Joedy Peter Melashenko
1948
-
Joedy Melashenko,
a member of a widely known extended family of gifted singers in the Seventh-day
Adventist Church, has enjoyed a career as a youth pastor, elementary school
teacher, and associate speaker and youth director for the Quiet Hour. He, with
his parents, four brothers - Lonnie, Dallas, Eugene, and Rudy - and their
families have provided an inspiring music ministry as The Melashenko
Singers for over fifty years.
Joedy was the second oldest of five sons
born in North Battleford, Saskatchewan, Canada, to
Joseph (Joe) and Anne Koleada Melashenko,
parents with a rich Russian-Ukranian heritage.
Shortly after his birth, the family moved to Glendale, California, where his
father sang bass in the Voice of Prophecy's King's Heralds quartet for two
years. The Melashenkos then returned to Canada,
residing on the family farm in the wheat fields of Saskatchewan for the next
eight years.
While conditions on the farm
were initially primitive, with the Melashenkos living
in a house with no heat, running water, or plumbing, they became a closely-knit
family who rose above these beginnings, celebrating their Christian faith with
singing and harmonizing hymns and gospel songs in the home. The Melashenkos’ first appearances in public as a singing
family were in a nearby Russian speaking church.
Beginning in 1958, the family
made a series of moves as Joe served as a teacher, pastor, and singing
evangelist in Massachusetts, Bermuda, Maryland, and Southern California. Joedy attended Mt. Aetna Academy while they were living in
Maryland and graduated from Loma Linda Academy in 1966.
All five of the Melashenko boys attended and graduated from what is now La
Sierra University, with three becoming pastors and two pursuing teaching. While
Joedy, who completed a B.A. in religion with an
elementary education teaching credential, was in college, he studied voice with
Moses Chalmers. Following graduation in 1970, he married Judy Slusarenko.
He then taught in the SDA
elementary school system and conducted numerous children's choirs. Later, while
serving as a youth pastor, he led several "Kids of Praise" singing
groups.
From the age of ten, Joedy knew that singing, though not a career,
would be an important part of his life. The family's singing, since expanded to
include his wife and the wives of the brothers and the next generation, has
continued unabated for over five decades. They have sung with different
combinations of the group in 26 countries for countless evangelistic crusades
and at numerous camp meetings and other church-related events.
Their first record, The
Happy Family, released by Chapel Records in 1964, was followed by a second,
The Melashenko Family Sings, in 1974. The
first three CDs they released, Generations, Step into the Water,
and Brothers in Song, the last featuring Lonnie and Joedy,
were subsequently followed by other CD releases and music DVDs.
The first DVD release, Melashenko Family Singers - Live from Arizona
Camp Meeting, included all 23 members of the family. A second DVD, How Great
Our Joy, a Christmas release in 2003, received an Angel Award from the
National Religious Broadcasting Association.
Another DVD, a two-hour +
family documentary-drama with 21 songs, God's Leading Through
the Generations, produced in 2003, was recipient of the prestigious Golden Star
Halo Award from the Southern California Motion Picture Council. An article
about this achievement that was printed in several SDA publications noted:
It
is a rare day . . . no, an almost-unheard-of-day . . . when Hollywood
recognizes any one that is not part of their 'elite circle,' much less anyone of
faith. A rare and unique honor was bestowed upon the Melashenko
Family recently when they received the "Golden Star Halo Award" from
the Southern California Motion Picture Council for their inspiring two-hour
musical docu-drama, God’s Leading Through the Generations.
Since
1936, the SCMPC has been recognizing and awarding many of Hollywood’s most well known celebrities. This organization prides itself in
being the conservative watchdog of Hollywood and one of its highest goals is to
encourage and award documentaries, musicals, and films that are family
oriented, wholesome and uplifting.
For
more than forty years, the Melashenko Family has been
blessing audiences all over the world with their Christ-centered music and is
well known in many Christian communities, but certainly not in the secular
world of Hollywood.
Parents
Joe and Anne raised their five sons on the wheat fields of Saskatchewan,
Canada. Music has always been an important part of their heritage. Even as
toddlers, the boys were singing in 4-part harmony.
God’s
Leading Through the Generations is a 2-hour musical docu-drama that traces their rich Russian-Ukrainian
heritage. Recently, the family traveled back to their roots in Canada and
relived many of the nostalgic memories of their past. All of this was captured
on film by Christian producer Cory Patrick Brown, who was also awarded for his
role as Producer.
When
presenting the "Golden Star Halo Award," the most prestigious SCMPC
award, to Joedy & Judy Melashenko
(Executive Producers) at a gala awards luncheon in Studio City, Barbara Anne
Evans, Vice-President of SCMPC, made these remarks. "Every family in
America needs to see this film. It will bring healing into our homes. It is the
missing ingredient in so many families!" What a rich testimony!
Every year members of the Melashenko family do at least thirty "Music with a
Mission" concerts to benefit mission projects through Quiet Hour
Ministries. The family has also been featured in numerous Voice of Prophecy
Reunion music videos.
Joedy and Judy now serve as Youth Mission
Adventure Directors and singers at the QHM. Their three adult children, JoAnne,
a dental hygienist; James, a chef; and Jason, a dentist, are accomplished
singers and regularly perform with the family.
ds/2011
Source: Information provided by Joedy Peter Melashenko, July
2011; Other online sources.
Discography
Records
The
Happy Home The Melashenko Family Singers,
Chapel Records, 1964
The
Melashenko Family Sings Chapel Records, 1974
CDs
Step
into the Water The Melashenko Family Singers,
1999
Think
About His Love (Brothers
in Song) Joedy and Lonnie Melashenko, 1999
Because
of Him Joedy Melashenko,soloist
1999
Reflections (Through the Years with Joe Melashenko), 2000
Generations The Melashenko Family Singers, 2002
How
Great Our Joy A
Christmas CD by The Melashenko
Family Singers, 2003
I
Believe Matt Melashenko, 2004
Smooth
Southern Gospel The Joedy Melashenko
Five, 2004
Keep
holding On The Melashenko Four quartet, 2006
Videos/DVDs
Live!
From Arizona Camp Meeting
The Melashenko Family
Singers, 2000
God's
Leading Through the Generations The Melashenko Family Singers,
Part I (Back home with the Melashenkos) 2003
God's
Leading Through the Generations
The Melashenko Family Singers,
Part II (The Legacy Continues) 2003
How
Great Our Joy A
Christmas Video by The Melashenko
Family Singers, 2003
Jesus,
Our Cornerstone!
The Melashenko Family Singers, 2006