Marie Barlow Martin sang before 50,000 people three years ago at the Osaka Dome in Japan, as lead singer for the New York Ragtime Orchestra.

She played Grace Farrell in the national tour of "Annie" and originated the role of Elena in the off-Broadway hit "Berlin."

And her success took her to 30 countries and brought her steady work in New York.

But she took a leap of faith and left the Big Apple and her musical theater career behind.

Today, she performs with her husband, Gordy Martin, traveling across the U.S. to offer audiences more than just entertainment.

"Before beginning this music ministry, I had sung musical theater roles all over the world," Marie says. "I enjoyed those years, but singing for churches and Christian conferences with a message of encouragement and hope has been more meaningful than I could have imagined."

Her husband, a professional musician for more than two decades, has contributed to at least 50 Christian and pop albums as a singer, musician or producer. He has lead worship in and performed in churches all over the world, and many congregations sing his published, original worship songs.

Together, they will perform a special New Year concert at 6 p.m. Sunday at Calvary Church, 1051 Landis Valley Road. Early arrival is recommended. Admission is free. A freewill offering will be received.

The performance at Calvary holds special meaning for the Martins, who live in Elizabethtown.

"We travel around the country so much, but it is special having a concert like this where I live, in a community that has welcomed me so warmly as one of their own," Marie says.

The Martins will perform songs from their three released albums, mixing Marie's soprano vocals with Gordy's tenor voice and acoustic guitar.

The Martins are currently recording their fourth album in Nashville with arranger Phillip Keveren.

The couple married in 2004 and settled in Lancaster County, where Gordy had already been living for two years, working as an executive for Menchey Music.

The story of how they met involves a chance meeting — over the phone — and sharing the story is part of their concert performance.

Before Marie, 40, ever met Gordy, she had had a lifelong love of singing and performing, beginning with her first school musical, "The Music Man," at age 15.

She says at that time a friend "shared the Gospel with me at a Mexican restaurant and I accepted Christ as my savior right then."

The daughter of a retired colonel, Marie moved many times as a child, but spent most of her childhood years in Lompoc, Calif.

She headed off to Malibu's Pepperdine University, graduating with a degree in musical theater.

She pursued musical theater for 20 years, performing in North America, Europe and Asia as a guest soloist with orchestras and operas and landing roles in many venues, such as Las Vegas' Venetian Hotel and Casino.

Meanwhile, Gordy, 42, was raised in Washington state, part of a musical family. By age 5, he was playing guitar and mandolin. In grade school, he says he found salvation in Christ at a Christian camp.

A music graduate of Moody Bible Institute in Chicago, Gordy had a love of leading others in worship and went on to work in church music ministry and as a professional studio musician guitarist and record producer.

Their paths crossed about four years ago.

"When Marie lived in New York, like most actors and singers, she had a part-time day job when she was not touring with the show," Gordy recalls.

She sold theater tickets, along with several hundred other people, in Manhattan.

One day, Gordy called for theater tickets. It was Marie who answered the phone.

"As we like to say, that was some first phone call because we were engaged and then married within 10 months," Gordy says. "It was completely by chance that we ever connected, and it's been a magical journey ever since."

Marie says that meeting Gordy helped change the focus of her life, but to change career paths took a leap of faith.

"She felt God wanted her to leave New York to begin a new life with me, but she had no inkling of what that life would be like," Gordy says.

She loved New York City, was flourishing professionally and moving to Lancaster County "was quite a culture change," he says.

"It really was only by faith she could do it."

The couple had no idea "that God had in mind a growing, national ministry," he adds.

The Martins soon felt God leading them to release a Christian album.

With the success of "Dancer to the Drum," released in fall 2004, the couple began receiving requests to sing for churches, Christian conventions, Bible conferences and Christians colleges around the country.

This year, the couple performed in about 50 concerts, including at the Christian Conference and Camp Association National Convention in San Diego, Calif.

"The CCCA convention is one of the largest gatherings of Christian leaders of all denominations in the United States," Marie says.

Already, they have more than 25 concerts planned in 2008, and they'll like do between 55 and 75 concerts, Gordy says.