Last week, the church I attend, Southeast Church of the Nazarene, hosted its first Skills Camp. Usually towards the end of summer they have a basketball camp in which adults teach children basketball skills and a lesson about God and share Christ's love through all of the activities, but this year they decided to widen the skills taught. This year the skills were creative writing, art, soccer, and the subject which I taught, music.
Each day, we would worship God through music and then the leader, Miko, would teach a lesson about a bible character who persevered through struggles. On the third night, we studied Priscilla. In my lesson for that evening, I tried to teach the children how to sing harmony, so I talked about how Priscilla and Aquila were different people yet worked together in unison, just like harmonies. (Teaching young children to sing harmony is very difficult!) I also talked about how Priscilla and Aquila, along with the apostle Paul, traveled and strengthened the church; similarly, songs can strengthen us.
I taught the children one song that has strengthened me. Last Easter, during the Sunday evening service at the Iona Abbey, the theme was not being afraid, and singer and song leader Alison Adam taught everyone the song "Don't be afraid," a short song written by John Bell.
Don't be afraid, my love is stronger
My love is stronger than your fear
Don't be afraid, my love is stronger
And I have promised, promised to be always near.
Click here to hear a sound clip of this song.
