A VIEW AT TWO FULL WEEKS OF MINISTRY FOR BECKY AND I!

Northside Baptist Church. The sign is announcing a block party that day (June 5, '24) promoting Vacation Bible School from July 15-19.

Ready to get tired out? I'd like to share what Becky and I have done/plan on doing from May 31st to June 16th. (This, of course, is in addition to my job and our normal responsibilities.)

May 31 - Becky goes to Wesleyan University in Marion, IN, and serves at Christian Youth In Action (CYIA), training teenagers to share the gospel at 5 Day Clubs with Child Evangelism Fellowship.

June 2 - I serve at church working the cameras in the media room.

June 4 - My interview with Jerrod Cunningham of I Am The Pendragon and XIII Minutes, posted a week ago. Yes, I'm in a phase of struggling to keep up with blogs on my set days that when I post it, I count that as an accomplishment. 

June 5 - I take part of a block-party at our home church, Northside Baptist, to promote Vacation Bible School in the middle of July. This is during the Crossover ministry, where in preparation for the annual Southern Baptist Convention, churches come to local churches in the city hosting the convention and help in the outreach. People came out of town and did the behind the scenes work while the church members were free to talk to any visitors. 

June 7 - Becky comes home from CYIA.

June 8 - We visit a couple of friends to celebrate the birthday of one of them.

June 9 - We go to a graduation celebration of the daughter of friends/former fellow church members we've known for years (two of three of the graduate's older brothers weren't born when we met our friends). Also, we served as greeters in the Prayer room for the Southern Baptist Conventions Pastor meeting and national convention.

June 10 - Writing this blog, which will be posted electronically at 6am the next morning. I was originally planning on writing this on the 8th so it could be up on the 9th, but yes, I missed another blog!

June 11 - When this has posted, I'm on my way to the Southern Baptist Church where I'll be spending the day being a greeter (taking a day off work for this purpose). My alarm is set earlier than normal, and I won't get home till after the time I normally call it a day. 

June 13 - Posting a book review of "31 Spiritual Lesson I've Learned From My Dog" by Raylene King. The authors and their rambunctious little dog are personal friends of mine. 

June 14 - Taking another day off work. I'll be driving up to Greentown, IN, to the Kingdom Come Festival, put on by Always 1 Ministries. Yes, I'm going to hear some good music, but I'm also going to be doing some volunteer work, and have the goal of encouraging and praying with several of my musician friends. 

June 15 - It's Saturday, so I won't be taking the day off, but I'll be returning to the Kingdom Come Festival.

June 16 - Father's Day. This will be the 5th Father's day after my dad went home to be with the Lord (Becky's passed in '98), so no plans to be with him, and the children we don't have haven't planned anything. (Maybe I should adopt some of the bands at the festival mentioned above?) But I will be at church in the media room again, and I plan on following my friend Nick Laurino's suggestion of wearing a Hawaiian shirt on Father's Day. Finally, I'm planning on posting a blog about a slight change in the day-to-day of this blog.

Yep, I'll be ready for a nap after all that. How about you?

 

TIS THE SEASON FOR FESTIVAL ANXIETIES AND DILEMNAS!

 

Divine Martyr, Get To The Point Festival. (Thought you might rather see them performing than the often used photo of yours truly with the band.)

Okay, who do I go listen to this year? Divine Martyr for the second time? True Revival for the first time? The Daniel Band for the first time in person, 42 years after the first time I heard them perform on a radio program?

And where's "Get To The Point" festival when you need it?!

Two years ago, I learned of Always One Ministry and their concerts: the two day, two stage summer Kingdom Come Festival (which expanded to 2 1/2 days last year) and the Pit in the fall. Unable to make it to either of those festivals.

And the same was true last year as well! However, I had an alternative. Did you ever hear of "Get To The Point" festival? Oh yeah, I did mention that a couple of paragraphs earlier.

This year? I might finally make it to KCF this year! It's only an hour away, after all. Though it had some competition. I have to choose between which two of my favorite bands I should support! Do I go hear True Revival at a bikers rally? Or do I go hear Divine Martyr and others in Kokomo?

