National singers tend to perform at national venues, but when a local population works hard enough, sometimes their determination finds a reward.

Award-winning Christian musician Jamie Grace will be performing at Harmony Free Will Baptist Church on Sunday, Jan. 27.

Pastor Brandon Young said the local church earned the honor of hosting her after winning an online contest she hosted.

“She was hosting a contest to find ten churches across the country she would host a concert and conference at, and one of our youth sent her our information,” Young said.

Young said when Grace looked at their info and looked through their website, Harmony Free Will was the first church she selected to attend.

“When I first heard we had been selected, I thought it was some kind of scam,” he said. “But after talking with her and her mother, [Grace] said she saw all of the outreach we do and wanted to do something with us.”

He said Grace is originally from Beverley Hills in California, but her music has reached popularity among the younger generation of listeners.

She is not just coming to Elizabethton to put on a concert and leave, however. Young said the singer will attend church with them on the morning of January 27 beforehand. The concert itself will take place at 6 p.m. that night.

The following day, Grace will hold a conference for fans to attend on January 28, starting at 7 p.m.

Young said it was an honor for her to choose his church as a venue for her performance.

“It was a wonderful feeling,” he said. “I was excited she had looked at our website. She said she shared our vision as a church and as a community.”

He said Grace is an example of how to live a good, Christian life.

“I think she is a young person who is trying to do the work of Christ through music,” Young said. “Her heart is in it. It is not about the money.”

He said this kind of example is one he wants to encourage in the youth in his own church, especially the initiative that led to them submitting Free Will Harmony into the contest in the first place.

“This is a neat opportunity,” he said. “This encourages youth to pursue stuff like this in the future.”

Tickets are still on sale for the concert, and those interested can purchase them either at the church’s website, www.harmonychurch.org, or at Jamie Grace’s website: jamiegrace.com.

Young said tickets for both the concert itself and the conference the day after are $20 apiece. He said the prices Grace is going for are much cheaper than normal stadium venues charge.