Milford to hold Okoboji Youth Rally Christian concert highlights event

By RENEE WEBB, Globe editor
March 11, 2004

MILFORD - Youth groups in the Iowa Lakes area should mark April 7 on their calendars. That is the date St. Joseph Parish in Milford is hosting the Okoboji Youth Rally, featuring a concert by a Christian youth band, Faith Sound, from Harlan, Iowa.

"We try to hold a large-scale event every year," said Karen Schwaller, director of religious education at St. Joseph's.

The Milford concert is slated for 7 p.m.

The group Faith Sound consists of 20 high school students from Harlan and its surrounding communities. Eight play instruments and 12 are vocalists. Faith Sound describes their style as interdenominational contemporary music. Members represent 10 churches from the Harlan area. One band member, Erin Dammann, is from the Diocese of Sioux City as a parishioner at Sacred Heart Church in Manning.

Faith Sound, which will offer music and some personal witness stories, was founded in 1976. Since that time, over 230 people have been part of the group. The group has tryouts every October. There is a waiting list to become a member of the group. They play in churches throughout the Midwest, January through May.

"I think it great that we are having kids in this high school band because it will be youth ministering to youth. I think that is very effective," said Schwaller.

She pointed out that she learned of this group through a newspaper article.

She recalled that as a religious education student at St. Michael in Kingsley, she was impressed by a Christian rock band that her parish had hosted.

"It really affected me as a high schooler and that is the type of experience that I want to give kids that come to our parish religious education program. I also want to share it with other communities as well," said Schwaller. "I think it is important that we include other kids to have this experience. Whether it is a speaker or a band, I want to include other youth in the area."

St. Joseph Parish has invited Catholic and Protestant youth groups and religious education programs from the Milford area to attend the concert.

Termed the Okoboji Youth Rally, Schwaller sees this as a opportunity for area groups to come together "for a common purpose - to hear the word of God through music." It is also a chance for young Catholics to see others they may have met at other diocesan events.

While the concert is primarily intended for junior and senior high students from the Milford parish, Schwaller said the younger students from the parish are welcome to attend. It is scheduled during junior/senior religious education time.

"We are hoping that this time of year will get us past the bad weather and give the kids a chance to do something other than class as usual," she said.

If youth groups or religious education classes plan to attend, St. Joseph would like these groups to call in advance in order to have an approximate number in terms of attendance. Call Schwaller at (712) 338-2274.

St. Joseph will take up a free-will offering for the event.

The concert will last about 75 minutes, followed by time for the teens to socialize and reflect on the message of the concert with other youth.