In 1976, on the initiative of Mrs. Otilia Manea, in the Grant-Bucharest Seventh Day Adventist Christian Church, the chorus of children was founded, which began to support on a regular basis music programs in the church.
After Mrs. Manea’s leaving in U.S. in 1986, it was Mrs. Carmen Stoica who began to handle the choir. But after taking over the choir, Mrs. Stoica could not present more than two programs in the church, as in August 1986, at the indication of the Communism ruling of the Romanian State at that period, the building where the activities of the Grant Adventist Church used to take place, was demolished. In the period between August 1986 and May 1992, the activities of the Grant Adventist Church took place in a tent called Grant- Tent – Bucharest.
In this hard period, Carmen Stoica continued to take care with great selflessness of the young talents from the church. Although in the summer children were sweltering, and in the winter they were shaking by cold in the annexes of the tent (which were actually just some barracks), these conditions have neither discouraged, nor held them back from getting together and learn songs in order to praise the Lord; instead of decreasing, the choir increased in 1991 to 105 Children aged between 6 to 18 years.
Until December 1989, the children’s choral activity took place between the walls of the cloth tent, because the communist regime at that time did not allow religious activities outside the church.
The events of December 1989 brought unexpected opportunities for the choir to sing outside the church and children were not taken by surprise, because they had a backed activity within the church.
So, the transition from supporting programs in the church, to the public scenes in Bucharest and in country was easy and natural.
The first concert outside the church was given in March 1990, within the first evangelization presented by the pastor Lucian Cristescu in Romania, in the Tanase Theater of Bucharest, Victoria Hall. On this occasion, the choir needed a name and it was chosen as name the title of a well-beloved song: “Flowers and Stars”.
This first event outside the church was followed by an avalanche of concerts given in Bucharest, and also in other places of the country. The children did not choose where to sing, but they were present both on the concert scenes in Bucharest such as: Romanian Radio Hall (Sala Radiodifuziunii Romane), Multipurpose Hall (Sala Polivalenta), Children’s Palace (Palatul copiilor), Palace Hall (Sala Palatului), Palace of Culture (Targu Mures) and at the Community Centers in the Villages of Ghimpaţi and Izvoare, at the Center for disabled children in Tatarai, in the Prison in Codlea, at the Cotroceni Palace (Palatul Culturii) for the President of Romania, at the Romanian Police Forces and they also registered for the Romanian Television, etc.
The children choir “Flowers and Stars” participated in 1990, 1991, 1992 to the Laudae Domini Interdenominational Competition Festival of religious choral music and placed on the first place each time and in 1993 won the Grand Prix. It participated also in 1994, 1995, 1996, but outside the competition.
In 1997, the choir participated to the Yours is the Kingdom and glory Interdenominational Competition Festival and it placed on the third place.
The Children’s Choir “Flowers and Stars” brought everywhere through song and verse the message of Love of Jesus.
The Children Choir “Flowers and Stars” has given concerts in Bucharest and in other towns of Romania such as: Giurgiu, Bacău, Petroşani, Matca, Cluj, Constanţa, Timisoara, Braşov, Alba Iulia, Sighetul Marmatiei, Săpânţa, Reghin, Craiova, Sibiu, Piteşti, Arad, Câmpia Turzi, Războieni-Iaşi, Ploieşti and many other places.
It has also given concerts in Germany, France, Spain, Italy and Austria.
In 1998 the choir was invited by the Theodora Foundation to Germany, where it has given 9 benefit concerts in Hamburg, Kovahl, Lüneburg, Uelzen, HH.Berne. The money they obtained was donated for the building of the senior home in Cluj-Napoca / Romania and on their way home the children gave a concert in the Church of the Austrian Union Center in Vienna.
In 2001 on the initiative of the Romanian Diaspora from Paris, the choir has tour in France and has given 9 concerts in Paris, Anduze, Montpellier and Colette by Deze.
On their way home they have given three concerts in the Romanian Church of Vienna for the Romanian Diaspora.
