The Vanderhoof Gospel Church rang with praise last week during The Wiebes live performance of harmonized gospel music.
“It was a spiritual experience, high energy and quite enlightening,” said Stan Giesbrecht, a message therapist in Vanderhoof who attended the concert.
Singing together since the day they met, Shane and Angela Wiebe have been married for ten years and share a passion for music and Jesus Christ. They have two children, Joelle 8, and Josiah 7, who have started accompanying them in their travels spreading the word of the lord through song. Joelle has even started singing with her parents on stage.
“We are so passionate about our faith and so blessed to be able to do what we do. One of our big motivations in terms of audience is having the audience journey along with us in the music,” said Mr. Wiebe.
The Wiebes began their singing journey in 2000 during a choir tour of Germany with the Columbia Singers. Two years later, the couple met again but this time because Angela, a pianist and violinist, needed a last minute accompaniment and was given Shane’s number. From then on they preformed regularly together and a couple years later were married.
In March of 2003 Shane made it to top five on CTV’s hit television show “Canadian Idol” where he worked with musicians including Lionel Richie and Gordon Lightfoot. By 2009 The Wiebes had formed their official release CD, “Into Your Light” which won Inspirational Album of The Year in 2010.
“Music crosses so many barriers you can feel it. Music is a gift and to share that gift with others is incredible,” said Mr. Wiebe.
Now having traveled Canada on and off for the past six years, The Wiebes have sang at countless churches across the country. Although it was their first time preforming in Vanderhoof, they were not at all surprised to find out they had relatives living here.
“We have found pockets of relatives throughout this country. People have come up to us and are distant relatives and invite us over for coffee and now were family,” said Mr. Wiebe.
This year the family started their tour in Manitoba and will finish in Northern Ontario after trucking through the parries and mountains with a the large RV hitched to the back of their truck. Most of their concerts are free but they don’t seem to mind.
“We may not be cash rich but we are experienced millionaires,” said, Mr. Wiebe.
