Jubilant Sykes: His ‘Name Suited Him Well’
Classically trained singer Jubilant Sykes also lent his vocal talents to the music ministry at Grace Community Church in Sun Valley, California. The church—founded by the late Pastor John MacArthur—posted, “We are saddened by the loss of our dear friend and ministry partner, Jubilant Sykes, and yet we rejoice that he is now in the presence of his Savior.”
In a tribute titled “A Gift and Showcase of God’s Glory,” the church celebrated “the goodness of God displayed in a life He graciously lent to us for a season.” Sykes first sang at Grace in 1978, but “above all, we remember Jubilant as a beloved brother,” the church wrote. “His presence among us was marked by generosity, warmth, and a genuine love for the Word of God. He worshiped beside us, prayed with us, and found joy in the fellowship of believers.”
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According to Grace’s statement, “Jubilant was a man whose name suited him well. His life radiated the joy of one who had tasted the mercy of God.” Despite Sykes’ fame, the church said, he had a “humble, steady faith, and a heart that longed for the beauty of Christ to be seen and heard through everything he did.”
While grieving Sykes’ death, the church praised God for his faith. “The same Savior who sustained him in life now welcomes him into eternal joy,” Grace wrote, “where every redeemed voice joins the song that does not fade.”
The church requested prayers for the singer’s widow, family, and friends. It wrote, “May we, as his extended church family, honor [Sykes’] memory by setting our hearts on the same hope that shaped his life: Christ, our resurrection and our peace.”
