Read about the New Zion Youth Choir's recent mission trip from Music & Worship Director Nona Schwab:
Our New Zion Youth Choir, grades 6-12, traveled to Nashville, TN for their annual mission trip. We were glad to have 31 youth and adults participate in this trip and were blessed to have Ian Horner, a church member, serve as the bus driver from OK Tours.
The week was filled with work, music, community, and play. Each day of the trip began with Morning Prayer and concluded with Evening Prayer. The song "I Will Change Your Name" inspired the focus for our trip:
I will change your name
You shall no longer be called
Wounded, outcast, lonely or afraid
I will change your name
Your new name shall be
Confidence, joyfulness, overcoming one
Faithfulness, friend of God
One who seeks My face
Each day we heard a devotional and spent time in small groups talking about what our "names" are, what "names" we want, and how we work to live into who God calls us to be.
There was a different work or signing experience every single day. On Sunday, we sang in worship at Williams Memorial UMC, and through their hospitality, had breakfast for us before we started our day's journey.
In Nashville, we worked at The Giving Garden. This garden is associated with Franklin UMC. Everything grown and harvested from the garden is given away. We harvested tomatoes, beans, berries, squash, and 500 pounds of potatoes. The work was good, and the harvest bountiful for those who would receive it.
We also had the opportunity to work with Project Transformation. We spent the day reading, playing, doing arts and crafts, and getting to know the children.
On July 4th, we spent the day singing and visiting people in some local nursing homes. The youth always do such a beautiful job of singing, but more importantly, spending time with the residents and hearing their stories. This is always a meaningful and impactful part of our trips.
Of course, we had a little play as we visited the Country Music Hall of Fame and then the water park experience at the Gaylord Opryland Resort.
Our weeklong trips are consistently community-building and life-giving. The time spent together in work, small groups, meals, prayer, and play create bonds in a safe and faith-filled environment while strengthening the community and those we interact with. As always, we are grateful for the support of the church as we continue to grow in our faith through music and service. Thanks be to God!
