The Dennis Family’s 40th annual Christmas concert, “Behold His Glory,” is on for Dec. 3 at Tabernacle Bible Church in Wichita.

The family choir is composed of the nine children of the late Pastor Dr. J.P. Dennis Jr. and the late First Lady Sarah Dempsey Dennis, who led Saint James Missionary Baptist Church for 52 years.

Oldest daughter, Annie Dennis Montgomery, said this year’s concert will mourn the recent passing of her husband, Lincoln Montgomery, who died in September 2022 and the recent passing of their longtime guitar player, Carl Stovall, who played with them for 40 years.  

Annie said their Christmas Concert, as is their tradition, will not be a collection of traditional Christmas songs, but will instead include many well-known Christian hymns. 

“Every Christian song is a Christmas song,” she said. 

As always, the funds raised will go to charity, notably to Share the Season and if there is sufficient money to the Alzheimer’s Foundation and the American Cancer Society. 

Annie said she doesn’t know how long the Dennis concert will continue because her generation is aging and so far none of the 19 combined grandchildren have expressed an interest in continuing the tradition.

“Our legacy will be in music and we take joy in knowing that maybe we are reaching someone and giving them hope and love,” she said.

The Dennis Family singers include Annie, Jerris Dennis Martin, Larry P. Dennis, Cherrie Dennis Baldon, Lori Dennis-Johnson (Terre), Jettie P. Dennis III (Sheri), Donna Dennis Roberts (Wesley), Jacqueline Dennis Palmer (Kenneth), and Jason P. Dennis (Ashlie.)

The Dennis Family has recorded two CDs and were inducted into the Wichita Gospel Music Hall of Fame, Class of 2017.

The words to their theme song, an original written by sister Cherrie, read: “He is our Father. We are His children. And he loves us all. And if we are His children, then we are His heirs, which means we’re family brought together with love.”