Blending sound & style at The Summit

Somewhere between the music and the message, people find a way to come into the presence of God at The Summit.

"It's simple yet it's profound," said Denny Reeves, director of music at Centenary United Methodist Church.

Music might be what draws them into the 9:30 a.m. Sunday service inside the Family Life Center at the church -- there's a blend of eclectic sounds from the mandolin, electric guitar and drums coming from the speakers.

The fusion of drama, video clips, music and a conversation with the pastor are part of each service, creating a blend of practical and spiritual lessons. Sometimes there's more of one aspect than another in the service, but then not everybody who comes to worship has the same taste.

Half of the nine-member band who leads the music is teenagers, the other half baby boomers. The goal at The Summit is to reach both age groups with its blended sound and style.

Barbara Rust, a Centenary member, said some people might think The Summit "is what the younger generation demanded and got, but we knew that we needed to reach out in a different direction."

Adding the third service provided some challenges and adjustments along the way for the congregation. The Summit is held at the same time as the regular Sunday school hour, which has been a hard transition, said Karen Mustoe, associate pastor. It's also been taxing for the staff to prepare for three services each Sunday morning.

There have been concerns that a contemporary service would create a rift in the church, but "it's just a reality of growth," Mustoe said. Any time you have more than one service, there is a chance that people will feel divided, she said.

Yet adding the third service has been good overall. Some inactive members have returned as regular attenders, she said. Many people like the informal setting, modern music and energy in the service.

When it set out to develop a new, contemporary service, Centenary recognized a lack of baby boomers and Generation Xers in its membership.

"We wanted to speak to the current culture and to keep our traditional service," Mustoe said. But since the church was steeped in tradition and accustomed to an organ over electric drums, adding a contemporary service required some education.

"We aren't getting that edgy, 20-year-old group," Mustoe said. But Reeves still wants the service to be on the cutting edge musically. "There's an incredible wave of new worship music," he said.

Music like "O Praise Him," a song by David Crowder that will be part of Sunday's service, is an example of that new sound. And as the praise band finds its groove, the worshippers can feel it too. "We're making them feel at home in the presence of God," Reeves said.

And if The Summit isn't where you feel at home, Centenary also offers a traditional 8 a.m. and 10:45 a.m. service in the sanctuary.

ljohnston@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 126