Students to give youthful flavor to concert

By KATIE LEFEBVRE, Globe staff reporter
Posted Nov. 7, 2002

Third and fourth graders from the Catholic schools in Sioux City will have the opportunity to sing with Bob Carlisle in his concert on Nov. 16 at the Orpheum Theater.

"We talked about it and thought that it would be inspirational," said Steve Elbert, diocesan director of the department of stewardship and development. "Bob Carlisle's songs pertain to children and we thought what better fit than to have a group of children from our Catholic schools represented at the concert? It is something that doesn't happen everyday."

The concert is referred to as the "Families in Need" concert and will benefit Catholic Charities.

"It encompasses what Catholic Charities is about," said Elbert. "Bob Carlisle is very much of a family, Christian performer and it speaks well to the services we provide."

Bob Carlisle is a Grammy, Dove and American Music Award winning artist and recognized as one of today's top Christian artists. He is known for his song, Butterfly Kisses that won a Grammy award in 1998, as best country song of the year.

"I'm really excited because I didn't even realize that Bob Carlisle was a Christian performer," said Sister Julie Tebbe, music teacher at Mater Dei School. "So the more I listen to his CD, the more I think that his message is really powerful. I think it is like the gift of music has the ability to really speak to people - sometimes speak more than what words alone can say."

The third and fourth graders will sing two of Carlisle's hits, Abba Father and We Fall Down, with him at the concert.

"We have been preparing since September," said Sister Tebbe. "It's everything from 'we're going to sing with somebody famous,' and then they think they are going to be famous. It is fun. They are really excited."

The concert is to benefit the families that Catholic Charities helps, but it will also give the students parents a time to enjoy.

"It brings a lot of joy to the families of those kids," said Elbert.

The songs that will be sung will bring the presence of God to the people in the audience. Sister Tebbe commented that when you share God's message through the gift of music it can really touch people and it is exciting that the kids have an opportunity to share in that.

"I am excited to get them into the Orpheum and to actually be on that stage and know that what they are doing is praising God through their song," said Sister Tebbe. "To see the look on their faces when we talk about it, their faces light up and their eyes just sparkle."

The "Families in Need" concert will help Catholic Charities in raising the money they need to serve the people that cannot totally provide for themselves.

"If Catholic Charities is going to be able to give the kind of help that people need, this concert will go a long way towards raising the money for us to do that," said Jerry Eaton, director of Catholic Charities. "What we have seen in the last few years is that everybody has faced real hard economic times. If we are going to respond and meet the needs, we have to have money and there are many families that are facing really tough issues. Because of concerts like this we can raise the funds so we can provide those services."

It will provide financial resources that may have not been there before.

"We are really appreciative to the people to come because not only are they getting a night of wonderful entertainment for the family, but you are also supporting the families, individuals, the children who we serve," said Elbert.