WORSHIP: Youth Choir
ECC YOUTH CHOIR
with everything within them. For any of you who were there, you’ll know that the auditorium was heavy with the presence of God, and the atmosphere was electric. When we have to rely on God, that’s when He’ll always show up. That Sunday morning service left me feeling so proud of where they had come - from that small meeting back in August 2017. Everyone knows that preparation is the key to success, and sometimes we don’t see the hard work that goes on behind the scenes. Learning one song for the choir could take up to three or four weeks, yet each young person is dedicated to learning their part and singing it well. The Youth Choir meet every Friday at 5pm, and for most of our youth that means coming to church straight after school. In winter, it might be dark and cold, yet they still come to rehearse, learn and socialise with one another. One of our key values is family, and we’ve always wanted to create a
space where our youth can feel safe sharing with one another. I’ve learnt so much about each one of them in the last three years, whether that’s their favourite Chinese takeaway order, or stories from their childhood. One Thessalonians 5:11 urges us to ‘encourage one another and build each other up’, and we can only do that by spending time with and getting to know one another better. I’ve spoken a lot already about how the Youth Choir came to be, and what they have been up to since then. But what does 2020 look like for us as a team? Since 2017, the gap I noticed on the Worship Team has gotten smaller and smaller, with young people signing up to serve – not only onstage but behind the scenes. Our Tech Team has grown tremendously, with quite a lot of our youth joining on the Sound and ProPresenter (PowerPoint) teams. In the last two years, we’ve had Nicole Turkson, Dami Olosinmo, Levi Blake, Afua Asiedu, and Olivia Itoje all sign up to run either sound or words for us for our Sunday morning and evening services. Both Nicole Turkson and Diana Tedesco have come onto team as singers and instrumentalists: Nicole learning bass, and Diana learning piano. A lot of you will also know Lamide Ajayi, who has the reputation of being ECC’s sole female drummer! You’ll find all three of them serving not only on a Sunday morning, but also at our Tuesday prayer
meetings and Women’s events. Both Joanna Smith and Olivia Itoje are also learning acoustic guitar – an instrument we don’t find all that often at ECC! There are also many more I could name who serve selflessly in our Youth Services and Choir – you know who you are! The next generation is rising up in the background of everything going on at ECC, and they are slowly coming to the forefront of their respective areas. Stand with us, not only by encouraging our young people, but also by praying that they would be on fire for God. They are called to be a generation that won’t back down or compromise – and one that follows the prompting of the Holy Spirit. Let us be deliberate in teaching our youth, and supporting them to achieve their full potential and purpose in Jesus Christ. Amen!
Rebecca Scott
GRAPEVINE magazine • Issue 102 • February/March 2020
7
