Wingfield brings ministry of music to relief sale during Summerfest 2010

This year, during the Ohio Mennonite Relief Sale and Auction, praise and worship will go hand in hand with providing for the needs of people around the world through Mennonite Central Committee.Steve Wingfield, one of the nation’s most well-known evangelists, has always had a soft spot in his heart for the Ohio Mennonite Relief Sale. Wingfield and members of his ministry will team up with a number of local musical talents to create Summerfest 2010 in conjunction with the Kidron auction, which will begin with courses in sharing ones faith, and culminate during the relief sale weekend with a mega-musical bash.“I’ve always felt a real connection to the relief sale and what it stands for, and this is a perfect opportunity for us to join in with that wonderful event and really create something exciting,” said Wingfield during a recent visit for a banquet at Carlisle Village in Walnut Creek on Thursday, June 16. “I’m proud to represent the relief sale, because the spiritual dimension has always been a big part of it.”That opportunity included a number of possibilities for Christian growth, as well as creating a time of praise and worship through music, both from local favorites and from Wingfield Ministries’ team of talented performers.Summerfest 2010 kicks off with a series of courses called Sharing Your Faith. These courses, designed to help people learn how to properly share their faith, will be held Tuesday, July 20, from 6:30-10 p.m. at Grace Mennonite Church in Berlin; Wednesday, July 21, from 6:30-9 p.m. at Maple Grove Mennonite Church in Hartville; and Thursday, July 22, from 6:30-9 p.m. at Central Christian High School.“All God asks of us is to be faithful to him, and learning to share in our faith in a way that doesn’t intimidate people is part of that,” said Wingfield. “We need to learn how to welcome people into our world. We have to realize the great things that we can achieve by investing a little bit of time with someone in the name of Christ.”In a world which sees Christians as boring, judgemental and hypocritical, Wingfield said that these courses are designed to help people understand the importance of sharing with others in ways that plant seeds and make them feel welcome.As for the musical portion of Summerfest 2010, there is plenty of awesome music for all. A huge choir is being formed which will perform Thursday, August 5, at 6:30 p.m., under the giant tent located at Central Christian High School in Kidron. The choir will form and practices will take place Saturday and Sunday, August 7 and 8.From August 5-8, Wingfield will speak nightly under the tent, and musical performances will abound. On Thursday, August 5, at 6:30 p.m., the evening will feature a youth concert with local guest singer Jeff Polen, who will bring his soulful voice and guitar in the form of praise and worship music to center stage. Friday, August 6, beginning at 6:30 p.m., local favorite John Schmid will take the stage along with the sounds of Wingfield legend Carla Karst and the beautiful voice of Sam Van Horn. There will be all kinds of children’s activities under the tent beginning at noon on Friday, August 7. Then, at 4 p.m., Team Xtreme will show off feats of incredible strength as they bend iron bars, lift incredible weights and break solid concrete blocks, among other amazing actions, all while sharing about the power of Jesus Christ. Although he was born basically blind, Ken Medema hasn’t allowed that to stand in the way of becoming a fantastic singer-song writer. Medema will take center stage at 7 p.m., with a stage presence that reaches out to both young and old alike. Schmid and Karst will return for an encore presentation on Saturday, August 8, beginning at 6:30 p.m., wrapping up an incredibly exciting showcase of talent during the four-day event. In addition, the praise and worship band Festival Praise Band will play nightly starting at 6:30 p.m.In addition to the talent on stage, there will be plenty of other activities. There will be an all-day volleyball tournament on Saturday, and children’s evangelist Lesha Campbell will be there Saturday at noon.“Summerfest is designed to refresh Christians, reunite friends of the ministry and reach those who desperately need it with the message of Jesus Christ,” said Tim McAvoy, vice president of ministry operations. “We have put together an exciting array of talent that should have a broad appeal, and will be very family-friendly.”“This is an opportunity for all of us to reach out and make a difference in lives today in the name of Christ,” added Schmid.Wingfield Ministries is currently raising funds to pay for the major undertaking. Nearly $56,000 is needed to put on the event, but they currently need just $40,000 to make that goal. The ministry had a fundraiser banquet at Carlisle Village on Thursday, June 16, where they raised some of that funding, but more is needed. If you would like to help cover the cost of this life-touching event, you may do so by partnering with Wingfield’s ministry by offering your pledge. Those wishing to help finance Summerfest 2010 may send donations to: Steve Wingfield Evangelistic Association, c/o Festival Department, 2389 Grace Chapel Road, Harrisonburg, VA 22801. All of the money raised for the program will go toward the Summerfest activities. Wingfield Ministries will not receive any payment from donations to the festival of music. Those with questions may call McAvoy at 540-433-0769.