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Brian Londrow honored by MCC-Detroit

Jason A. Michael

FERNDALE – If ever you've had the occasion to visit Metropolitan Community Church-Detroit, odds are you've seen Brian Londrow. For the past 20 years, he's been a powerful presence in the church, playing the piano every Sunday, directing the choir with zeal and attempting to touch every soul who enters the sanctuary through the synergy of those two gifts.
Londrow, recognized last Sunday for his two decades of dedication to the church, said the time has gone by quickly.
"It's been an interesting progression," he said. "That church has raised me, if you will, and really seen me through a lot of things."
The gifted musician said it's been an honor to be of service.

"The history of MCC in the world and the United States is very important," he said. "And I especially think it's very important in Ferndale and the Detroit area because, unfortunately, a lot of our churches are still speaking that message of hate toward gay people. So I think it's very important that we're here."
Long before finding MCC, Londrow discovered he had a fondness for music of all types.
"I was very young when I started," said Londrow, who began taking piano lessons at age seven. "I would always listen to my mom play the piano, and then I started plucking out some things."
Londrow, who grew up in the church, got his first job playing for one in the United Methodist denomination. Eventually, however, when a new pastor stepped in and learned that he was gay, Londrow was fired. Some time later, he found MCC. He wasn't initially sure that he and the church were a good fit.
"I had heard about MCC and went and, actually, I did not like it," he said. "So I gave it another try and, once again, I didn't like it. So I sort of left it alone for a while."
Later, when he saw an ad the church had placed for an organist and choir director, Londrow decided to give it one more try.
"I went and I loved it," said Londrow, who pointed out that he later learned the church had been going through a ministerial transition and moment of instability during his first two visits. "So I put my application in and I was hired."
As music director, Londrow feels that ministering to the church at large is only half of his job. He feels a special concern to make sure that the members of his choir are spiritually fed. To that end, teaching the choir new songs and arrangements is almost secondary to his real work.
"There's all of the technical things – breathing and how to sing and what not – but that's almost easy," he said. "It's getting the confidence in people and bringing out their gifts and their talents. In my heart of hearts, I want my choir members to experience something life changing. I know that sounds a little Pollyanna, but it's true. It's not just a rehearsal or a service they're coming to or a job or even simply a hobby.
"What they're doing is something that can bring about change, and once they bring about that change in themselves, then they can go out and do that for other people," Londrow continued. "I think that music can minister to people in ways that the spoken word cannot."
Ellen Simmons, who has been a member of the choir for nearly as long as Londrow has been directing it, said his methods work.
"He pushes us to be better, not just for the church but for ourselves," she said. "He's an extraordinarily talented person and he shares that talent with everyone. He has vision."
Other members of the church see it too. LeMarr Fields, who has attended for the past six years, called Londrow "one of my favorite people in the world." Meanwhile, Pastor Mark Bidwell said that Londrow is "one of the most talented musicians I know. He can go from one extreme to another, and not only does he play it, he feels it. It becomes a part of his soul."
Outside the church, Londrow participates in other musical endeavors. He's been involved with the Detroit Together Men's Chorus for the past 13 years, and been their artistic director for the last five. He also recently joined the board of the Dearborn Heights Civic Theatre. His work at MCC-Detroit and his choir, though, holds a special place in his heart. He prays for his choir members, individually, on a daily basis.
"Every morning I get my coffee and that's the first thing that I do," he said. "It's just important and I encourage them to do the same thing. When things get a little hectic through the week, somewhere in the back of their minds they'll know that's there a group of people thinking of them and supporting them. It just builds a community in itself."

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