Hush Harbor at Get To The Point

One thing I'd love to do is get better photos of artists. I had a photo of another of my favorite groups, Reclaim The Day, but it's blurred. (They'll be at KCF, but unfortunately on Friday, while I'm working.😢) I also took one of Scott Shireman, drummer of Hush Harbor, but it's also blurred! (Hush Harbor will be at KCF, but unfortunately they'll be at the Thursday night kick-off while I'm getting ready to sleep so I can work Friday.😥.) I did get a good one of me with Divine Martyr. Fortunately, I didn't take that ... I mean, it wasn't blurred.

Last year's Saturday line-up was fantastic, but it would have had me going from one stage to the other a couple of times. This year, Saturday has a good line-up, but this time, the artists I want to see are all on one stage, starting out with BRVVE (who I heard at "Get To The Point", performing as Brave WRSHP). 

Reclaim The Day, with BRVVE on left

Of course, there are bands I'd like to hear that I won't be able to. Undefeated will be there Friday. Zahna has a Friday acoustic set (I'd love to hear that) and closes the festival at midnight on Saturday (definitely past my bed-time). Theody, Forsaken Hero, and True Revival were there last year but not this year. And Worhol and Daniel Band have yet to be there!

Speaking of Daniel Band, they're going to be in concert on Labor Day weekend! But two things against hearing my favorite metal band. 1) They're further away (in Ohio). 2) Unlike KCF, it costs!

Back to KCF. I'm thinking of volunteering, so please pray about that. Should I spend my first time at the festival just enjoying it, or should I serve my brothers and sisters in Christ? Also, I want to be an encouragement to the fellow musicians, so pray about this. 

And keep KCF and other Christian festivals this summer up in prayer (including True Revival's Biker Rally this Saturday). Allow me to post the schedule so you'll be able to pray for the artists.

 

INTERVIEW WITH PHOTOGRAPHER JEANETTE YODER

 

Photographer Jeanette Yoder, photographed by Chad Fenner (Concert Fotos)

You may remember my interview with Angie Leyda of Always One Ministries, which puts on the Kingdom Come Festival (and if not, click here). And you may remember the great photos of the headliners and some of my favorite artists. That photographer is Jeanette Yoder, who I'm excited to interview. 

Description and Credits for below photos at the bottom of the interview. 

JR: Welcome to my blog, Jeanette. Allow me to start with asking how you came to Christ and how you became interested in photography. 

JY: I grew up in church and in a Christian home that made church a priority.  I was probably about 12 when I realized that I didn’t remember ever actually praying the “sinner’s prayer” and asking Jesus into my heart/life.  I definitely haven’t always been a “good Christian” since then and went through some pretty rebellious times in my life.  But finding a love of photography and pursuing my love of concert photography actually began to point me back in the right direction.   

As for my interest in photography, I’ve had a camera in hand of some sort or another since I was about 7 years old.  It started with a little 110 film camera, then a 35mm in junior high, and my first digital camera soon after I graduated from college.  It wasn’t until about 2010 when I got my first DSLR that I REALLY fell in love with photography. 

Soon after I bought it, I started doing some photos for some friends’ bands.  After they saw some of my photos of a friends’ band that had played a show there, I was asked by a small concert venue in Louisville if I would have any interest in being their venue photographer (although they could only afford to pay me in coffee and free concert tickets).  I became friends with Luke, the guy who ran the venue, and he and his wife encouraged me to actually start my own photography business.   And the rest, as they say is history.  My dream is to someday actually own my own studio space, but for now photography is still just a part-time gig for me (full-time I’m a high school Spanish teacher).   

JR: On your FB business page, you have a list of different cameras you use. How do you decide which to use for certain situations?

JY: Most of the gear listed there is actually lenses.  I’ve found that it’s more about choosing the right lens to achieve the look I’m going for, as well as the settings I use, than a particular camera body.  Some lenses do better in lowlight situations.  Some compress images more.  Some give me a shallower depth of field.  I do also collect some antique cameras and will still shoot film with them sometimes for personal projects, but that’s pretty infrequent.  

