Members of the Milton Koinonia choir rehearsed in the basement of the Seventh Day Baptist church. The youth group is embarking on a week-long tour of the state starting on Friday.
JANESVILLE — People share faith in many ways. For 24 area teens, a 10-day tour filled with songs and skits is the best way they know how.
The students are all part of the Koinonia (that’s Koy-nah-knee-ah) singers through Rock Valley Youth for Christ. They will perform for 11 churches in Wisconsin and Illinois beginning Friday at Bethel Baptist in Janesville.
The shows are open admission but donations are accepted.
Larry Schultz has directed the show for about 35 years and said the entire performance has changed since the first tour.
“In that first year, they all wore jeans and white T-shirts, sang a few songs and read from the Bible,” he said. “Now we’ve got choreography and skits and costumes.”
The tour is themed “I see the light,” based on a verse from 2 Corinthians focused on God’s ability to bring light out of darkness, Schultz said.
“It’s really about allowing the eyes of the heart to see who God and Jesus is and come to know the lord and beauty of it all,” he said.
The choir travels between shows on a school bus, an experience that only brings the performers and their adult chaperones closer, said 15-year-old Julia Wasemiller of Milton. With two years of experience, Wasemiller said the trip is “extremely fun and incredibly random.”
“We’ll be driving down the road and see something interesting or a lake and just stop and get out,” she said. “There’s so much support and love in this group, like a big family.”
Sarah Caghey, 16, of Milton, said being able to show how much love she has for God and bringing other people to him is the best part of the experience.
“Once you start performing, he joins you in it,” Caghey said.
The choir members often stay with members of the churches they visit. The families feed the performers and give them a place to clean up. Getting to know their hosts and share their faith is the best part of the visits, Wasemiller said.
Being part of the choir can change even the quietest kid into a performer, Schultz said.
“It’s an opportunity for them to really grow,” he said.
KOINONIA SINGERS CONCERT SCHEDULE
Friday—7 p.m., Bethel Baptist, Janesville.
Sunday—10 a.m., Rock Grove United Methodist, Dakota, Ill.
Sunday—7 p.m., Hope Lutheran Church, Milton.
Tuesday—7 p.m., Faith Community Church, Racine.
Wednesday—7 p.m., Medford United Methodist Church, Medford.
Thursday—7 p.m., North Ridge Church, Abbotsford.
June 26—7 p.m., Parkview United Methodist Church, Turtle Lake.
June 27—11 a.m., New Auburn Seventh Day Baptist, New Auburn.
June 27—7:30 p.m., Richland Center Fellowship, Richland Center.
June 28—9 a.m., Lone Rock Congregational Church, Lone Rock.
June 28—6:30 p.m., Seventh Day Baptist Church, Milton.
Information: Rock Valley Youth for Christ office, (608) 758-3610.
