Because one church cared, 60 children have learned to play the violin and cello. By next summer, many will own their own instruments.

“We were looking for an outreach opportunity that would also meet the needs of our members,” said Julio Tabuenca, pastor of the 250-member Bonita Valley Church. “We wanted to portray a family spirit for our members, as well as make new community friends. When we checked with local mall merchants for suggestions, they said, ‘focus on teens.’”

“This gave us an idea,” says Ingrid Neuharth, outreach coordinator. “A music camp—a safe place where kids could come for free music lessons and meet people they could look up to. The idea mushroomed. Family Seminars was the result, an evening program that would provide classes for everyone—from kids to grandparents—and would begin with a free meal.

“Our goal was to get people to visit our church so that we might plant a seed of kindness and spirituality,” emphasized Neuharth.

The church pastor talked with a member of the San Diego Symphony Orchestra, who then contacted the orchestra soliciting their participation in the project. The orchestra’s continuing education director agreed to provide the needed teachers at no cost to the church. Since orchestra members are required to give a certain amount of time to civic projects, three teachers were authorized to teach at the music camp. They also brought three of their own students to help. Instrument rental stores made available violins and cellos, and the church paid all fees for the eight weeks of classes.

Pat and Oscars, Casa del Taco and the Paradise Valley Hospital donated food for the before-seminar dinners. The Outback restaurant donated gift certificates for prize drawings.

Home Depot offered a class on gardening and home safety for parents, followed by dinner and the seminars. Sharon Vilarino, a physical therapist, invited parents to a fitness class. Keith Olson, Ph.D., a marriage and family professor at Bethel Seminary, presented a family seminar on how to raise boys.

Publicity included four-color, half-page ads which ran four times in the local section of the newspaper and flyers delivered door-to-door in neighboring communities. Church members invited their friends.

“We hoped that 80 to 100 children and parents would respond,” says Neuharth, but twice that number came. The first night 220 attended. About 60 percent were non-Adventists.

At the culmination of the eight-week program last August, the young musicians delighted their parents and friends with a mini concert. This wasn’t the end, however.

Phase II began last fall. Forty-one of the original 61 children registered to continue with group music lessons at the church for the coming year. In addition, the students received an ownership incentive. Those who come regularly and pay a small monthly rental fee will own their violin or cello by July of this year.

Current seminars for parents are focusing on more Christ-centered, Bible-based material, says Tabuenca. “Last fall parents could participate in a discussion of the book Experiencing the Heart of Jesus by Max Lucado. This winter we are studying the book Messiah by Jerry Thomas.”

By Edna Maye Gallington