National Fine Arts Festival concluded on August 6 in Austin, Texas. The festival attracted more than 8,000 attendants who all came to support young students in developing their ministry skills. Thousands of students, parents, guests, and spiritual leaders attended the rally helping youngsters to realize that they are a part of something much bigger than their local youth ministry.
"It has been a complete team effort, from the national youth ministries staff, to the volunteers, to the security staff, to Gospel Publishing House and Radiant Life Resources. It's just been good," Rick Lorimer, national Fine Arts director, says.
The importance of the event is not to promote among youngsters the sense of competitiveness, rather, it portrays a strong spirit of gathering, as Jesus gathers his disciples together, in order to reveal to them what potential talents that they possess which can help to build a hopeful kingdom of God.
"Our rallies are very much geared towards seeking God with worship, prayer and the Word," Lorimer says.
According to a news release from A/G site, the 2004 Fine Arts Festival Merit of Award Winners are as follows:
Individual Song Writing -- Suzi Land, First Assembly of God, Sallisaw, Oklahoma
Drama Solo -- Patrick Blakely, First Family Church, Albuquerque, New Mexico
Male Vocal Solo -- Noah Buboltz, Crown Pointe Church, Lee's Summit, Missouri
Short Story -- Mitch Alfson, River of Life, Blue Earth, Minnesota
Spanish Male Vocal Solo -- Carlos Santiago, Southside Assembly of God, Jacksonville, Florida
Sign Language Group -- The Glory of the Blood; Cory Behm, Derrick Behm, Johanna Mery, Steven Nugent; Faith Assembly of God, Poughkeepsie, New York
Small Human Video Group -- Bethlohemain Rapsody: Candace Cockerham, Taylor Crane, Cara Miles, Brittany Sivley; The Oaks Assembly of God, Dallas, Texas
Traditional Photography -- Sarah Cummins, First Assembly of God, Battle Creek, Michigan
First Person Essay -- Anne Marie Rhoades, Evangel Temple, Springfield, Missouri
Rap Group -- God's Battalion; Dawn Grannum, Kenzia Thomas; Green Point Assembly of God, Brooklyn, New York
Youth Choir -- Crown Pointe Church of the Assembly of God, Lee's Summit, Missouri
Keyboard -- Darreck Arneson, Brooks Assembly of God, Brooks, Oregon
Instrumental Wind Solo -- Erica Jensen, Bethel Life Center, Goddard, Kansas
Spanish Female Vocal Solo -- Sarah Maurel, Hosanna First, White Castle, Louisiana
Instrumental Ensemble -- Manassas Assembly of God; Ashleigh Moore, Rebekah Simmons, Michael Tavani, Nicholas Tavani, Stephen Tavani; Manassas Assembly of God, Bristow, Virginia
Poetry -- Lacey Gates, Faith Assembly of God, Uniontown, Pennsylvania
Rap -- Daniel Santell, Crossway Christian Center, Bronx, New York
Large Drama Group -- Crossroads Cathedral: Daniel Kines, Adela Lounmala, Josiah Luginu, Miriam Luginu, LaTresha McCarty, Caleb Padilla, Ryan Porterfield, Sharon Soleimani, Jeremiah Wooten, Joshua Wooten; Crossroads Cathedral, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Large Vocal Ensemble Group -- Grand Rapids First Large Vocal Ens. #2: Amanda Boon, Gracie Buck, Amy Dennis, Mandie Fitzpatrick, Monica Fitzpatrick, Kristen McLellan, Blake Miller, Atoya Powell, Richard Powell, Amber Tanis; Grand Rapids First, Grand Rapids, Michigan
Small Drama Group -- Vessels for Christ; Giovanni Giarratana, Anna Kay, Jessica Renney; First Assembly of God, Brooksville, Florida
Instrumental String Solo -- Nicholas Tavani, Manassas Assembly of God, Haymarket, Virginia
Visual Art -- Mark Johnson, Lakeside Assembly of God, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Digital Photography -- Gary W. Box, Glenwood Assembly of God, Sapulpa, Oklahoma
Short Sermon -- Chase Replogle, First Assembly of God, Jefferson City, Missouri
Sign Language Solo -- Rachel Cancino-Singer, Restoration Church, Phoenix, Arizona
Spanish Short Sermon -- Abigail Schimenti, First Assembly of God, Kenosha, Wisconsin
Female Vocal Solo -- Samantha Musa, Assembly of God, West Covina, California
Graphic Design -- Kyle Tucker, First Assembly of God, Iverness, Florida
Large Human Video Group -- Vessels For Christ: Jordan Cheek, Yamil Figueroa, Jennifer Babisch, Giovanni Giarratana, Joy Herron, Anna Kay, Shelby Petruzzi, Morgan Pollock, Jessica Renney, Cody Smith; First Assembly of God, Brooksville, Florida
Collaborated Song Writing -- Existence, Calvary Assembly of God, Youngstown, Ohio
Spanish Poetry -- Ylena Zamora-Vargas, Assembly of God, Monroeville, Pennsylvania
Guitar -- Jonathan Bradshaw, First Assembly of God, Battle Creek, Michigan
Large Vocal Ensemble Group -- Grand Rapids First Assembly of God #2: Amy Dennis, Mandie Fitzpatrick, Monica Fitzpatrick; Grand Rapids First, Grand Rapids, Michigan
Christian Band -- Russellville First: Jonathan Dickey, Drew Olson, Brianna Settles, Jarrod Settles, Joshua Treas; First Assembly of God, Russellville, Arkansas
Worship Team -- Grand Rapids First Assembly of God: Amanda Boon, Amy Dennis, Mandie Fitzpatrick, Monica Fitzpatrick, Tyler Haga, Ross Labardee, Teddy Ndawillie, Andrew Possehl, Atoya Powell Richard Powell; Grand Rapids First, Grand Rapids, Michigan
Exhibition categories; Honorable Mention awards:
Comedy -- Jesse Wilhelm, First Assembly of God, Ponca City, Oklahoma
Sketch Writing Group -- "Sunday School:" Melissa Nannarone, Katie Ryan; Alliance Family, Fort Worth, Texas
Video Production Solo -- Wade Bearden, First Assembly of God, Spring, Texas
Video Production Group -- Parkonio: Anthony Di Fonzo and Parker Severns; Grace Community, Flower Mound, Texas
Puppetry Group -- Allison Park Assembly of God Puppetry Group: Margaret Cale, Lori Ann Gorajewski, Sarah Lewis, Timothy Lewis, Anna Steinmiller, Mark Steinmiller; Allison Park, Pennsylvania
Website Design Group -- Rogers Website: James Brownell, Alex Shipman, James Trotter; Cornerstone Assembly of God, Rogers, Arkansas
Website Design Solo -- George Carballo, El Aposento Alto, Houston, Texas
Percussion Group -- Organized Chaos: Jeremy Campbell, Ricky Smith; Trinity Assembly of God, Fairmont, West Virginia
Percussion Solo -- Brennen Lesser, First Assembly of God, Spring Hill, Florida
For more information about A/G national youth ministries, see
