The United worship team rehearses before Vespers. For a performance at 9 p.m., they usually meet at 3 p.m. to rehearse, chat, and pray together. “I had never experienced a community like that before,” keyboardist Aviya Wadsager said. “We’re able to laugh and have fun, but we’re also able to be accountable for each other and talk about ways that we’re struggling.” | Photo by Maya Phillips

God moves behind the scenes

Worship teams go beyond performances to build community at Bethel.

Maya Phillips | Reporter

Tracee De Haan stepped out on stage for her final Vespers performance, surrounded by her team members. Their tuned instruments waited, their set lists and sheet music sat perfectly arranged on stands, and the lights were already dimming as Bethel University students filled Benson Hall.

De Haan, a senior nursing major, co-led the nine-member United worship team with sophomore History and Political Science major Sophia Kriz this year. They met last spring and named their team The Dinos after discovering their mutual love of dinosaurs. In September, they recruited a team of Bethel students from diverse years and majors who only shared two common traits: a love of music, and zero experience on a worship team at Bethel.

Videography by Maylon Anderson, Isaac Johnson, Sophia Meyers, Maya Phillips | Produced by Maya Phillips

“We’re all rookies at this,” said guitarist and junior business major Erik Kargel, “but the amount of growth that each of us has experienced both as a musician and within our own faith in Christ, at least on my end–it’s been exponential.”

The Dinos got to know each other quickly through rehearsals. On Wednesdays, they practiced from nine to 11 p.m. for their weekly chapel performance. Every other Sunday, when it was their team’s turn to lead Vespers, they met at the Lakeside Center at three p.m., practiced for two hours, had dinner together, played their set for soundcheck at seven, and wrapped up their night around 10:30.

Singer Alanah Barnes and teammates sit backstage before Vespers begins. All of these team members were new to the worship team at the beginning of the year, but they’re grown close through long practices together. “[Our] team has grown into a family,” leader Tracee De Haan said. “They’re truly, truly all blessings.” | Photo by Maylon Anderson

On top of that, De Haan said she and Kriz also attended leadership meetings and put in five or six hours of behind-the-scenes work every week. Over the last 10 months, De Haan and Kriz have put in the hours to draw their team and the Bethel student body together in worship.

De Haan wanted to see her team grow in their musical ability, their faith, and their roles as worship leaders.

“We felt like the Holy Spirit was leading us,” De Haan said. “Our team did amazing.”

Graphic by Maya Phillips

Above all else, De Haan says she’s grateful for her time as a team leader, and she considers each of her teammates a blessing. Her teammates feel the same.

“I’m so sad that we’re done for the year,” said keyboardist and sophomore Psychology and Social Work major Aviya Wadsager. “I know they’ll be my lifelong friends.”