By Lucy Moll
Worship Anew Intern
If you watch “Worship Anew” this month, you’ll be in for a special treat. Zion Lutheran, a grade school in Decatur, Ind., brought the entire school to film three hymns to air on “Worship Anew.”
About 75 students, plus all their teachers, were greeted by our incredible staff when they arrived. Kristin Nussbaum, a teacher at the school, described her experience: “They were so kind, so accommodating. I felt like we were the King’s Choir.”
Nussbaum explained that she came up with the idea of recording for the program when she heard that their school theme was “Make a Joyful Noise.” Their school collects offerings for a different organization every year, and this year they graciously decided to donate those offerings to Worship Anew. They thought that it would be a good experience for the students to see where their donations were actually going, so they prepared three hymns to share with the viewers of the program.
Their choir director, Carl Risch, has been teaching since 1984. He taught all of the students three songs that they loved and, according to Nussbaum, “knew backward and forward.”
This is not the first time that Zion Lutheran has come together to support their community. In previous years, they have supported the Hope Center and other mission projects through chapel offerings and visited congregation members’ homes to do basic yard work.
While it may seem challenging to coordinate a recording with the entire school, Nussbaum said that she encourages every school to do it if possible. She hopes that her students saw how they could be witnesses for Christ through their singing, no matter their age. This matches their new school theme for this year, “Rooted in Christ.”
The Zion choir will share their talents on the program on Nov. 8. Tune in to “Worship Anew” on your local broadcast station or stream through our app or on YouTube. Learn more at worshipanew.org/where-to-watch.
Pictured above: Zion Lutheran School of Decatur, Ind. gathers in the Worship Anew Studio. One of their hymns was featured on the Nov. 8 program.