JR: I learned about your photography via Angie Leyda of Always 1 Ministries and your work with Kingdom Come Festival (KCF). Before I switch my focus to that event, what are some of your other photography career highlights?

JY:  Early on, I got to do some live photos of Twenty One Pilots (before they were signed to a label, when they were Regional at Best… pun intended).  Getting to work some of the smaller stages at Ichthus as a photographer in 2012.  Having Love & Death ask to use some of my photos that I did at a festival that same year as well as photographing several shows for them was another definite highlight (I had a number of friends who were big Korn fans in junior high and high school, so even though I wasn’t allowed to listen to their music when I was younger, getting to meet Brian Head Welch was a bit surreal).  But honestly, the biggest highlight has been ongoing- it’s the relationships I’ve gotten to form with people whom I may never have met if I wasn’t doing photography.   

JR: How did the blessing of working with KCF come about? What were some of your favorite moments of KCF (both as a photographer and as a fan)?

JY: In 2012, I was mostly just looking to get my name out there as a photographer.  I knew I enjoyed doing concert photography and just started searching for festivals and concerts that were within an hour or two from me.  I found KCF (only in its third year at that time), and sent a message to Jay Karp (one of the A1M/KCF co-founders), offering my photography services in exchange for stage access so that I could get the shots I wanted, along with access to food and water from hospitality so that my only cost was gas money to get there. I guess it worked because they gave me a photo pass and a hospitality wrist band.  I’ve worked/volunteered every KCF since.  Haha.

There have been so many great moments from KCF over the years.  I think in her interview (linked above), Angie Leyda referenced the “Holy Spirit Tsunami” that took place the last year that KCF was held at Foster Park in Kokomo (2014).  That definitely stands out as a favorite moment as a fan/attendee.  There’s also been what we’ve deemed “The Protest Effect,” where storms have literally dissipated, changed course, or split apart to avoid KCF on evenings that The Protest has played.  There’s also the legend that is “Tornado Tammy.”  Every year she has run the welcome tent, something happens where the tent flies away… except this year.  This year they got her a welcome trailer.  

As a photographer, most of my favorite moments have been ones where I get to capture the passion and emotion of a performance.  Well, that or when bands decide to pull shenanigans onstage, like Daniel Streety coming out dressed in a sumo suit this year. Things like that are always fun to capture on camera.   

JR: Has there been any “Such A Time As This” moment in your photography, where you know God brought you to a certain place or situation to glorify Him?

JY: Honestly, KCF has been one huge “For Such A Time As This” moment for me, year after year.  It’s an absolute honor to spend 2 full days (2 1/2 this year!) serving alongside some of the best people I know and doing it all to glorify God.  The festival exists because several people made it their mission to reach just one more person for Christ, using music as the platform to do so.  I know that working at A1M events like KCF has made a huge difference in my life, so I just want to play a small part in making that kind of difference in someone else’s life using the gifts/talents that God has given me.  Jay Karp always tell me that the festival gained credibility when I came along.  I think it would’ve even if I hadn’t come along, but I’m glad that God decided to use a little nobody from nowhere photographer to help grow a festival with a purpose.  

JR: Thank you for your time. How can we find out more about your photography and any services you have?

JY: It’s been a pleasure! You can check out my official photography page on Facebook (Jeanette Yoder Photography), follow me on instagram (@jyophoto81), and of course check out the KCF and A1M pages for some of my work.  If you have any questions, you can always get in touch with me at jyophoto@gmail.com.

Above photos from top:

1. 
   Jeanette Yoder (lower left) photographing The Protest, photographed by Katie Slater (Katie's Media).
2. Zahna (left) and Becca Sugg of Reclaim The Day, taken by Jeanette Yoder (Jeanette Yoder Photography).
3. Daniel Streeter of Bred 4 War, taken by Jeanette Yoder (Jeanette Yoder Photography).
4. LuLu English of Gold, Frankincense & Myrrh, by Jeanette Yoder (Jeanette Yoder Photography).
5. Jeanette Yoder (left), taken by Katie Slater (Katie's Media).
   

