Youth Come To WCC To Enhance Worship Skills
By Tim Boyd
April 2008
The Youth Worship Arts Camp for 2008 was recently held at Webster Conference Center. Over 200 participants gathered for the event this year. Two new tracks were offered. There was a handbell track led by David Weldy, Minister of Worship at First Baptist Church of Shawnee, Kansas. The second new track was a photography track led by Stephen Smith, a professional photographer from Topeka, Kansas. The handbell track attracted 20participants for the weekend while the photography track attracted 40 participants.
This event has proven to be great for training and sharpening the skills of youth in various facets of worship. According to Bob Morgan, Minister of Worship at First Baptist Church of Chetopa, Kansas, the event this year was “a little better than previous years” due to the number of students and “more offerings of tracks.”
This was the first year that Morgan had brought a group from Chetopa. In previous years he has brought a group from another church. According to him the group from Chetopa “spread themselves around” because “there were so many track choices.” Morgan continued, “The strongest value is in the kids learning
that they can contribute to the worship atmosphere in the church.” Another strong value according to Morgan was “the bonding that occurs
among the kids.”
Jeff Lawson, Minister of Worship at Pleasantview Baptist Church of Derby, Kansas, agrees that this event is one of the more significant conferences during the year. According to Lawson, the camp “allows us to continue to meet needs of the local church youth and music ministries in relationship to worship.” He appreciates the “smorgasbord” of offerings provided at camp. Lawson is also impressed with the continuing quality of those who lead the various
tracks.
For Lawson’s church the praise band and drama tracks have been the most beneficial in helping enhance their local worship ministries. According to Lawson, “it always serves as a shot in the arm for the youth involved.” “It teaches kids about the spirit that needs to be at the center of what we do when we
worship and how we worship.”
Lawson also emphasized that this camp is for all sizes of churches and ministries in Kansas-Nebraska. Churches that are just beginning certain worship practices can use this camp as a way to jumpstart those ministries. Churches that are already well established in their worship practices will find ways to enhance what they’re already doing. If your church was not involved this year, make plans to be there next year.
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