|
|
Music Camp - Montreat Worship and Music Conference
News from Montreat Worship and Music Conference
This year at Montreat the 68 adults and children and youth had a wonderful week in the mountains! We attended fabulous classes each day: worship, choir, Bible, handbells, Orff, and “Fun and Games”. We were able to experience the beauty of North Carolina at a Nature Center in Asheville. We had the opportunity to reminisce with former FPC Minister’s wife, Lenoir Tucker, who joined us for dinner on Wednesday.
I have been to the Montreat Worship and Music and Conference twice. Going to Montreat has been an adventure physically, mentally, and spiritually. It was a sensation like no other, when I listened to all the different voices from around the world. Meeting new people and making new friends is always fun. Also when you meet new friends you figure out that we are all the same, even though we make speak with different accents or live far away. The very atmosphere of Montreat gives you a warm welcoming feeling on the inside. Montreat is also a beautiful place because you are surrounded by mountains and running valley streams. Singing and worshiping God through music means a lot to me, that is why I am looking forward to going to the Montreat Worship and Music conference again in the future.
Andrew W. Osmun
Let me outline some of the major events of my week at Montreat. On Sunday some of the high school and college kids went tubing down Deep Creek again but the water wasn’t very high and we kept on getting stuck (not as much fun as near-death experiences of previous years). After that we went to the farmer’s market in Asheville where I bought some pineapple jelly and Allison Van Sickle bought pickled garlic. We later learned that the side effects of pickled garlic include bad breath, smellier sweat, some childish noises, and an extremely giddy house of girls.
Joey Young was the man of the house as well as a great source of entertainment. We were also lucky enough to learn Allison’s secret signature dance move. We played a lot of card games, had a lot of dancing, a little drama, and in general, a good time hanging with each other and the younger kids, except when they came and blew an air horn in our window at 7 on the morning we were allowed to sleep in.
Lexi Ives was sick for a day and we were afraid her sister would have to pick her up but she recovered before that was necessary. That same day an overheated Gigi collapsed in front of me, Madeleine and Mrs. Roland while we were talking outside Anderson Auditorium. It’s a good thing we have so many attendees at the Music Conference because the news traveled fast and our talented medical professionals were there in a flash. Apparently when Gigi came to the EMTs asked her if she knew where she was and she responded with a clever “In the dirt.” Oh that Gigi J.
Libby Wood
Going to Montreat this year was probably my favorite year out of all my years and I owe that to the music. This year our choir director worked with us so that we would be perfect. One of the things he told us was, “Ok guys, we are going to hold the last note of this song until someone stands up and cheers, falls out of their chair, or yells ‘Amen’.” Why this stayed with me was because at the final concert when all of the senior highs were finishing the last note of “When I Survey the Wondrous Cross” the audience gave us a standing ovation before we finished. At first I didn’t understand what the “big deal” was. So what? We sang a complicated song and ended with a high note. Why was the audience crying? Then when I sat back down and reread it. The words were overpowering. I actually started crying reading over the words. I looked around and the youth my age were just sitting there. I was close to yelling at them saying “Do any of you realize what we were singing?!” It was a wake-up call for me. Hymns are not just songs that we stand up for and follow along. If you actually read the words and try to understand what you are actually singing, it’s enlightening. No longer will I just stand up and follow along with hymns, and I owe that to this year at Montreat. I never truly understood the idea of praising God through music until Montreat 2010.
Elizabeth Osmun
In Montreat, we do a lot of fun activities. This includes hand bells, Orff, choir, Bible study, fun and games, and many more. Montreat also brings people closer together by sharing a house with some of your friends, eating meals with our church, and spending time with people from all over America. Going to Huckleberry is always a treat. Huckleberry is a fantastic ice cream store located in the middle of campus. It has really good ice cream. This year, my group was lucky enough to have an air hockey table in the basement of our house. When we weren't studying the Bible or singing praises to God, we were having friendly games of air hockey. Montreat is really fun and I am looking forward to going next year!
Emma Summers
|
