Children’s music camp revamped to include 7th-, 8th-graders

Children’s music camp at Shocco Springs Baptist Conference Center in Talladega is getting a face-lift this summer.

For more than 30 years, the Alabama Baptist State Board of Missions’ office of worship leadership and church music has been leading fourth- through sixth-graders in a weeklong camp during which they experience worship, recreation and fellowship time. But this year’s program, set for July 9–13, will be a little different.

“We are changing the name to Mix 456, and we are also going to add a tract for seventh- and eighth-graders called ReMix,” said Keith Hibbs, director of the office of worship leadership and church music. “What we are going to try to do with this is help train our music and worship leaders beginning at this young age. … Many of the people who are involved in music and worship leadership first caught the vision and felt God’s call on their lives during this week.”

Other changes to the program include student-directed worship times and more worship-arts training in the areas of piano, guitar, voice, worship technology, drama, creative movement and creative writing. Also recreation time will be increased and tied in with the theme of the week, Life is Good, Eternal Life is Better.

“This continues the tradition of older children’s music week in the past,” said Hibbs, who heads the camp program. “It’s more of an update to meet the needs of campers.”

This summer, Hibbs expects about 380 students from Alabama, Georgia and Florida.