If you ask fourth-grader Savannah Gardner what was the most exciting thing she did this summer, you might be surprised to find that it wasn’t an adventurous vacation but Music Day Camp at Parker Memorial Baptist Church in Anniston.
Parker Memorial Baptist is one of Alabama’s churches that holds annual week-long music camps for school-age children.
The Monday through Friday camps are designed to introduce children to music in it various forms and to increase their knowledge of music.
Don Gober, Parker Memorial minister of music, said each morning the children gathered in the sanctuary for worship and devotion and then attended classes in music, crafts, drama or rehearsal. Music classes ranged from instruction in handbells, recorders, rhythm instruments, rehearsals for soloists and drama teams.
As well as singing and instrumental classes, some camps have activities that are simply fun or educational.
Don Campbell, minister of music at First Baptist Church, Birmingham, plans an outing for each afternoon of the church’s camp.
This year, students visited Birmingham’s McWane Center, and went swimming and roller-skating. “[The camp] is an excellent outreach tool,” Campbell said. “We usually have as many visitors as church member attending these camps.”
Gober feels music is important to children because it offers advantages as they gain skills in reading, thought processes and dexterity.
“Learning music skills is an activity persons can use well into their senior years,” he said. “No sport can offer that promise.”
The weeks usually conclude with a musical performance where the children present their new skills to families and friends.
Although the music is important, both Campbell and Gober say outreach is the core goal for the camps.
“I hope each child has an encounter with God during the week,” Gober said. “When boys and girls make decisions for Christ during commitment time, then our week has been successful.”
And if Gardner’s comment is any indication, it seems the camps are meeting their goals. Although she attends Westwood Baptist Church, Alexandria, where her father is minister of education, Gardner said she went to Parker Memorial’s day camp because she loves music and Jesus.
“We learned a lot of music and we learned about Jesus,” she said.
(TAB)
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