festival praise

Center For Cultural Events

Staff Reports

Thursday, 20 August 2009 08:00

AUBURN — The first Community Festival of Worship & Praise will take place Sunday, Sept. 6, at the DeKalb Outdoor Theater in Auburn.

The event begins with a worship service featuring a community choir at 11 a.m.
A praise music festival begins at noon with performances by seven Christian music soloists or groups.

Admission will be free. Donations will be collected for DeKalb County’s seven food banks and St. Martin’s Healthcare in Garrett.

“This outreach ministry is to demonstrate to visitors and to people in our community the joy and love of Jesus Christ, through music with a message,” Jerry Yoder of Auburn, one of the organizers of the festival, said in a news release.

The musical duo Age Old Stationery, including Kassi Brown and Ellen Coplin, will take the stage to sing at 10:30 a.m. before the worship service.
The Rev. Ted Jansen, pastor of Auburn First United Methodist Church, will deliver a message during the service.

Performers in the music festival will include Nancy Honeytree, Heaven Bound, the Dayspring Praise Band, Francie Bond, Committed and the Lakewood Park Worship Band.

People attending the festival are encouraged to bring lawn chairs or blankets for seating. The theater has some bleacher seats available.

Audience members also may bring picnic lunches. Mount Pleasant United Methodist Church will sell concessions including homemade ice cream, hot dogs and nachos.
In case of rain, the festival will move Auburn First United Methodist Church, 1203 E. Seventh St.

The festival’s best known performer, singer and songwriter Honeytree, is known as the “First Lady of Contemporary Christian Music.” Since 1983, she has been an ordained minister and has traveled to all 50 states and 22 nations.

Francie Bond was honored as favorite female soloist of 2009 by the Indiana Gospel Music Association. She sings a variety of Gospel songs including traditional, country, contemporary, Southern, and compositions written by her husband.

The Dayspring Praise Band’s volunteer musicians play current contemporary Christian music led by David Foster, creative arts pastor at Dayspring Church. Foster plays guitar and sings. Other members are Abby Houser and Annette Poling, vocals; Craig Suffel, drums; Ken Nelson, guitar; Mike Ruse, bass; and Kris Opper, keyboard.

The Committed Trio, from Lakewood Park Ministries in Auburn, has been singing together for more than five years, featuring a contemporary sound. Its members are Todd Page, a medical doctor; Dave Johnson, who works for Lightning Net; and Scott Taylor, music pastor at Lakewood Park.

The Lakewood Park Worship Team leads worship each Sunday at Lakewood Park Ministries under the direction of music pastor Scott Taylor.

Heaven Bound has been a part of the music ministry at First United Methodist Church in Auburn since 2003. Its six members — Dale Williams, John McLaughlin, Bill Jones, Bernie Muzzillo, Jerry Yoder and accompanist Carol Foley — sing and share the Gospel message across northeast. Heaven Bound has supported more than 15 mission and community projects locally and throughout the world.

The Community Festival of Worship & Praise is an official event of the Auburn Cord Duesenberg Festival, which takes place in Auburn each Labor Day weekend, celebrating Auburn’s classic-car history.

Nancy Honeytree

Francie Bond

Age Old Stationary is Ellen Coplin, left, and Kassi Brown

Members of the Gospel trio Committed are, from left,
Scott Taylor, Dave Johnson, and Todd Page

Heaven Bound includes, from left, accompanist Carol foley, Jerry Yoder,
John McLaughlin, Bernie Muzzillo, Dale Williams and Bill Jones