INTERVIEW WITH ANGIE LEYDA OF ALWAYS 1 MINISTRIES AND KINGDOM COME FESTIVAL

 

Photo courtesy of Jeanette Yoder photography, from Kingdom Come Festival 2014.

JR: Angie, when and how did Kingdom Come Festival (afterward abbreviated KCF) get its start? And do you ever get confused with a fried chicken chain?

AL: I’ll try to keep the origin story of KCF brief!  It starts with Chris Bousum.  He is my uncle, but acted as a big brother/father figure for myself and my brother, Jay.  Chris introduced us to Christian music when we were younger… Keith Green, Amy Grant, Daniel Amos, Phil Keaggy… just to name a few.  Several years later, Chris started writing music and wanted to form a band.  Jay became the drummer and I helped with back up vocals for a while.  The name of the band was Strange Reflection.  Chris and Jay had attended Cornerstone music festival in Illinois  a few times prior to starting the band, but after the band was formed, they were able to actually perform at Cornerstone on a few stages.  While they were there, they connected with a few bands and had a great experience.  

It was sometime after they got home that they were talking about the possibility of organizing a small festival.  Jay works in a security role at a high school.  He hears so many stories from the students. As bad as you think it is with the kids, it’s actually worse. These stories sparked a conversation between himself and Chris about doing something that could help the youth and the lost.  That was the birth of the first Kingdom Come Festival.  It was 2010. They reached out to the bands they connected with at Cornerstone and had 8 bands in 8 hours.  Jay would say it was a disaster, LOL, but the lead singer of one of the bands, Josh Randolph of News From Verona (later renamed Pioneer), would speak life over the festival and convince Jay that it was worth it to try again.  The next year I jumped on as coordinator and my husband as tech director.  We make the plans and give God the show.  This past year (2021) was our 12^th KCF!! 

And, YES, we don’t have folks say anything directly to us about KFC (Kentucky Fried Chicken), but when someone shares a post about KCF, I have seen a TON of folks comment and laugh because they read KCF as KFC and wondered what the big deal was!!  I will have to admit that I, myself, went to KFC and accidentally ordered a KCF bowl in the drive thru!  Ha ha ha!!

JR: You serve as the Event Coordinator for Always One Ministries (aka A1M). When did this ministry start, and what other activities do you have besides KCF (I almost typed KFC 😃)

AL: A1M is the organization we created after the first couple of KCF’s because we decided we wanted to do more than just KCF.  We have Pit Fest and our Christmas Outreach, but we also do other things here and there.  The name Always One Ministries comes from something God laid on the heart of Jay, my brother and our co-founder.  No matter where you are or what you are doing, there’s always one.. one person to reach out to or help or minister to.  Jesus was about the one.  The one lost sheep.  If we can just reach one… imagine the domino or even snowball effect that could have.  I mean, Billy Graham was just one…

JR: This year's schedule alone is too long to list in the blog, let alone those from previous years. Are there any particular performances that you would consider especially memorable?

AL: Any time we have artists cross over into another artists set, it makes the experience memorable for the attendees and we love that.  For instance Matt Sassano was performing this past year and he had a song that he released that featured Zahna.  Well, she happened to be there and snuck up on the stage with him to sing her part in person.  Surprised him and thrilled the crowd!  However, the performances that I think are etched forever in my memory came from the same day.  I think it might have been KCF 2014?? 

It started with Trevor Heyd.  He was doing his beatboxing and ministering and the Holy Spirit took over the place.  I had to run into my camper, which acts as our office at KCF, and when I came out, nearly every person in the crowd were on their knees.  I had never seen anything like it.  Next band to perform after that was The Protest.  During their set, a young woman rushed up on the stage.  She said something to Josh, the lead singer, and the next thing we saw was Josh getting to his knees with this girl and praying with her.  The music stopped, the rest of the Protest members joined in laying hands on her, other members of other bands that were hanging out behind the stage joined in with them.  That young lady found Jesus right there on the stage.  Josh later told me that what she said to him was, “I’m so scared to die”.  While that was going on, Adam Jefferson from Nine Lashes got his Bible out, preached a little message and had an impromptu altar call. Several people came down to accept Jesus or rededicate their lives.  Jay refers to it as the Holy Spirit Tsunami that took over that day.  There will never be enough words to describe how incredible that was. 

