'Awaken 2008' comes to Sharpsville

By MEGHAN DURBAK
Tribune staff writer

July 20, 2008 11:05 pm

— SHARPSVILLE — He was a bit jittery before walking on stage.
Jon Keown had performed this piece numerous times, but this was the last practice before he and the Liberated Dance and Drama Ministry would perform for a weekend youth conference.
Hiding his camouflage pants and dark T-shirt under a long white tunic, he stepped to the forefront of the stage. Offering a quick prayer to heaven, Keown ceased acting like an 18-year-old and assumed the role of Jesus before he was crucified.
Across the gym the song “Worth It” was playing. Keown mouthed the words, words telling the story of Christians past and present who’ve died for their faith.
His fellow actors portrayed St. Stephen and St. Paul, and modern school shootings. This was one of 14 performances the Liberated team plan to perform at Heartland Ministries this weekend.
There are approximately 35 youth, ages 11 to 20, involved in the Liberated ministry. Through drama and interpretive dance, they hope to awaken a passion for Christianity in other young individuals.
“We wanted to stir our kids up with the passion we have to serve the Lord,” Heartland Ministries Youth Pastor Connie Cates said. “Serving him is not a religion really. It’s a lifestyle.”
It’s a lifestyle Cates often fears is lost amid the shuffle of teenage life and the various influences from media and peers alike. Looking for a new way to reach youth, Cates and a number of volunteers decided to host a conference called “Awaken 2008” Thursday through Saturday.
Cates said she wanted to create an atmosphere where God is the focus. She got the idea of a dance/drama team from a camp she visited in Alabama. While it was an unconventional way of preaching the gospel, Cates found it to be effective.
“Jesus was very unorthodox,” she said.
She was amazed to see how it has impacted many of the youth who’ve become involved in the dance team in the last four years. Many of them were leery of dancing on stage, she said.
“I wasn’t really too hot about it at first. I’m not a dancer,” Keown said.
Keown soon embraced the dance ministry.
“It’s less the dances we do and more the passion we do it with. They see that passion and it inspires them to do more,” he said.
Keown grew up in a religious atmosphere. Michael Ficcaglia, 16, didn’t. It wasn’t until he saw some of his friends involved in Liberated that he became interested in exploring faith.
“I can remember thinking there had to be something bigger. I never knew what it was. Than I got here,” he said.
Kelcey Lucas, 16, came from a similar background. After seeing how the dances changed her viewpoint, Lucas is hoping this weekend’s conference will do the same for other youth.
“I’m really looking forward to seeing how many people we can minister to, how many people show up,” she said.
The conference is open to anyone who wants to learn more about dance worship. Cates believes anyone coming to the conference will be moved by their performances.
“Literally the passion that exudes from these young people will stir up anybody — unless you’re dead.

If you go:
What: Awaken 2008 Youth Conference
Where: Heartland Ministries 3611 N. Ind. 19, Sharpsville
When: Thursday 7 p.m., Friday and Saturday 10 a.m., 2 p.m. and 7 p.m.
To register: Call (765) 963-2083; or at each session
Tickets are $40 pre-order and $45 at the door.

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