lord is Risen Today” last Easter:

We can’t wait to see the impact BRH has — at Baylor, in Waco, and around the world — in the next 75 years.

Sic ’em, BRH!