Enon Tabernacle Baptist Church choir taking message of hope on the road

The Enon Tabernacle Baptist Church choir, known for lifting spirits every Sunday, is now taking that powerful sound far beyond its walls.

Inside the East Mount Airy church, thousands gather weekly — drawn not only by the message from the Rev. Dr. Alyn Waller, but by the unmistakable energy of the music ministry.

But behind that sound, a familiar name is working quietly, shaping voices, building legacy and guiding purpose.

Garland Miche Waller, Enon's musical director, says music has always been his calling.

"I've been playing since I was 9 years old," he said.

That journey began with a moment he still remembers clearly, when his late grandfather, the Rev. John B. Waller, called him up in the middle of church with a question that would shape his life: "If I buy you a piano, will you promise to play for God and God only?"

It's a promise he's kept.

For more than 25 years, Waller has traveled the country performing alongside gospel legends like Jon P. Kee and even sharing musical insight with Kirk Franklin, but always returning home to serve the church that raised him.

Alongside his brother, he helped build Enon Music Group, an independent gospel label that has produced multiple projects, including their debut album "The Experience," which earned three Stellar Award nominations.

"Our basic premise was bringing church music back to church," Waller said.

Now, a decade later, that mission is expanding.

Through their nonprofit EMG Cares, the group is celebrating 10 years of impact by taking their ministry on the road, visiting 25 cities, hosting free concerts and donating $4,000 to a local nonprofit in each community.

The goal is simple: Meet people where they are, especially during difficult times.

"A lot of people are hurting," Waller said. "Gas is high, food is high, but in spite of what it looks like, we still believe God is the answer."

From packed pews in Philadelphia to stages across the country, Waller says the mission has always been bigger than music.

It's about faith. It's about community. And it's about keeping a promise.

"I know it's only God who has allowed me to be who I am and do what I do," he said.

And now, that promise — once made in a church pew — is reaching cities nationwide.