JR: The Friday of this year's festival, I was home in Indianapolis - about 50 miles south - and we got hit with hail around an inch in diameter. I don't know if you dealt with it, but how do you prepare for things like hail and COVID and power failures and the like?

AL: We do a whole lot of trusting God!!  For the last several years, we have held the event at the Howard County Vietnam Veterans Organization grounds outside of Kokomo.  So, as things come up, we discuss options with them.  Although, I will say that God has really done an amazing job of protecting us.  Nearly every year the forecast calls for storms.  Some rain is pretty common, but every year we watch the radar and the nastiest stuff will come at us and either dissipate or go around us.  Every. Single. Time. We just don’t worry about it because we know he is faithful.  We are also a very “go with the flow” type of fest.  My guess would be that if the power went out, we’d just do acoustic stuff, but we typically have enough generators around to take care of most of the issues we might have.  COVID has been interesting, but the timing of KCF has been great.  Where so many other festivals have had to cancel, we have been blessed to be able to keep going. Being an outdoor festival helps.  We did put the typical precautions in place.  Masks if you want, social distance when possible, hand sanitizer EVERYWHERE. Etc. 

JR: This year’s festival took place June 18^th and 19^th. What do you do the rest of the year to prepare for next year’s festival?  

AL: Well, right after the fest is over, we ask our volunteers to give us a list of what worked and what didn’t, while it is fresh in our minds.  And then, surprisingly, we don’t think much about KCF until late fall when we try to line up headliners.  Our brains turn to our smaller festival, Pit Fest, that happens in September at the Jonesboro River Rally and then directly to our Christmas Outreach.  After the first of the year, we line up the rest of the bands and then start the rest of the KCF prep!

JR: How has KCF made disciples, both in evangelism and equipping the saints for the ministry?

AL: That’s an interesting question.  Our ministry isn’t really called to make disciples, it is more for seed planting and introducing folks to Jesus, so they can have the opportunity to accept Him. Having said that, though, we know how crucial discipleship is!  If someone were to make a decision for Christ at KCF, we don’t want people to accept Jesus at the stage front and then send them on their way and tell them we’ll pray for them!  We have a crew available to give them little booklets that explain what they should do from this point…starting with finding a church home!  We take their info, if they want to give it to us, and then try to keep in touch and follow up with them.

JR: How can we learn about next year's festival? Any particular prayer needs for this ministry? And anything else you want to share?

AL: Our Facebook page is where we post most of the info, but we are also on Instagram and Twitter (@A1Mkokomo for both of those).  Our biggest prayer is that we always put ministry first and that God have His way with anything we organize.  We pray that seeds will be planted and lives will be changed.  We would love prayers for the finances to always be there, as well.  Prayer that God lead us to the bands that He wants to be at KCF would be great, too!!! 

As for anything else we would like to share, that is a dangerous thing to ask me, LOL.  I’m referred to as “the mouth of the ministry” for a reason!  I seriously could share so much more… about the impact that I have seen from the people involved in this ministry.  How God has touched folks.  Not just for the attendees, but the bands, too.  We have heard so many of them share how they were feeling a certain way, but just being at KCF has given them a renewed spirit.  It is like a big family reunion and we make sure to take care of every kind of need the bands may have so that they are fulfilled and can do what they are called to do.  I just couldn’t love this ministry more and am so completely blessed to be a part of it! 

Musician Photos from Top to Bottom:  Josh Bramlett (The Protest), Disciple (headliner Saturday June 19th), The Letter Black (headliner Friday June 18th), Matt Sassano, Zahna, Trevor Heyd, The Protest, Theody, Bred 4 War. All photos courtesy of Jeanette Yoder Photography except Trevor Heyd's, which is courtesy of Skip Johnson Photography.