Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
NORTH MANCHESTER - On Saturday, Sept. 26, Sing Me Home will host its inaugural Peace Camp from 1 to 5 p.m. featuring a variety of intergenerational activities followed by an evening program of live music from 5 to 9 p.m.
Featured performers include Emmy-winning singer-songwriter Chris Dorman, the Miami Nation’s Twigh Twee Singers, the Sister Song Circle from Fort Wayne and North Manchester’s own David Hupp, who will be closing the night leading a community choir performing his original choral compositions. Several local food trucks will also be on-site Saturday including Bear Bones BRBQ, Amor Columbian and Nourish Indiana.
On Sunday, Sept. 27, many of Saturday’s performers will also be participating in a morning worship celebration from 10 a.m. to noon that will also feature speakers Jonathan and Sarah Nahar, who will share about their extensive peace and social justice work. A community potluck will follow and the festival will close with several music sets featuring the soul/folk duo Rhonda and Greg and singer-songwriter Jack Wilson Fisher, both from Indianapolis.
Manchester Church of the Brethren Associate Pastor of Youth & Congregational Life Seth Hendricks serves as Sing Me Home’s co-coordinator. Hendricks said, “We are really excited to present two days of dynamic programming this year as we explore the theme Rooted and Rising. Together, we’ll honor the people, stories, songs and traditions that have shaped us while exploring how our roots give us courage to grow, change and rise into the future.”
Josh Adler is a senior at Manchester University studying music and peace studies and has served as Sing Me Home’s intern this year. Adler is coordinating the festival’s inaugural Peace Camp and is “looking forward to a wonderful afternoon of activities exploring what it means to be a peacemaker. We’ll be playing games, creating art, exploring nature, participating in a hands-on service project, sharing stories and making music. Peace Camp will be a great experience to share with friends, neighbors and family members of all ages!”
Ann Arbor, Mich.-based musician and North Manchester native Chris Good is Sing Me Home’s founder and co-coordinator. Good said, “At the heart of Sing Me Home’s mission is to be a cultural celebration that restores and inspires the heart, mind and soul. There is so much going on in the world right now and sometimes it’s hard to make sense of it all. We’re really grateful to be able to showcase a lineup of talented musicians and speakers that all speak to this moment in time with deep insight and contagious creativity. We hope that many from the surrounding community will join us to enjoy this free event!”
Sing Me Home is a collaboration between Manchester Church of the Brethren and Good, Hendricks and Hupp’s band Friends with the Weather. More information on next weekend’s festival can be found at singmehome.org.
