Our Inspiration: Gloryland Pastor's Choir

"I thought at first it was going to be a pep choir and I would teach them children's songs. Come to find out, they had tremendous voices and it was an inspiration from the first rehearsal," Pastor Cedric Hayes of the Gloryland Pastor's Choir said.

What happened next, is history. The group quickly grew, and inspired so many, they were encouraged to enter adult choir competitions. Even as a youth choir, they still won nearly every show.

"It was very surprising because we're kids in an adult competition. You win something that big and it's amazing," Symphony Larose Hayes, a member of the choir said.

While inspiring others, Hayes found the choir was giving young people a place to call home, a place to be mentored and to gain confidence.

"It helped me to take responsibility and taught me discipline," choir member Cedric Hayes II said.

"It taught me to keep my head up, never let go, and stay encouraged," Symphony said.

While many of the choir members came from the church, several of them were in trouble and needed direction.

"We're teaching them there are other things to do other than running the streets and doing gangs and all of this other stuff," Pastor Hayes said.

Over the years, the choir continued to grow, and so did the accomplishments.

"Since we started in 2008, we've opened for Kirk Franklin twice, we've been on BET Bobby Jones Gospel, and we've opened for the Harlem Globetrotters," Pastor Hayes said.

Their next stop; a west coast tour through San Diego. This fall, a documentary about the choir will be released. In the meantime, they plan to continue inspiring others. Something these kids say they can't get enough of.

It's awesome. It makes me feel like a champion," Cedric Hayes II said.

If you know a young person who would be interested in joining the choir, you can find their contact information on the website http://www.thepastorschoir.com/