Worship band Pursuit hits the road this summer
Published: June 24, 2021
The 2021 summer Pursuit team rehearsing.
Matthew Williamson (electric guitar, vocals), Samuel Higueros (bass), Isaac Etheridge (drums), Team
Leader Marissa Horning (acoustic guitar, vocals), Team Leader Zane Simmons (electric guitar), Shauni Warner (piano/keys, vocals), Jesse Uphoff (audio engineer)
A team of students walks into GUs Black Room from their lunch break and pick up their instruments. On the edge of the stage is an economy-size box of fruit snacks. The musicians, some of them barefoot, begin to rehearse. This laid-back atmosphere seems appropriate for a group of musicians preparing for an eight-week road trip to lead worship at summer camps.
Pursuit, a worship arts ministry program, serves as an outreach of Greenville University. It provides a way for students (whether they major in music or not) to minister to others and gain experience leading worship. Throughout the school year, Pursuit teams lead in chapel services and Vespers and provide musical leadership for off-campus youth events. During the summer, Pursuit serves at various camps throughout the Midwest.
Pursuit Touring Manager Nathan Kriebel 16, who served on the summer Pursuit team in 2014 and 2015 as a student, says building relationships with team members and practicing what you learn in the classroom makes for a rewarding experience.
Its kind of a musicians dream in some ways, Kriebel says. You play music together for eight weeks, and you get better at what youre doing.
After a COVID-shortened tour in 2020, Pursuit kicked off summer 2021 on June 4 at Durley Camp near Greenville and travels through July 31 to eight different camps in Illinois, Wisconsin, Indiana, Michigan, and Pennsylvania.
Summer Pursuit team leader, guitarist Zane Simmons 23, says he welcomes the opportunity to spend the summer giving back through the camp experience, which impacted him as a young camper.
It was really amazing to see everything come full circle for me personally because camp is the environment that really changed me, Simmons says. To be able to go out and do that in return is really life-changing and exciting.
Pursuit touring manager Nathan Kriebel and audio engineer Jesse Uphoff watch rehearsals.
Pursuit members serve as worship leaders, but also help where needed with games or as camp counselors, guiding and assisting young campers.
We try to think a lot about how to be present with [campers] and not just be the people who are up on stage, Kriebel says. He adds that spending time with campers apart from worship, hanging out with them, and getting to know them sends a message that they are important and valued. Thats really special, he says.
The music tour also introduces middle school and high school youth to Greenville University. Kriebel names several current or recent students who can trace their attendance at GU back to first hearing Pursuit at church camp.
Kriebel, along with the summer Pursuit team members, say theyre looking forward to this summer as a time of spiritual growth for everyone and a way to offer community after COVID.
The Pursuit team appreciates prayers for safe travel and good health for the rest of the summer. Kriebel adds specific prayer requests that members:
- Abide in Christ and grow in dependence on the Holy Spirit as they minister,
- Be present with people, and,
- Have strength to endure as they serve week in and week out.
Follow Pursuits tour on Instagram and Facebook.