In 2003 at the invitation of the Romanian Diaspora in Spain and Italy the choir has given 11 concerts in Spain – Madrid, Sagunto, Castellon and Zaragoza, between 4th and 16th of September and 5 concerts in Italy – Turin, Milan and Verona, between 18th and 23rd of September.
In December 2004 the choir was invited by the Romanian Adventist Church in Vienna and has given 3 concerts for this church.
In 2007, between 13th and 19th of December the choir accepted the invitation of the Ansbach Adventist Church in Germany, and has given concerts in the Adventist Churches of Rothemburg, Ansbach, Guntzhauzen and Nurnberg, and of the Romanian Baptist Churches of Nuremberg and Ansbach.
In 2008, between 14th and 24th of December the choir was invited by the Theodora Foundation of Hamburg / Germany to give a number of benefit concerts in order to collect funds for building a Mother and Child Hospital in Ghana / Africa.
In 2009, between 5th and 21st of April has tour in England, Belgium and Germany, where it has given 8 concerts.
In 2010, the choir was selected to sing at the fifty-ninth General Meeting’s Session of the Adventist Church, wich took place in Atlanta/the USA. and between the 21st of June and 13th of July, it held 17 concerts and miniconcerts within the manifestations of the General Conference, and also at the Adventist , Penticostal and Babtist Churches from Atlanta and Chicago.
In 2011, between the 5th and the 22nd of April toured in Sweden (Malmo, Limhams), Norway (Oslo, Lilehamer Ulsrud), Denmark (Naerum, Copenhaga) and Germany (Ansbach), wherw it sustained 10 concerts.
In 2012, between the 3rd and the 19th of April it had a tournament in Netherlands (Groningen, L’warden), Belgium (Charleroi), Germany (Heidelberg), France (Collonges-sous-Saleve) and Switherland (Gland, Lousanne, La Chaux de Fonds, Berna), holding 13 concerts in total.
In 2013, between 3rd and the 19th of April has toured in Europe: Germany(Heidelberg), Netherlands(Groningen,Leeuwarden, Bedum, Apingeadem), France(Paris), Spain(Amorebieta, Madrid), Portugal(Coimbra, Porto) and Italy(Milano), where it sustained 13 concerts.
Between March 1990 and March 2013, “Flowers and Stars” had more than 425 concerts and shows. In this period, the choir went through more than 100.000 km by train, coach and plane.
We thank God for His strong arm that defended us and for His eye that watched us in all these journeys.
Except for these shows abroad, it holds between 6 and 8 performances at the Grant Adventist Church-Bucharest, yearly. In 1993, the New Adventist Church went into service, being situated at about 100 meters from the place where the Old Church was demolished in August 1986 by the instruction of the Communist administration in that period.
In March 2013, the choir turned 37 years of activity and 27 since it is conducted by Mrs. Carmen Stoica.
More than 400 children have belonged to the choir for these 27 years.
In March 2013, the choir is made up of 80 children and it answers hereinafter with the same enthusiasm to all the invitations to sing in Curches or in public chambers.
We don’t know how long God will allow the existence of this Earth, but as long as He admits, the choir “Flowers and Stars” will not cease to present Jesus to the persons who are willing to know Him and His peace message for them.
And not least, we want to return our thanks to the ones that have helped the children’s choir along the 26 years literarily, musically and technically: Benone Burtescu, Lavinia Stoica, Lariss Enache, Anca Stroiescu, Cornelia Tutunaru, Bianca Visan, Amalia Uba, Cornel Mafteiu, Mihai Marinescu, Andrei Barbu, Ciprian Agapie, Ciprian Dragu, Gabriel Ciubotaru and Rene Stoica.
If you want to listen to the children’s choir “Flowers and Stars” in the Church or in your town, you can invite it sending a letter to the following address: The children’s choir “Flowers and Stars”, B.C.A.Z.S. The New Grant-Bucharest, Romnia, Code 060244, Street Lucacesti. Also, you can contact it at the E-mail address: florisistelegrant@yahoo.com ; renestoicarv@yahoo.com .
You can find out more details, accessing: www.florisistele.com .