Hope Shines Bright at London Ambassadorial Event

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Beautiful music, artwork, candlelight and food set the stage for a glorious evening with ambassadors, dignitaries and friends of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The event on 26 November 2024 was organised by the Church’s International Public Affairs team in London, England.

Savannah Stevenson, a London-based actress and singer, beautifully shared her talents with a couple of other specially invited West End guests.  In keeping with the evening’s theme of “Here is Hope, Stevenson said, “it was wonderful to bring my musical world together with this ambassadorial world presenting a selection of songs to create an intimate spiritual experience.”

Joining her in the programme were the acclaimed musicians and singers Kerry Ellis, a London West End favourite, who sang a beautiful rendition of “In the Bleak Midwinter” and then joined Stevenson in reprising their “Wicked” roles together in the powerful song “For Good.” Also joining the performance was Jenee Wright Prince who flew in from Arizona in the US to perform the evening’s themed song “Here is Hope” from the production “Lamb of God.”

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Foregoing a night of performance as Jean Valjean in the current London West End production of Les Misérables, actor Ian McIntosh wowed the attendees in singing the beloved prayerful song “Bring Him Home.” He commentated that the message of the song fitted well with the theme of the evening that there is hope in a God who answers our prayers and blesses our lives.

The evening began with an invocation by Reverend Canon Ann Easter, of the Chelmsford Diocese of the Church of England, followed by a message from Elder Robert F. Schwartz, an Area Seventy from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He shared a message of hope referencing Canon Ann Easter and recalling the life in 1948 of Cardinal Wyszyński from Poland by saying “like Canon Easter, like Cardinal Wyszyński, and like the life of Jesus Christ, we should see more clearly, act with bravery, live in thanksgiving daily, and carry forward the blessings that we bountifully enjoy. Here is hope.”

Andrei Miskevich from the Embassy of Belarus said that “it was a powerful evening. The organisers of the event were able to create a spiritual evening with songs and carols in a professional atmosphere. It’s a very difficult combination to achieve but they’ve done it”

Others shared expressions of similar gratitude. Octavio Perales Sanchez from Mexico said, “it has been a wonderful night. We have felt so welcomed in creating an excellent beginning in getting us in the Christmas mood.”

In an expression of thankfulness, Nitin Palan from the Neasden Hindu Temple in northwest London said that “within the simplicity of the evening was a message of love and hope. You could feel the message of friendship, comradery, and love.”

Cesar Olmos Corletto from the Dominican Republic said, “I am a man of faith, and I take the spirit of Jesus Christ and Christmas home in my heart this evening. I know that what you give away turns back to you eventually somehow in some other form.”

His Excellency Ivan Romero Martinez, Dean of the Diplomatic Corps to the United Kingdom and Ambassador of Honduras said, “I love the solidarity of friendship at this Christmas time. It was beautiful! Beautiful friends, beautiful words spoken and beautiful music.”

Savannah Stevenson, who previously sang a lovely rendition of “What Child Is This?”, was joined by Jenee Wright Prince in singing a concluding number of “O Holy Night”.  Donald L. and Kathleen McCoy Stapley, International Affairs Hosts who spearheaded this memorable event, concluded by saying, "we could feel the room swell with your presence and are grateful for who you are and the great goodness and hope you pour back into the world".