Girls of Machida Open Bible Church getting a picture with Advent Now! after the concert
Members of Advent Now! interacting with kindergarteners at Matsudo Lighthouse Church
Advent Now! performed for Grace River Church at City Hall in Chiba
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Advent Now!, an ensemble comprising Lee students and faculty, traveled across the world to share the joy of Christmas and the gospel to the largely unreached people of Japan this past December.
According to Dr. Austin Patty, professor of music theory and director of Advent Now!, less than two percent of Japan’s population profess Christianity, so most of the team’s audiences had no understanding of who Jesus is or had ever heard the gospel message.
“People in Japan seem excited to come to concerts of Christmas music, and our audiences were so engaged and enthusiastic,” said Dr. Patty. “There is a lot of interest in our Christmas traditions, even though people do not understand why we are celebrating. At our concerts, they got to hear about Christ for the first time through the music and through a 15-minute presentation delivered in Japanese by Dr. Arden Jensen, professor emeritus at Lee. He got audiences laughing, interacting, and hearing the gospel in a wonderfully culturally-sensitive way. By drawing people to churches, the concerts expose people to believers in Jesus and open the door to further interaction.”
According to Dr. Patty, the majority of Advent Now!’s audiences were first-time attendees, and the group ministry encouraged several to come to the church’s next worship service. While audiences left encouraged, ensemble members also returned to the U.S. different than they left.
“This trip has impacted me as a believer and shown me just how much we take for granted as Christians in America,” said Jasmine Medlock, senior music and worship major. “The Christians in Japan do not have very much community and feel isolated at times, especially young-adult believers. When we got the privilege of playing music for them, I could see their mood shift and their faces brighten. It gives me so much joy knowing that we helped spread the joy and hope of Christ to the people who came to our concerts.”
While there, the team gave 18 concerts in a 12-day period and enjoyed some sightseeing in Shibuya and Asakusa. They left on Dec. 11 and returned on Christmas Eve.
“As tourists, we visited places such as Shibuya Crossing, the Skytree, and several places that were hit by the 2011 tsunami,” said Ms. Medlock. “I also got to see the ocean in Sendai for the first time in my life which was a magical experience to say the least.”
The group comprises Dr. Patty, violin; Dr. Jesse McConnell, instructor of tuba and euphonium, tuba; and Lee students Arami Andersen Antunez, violin; Avery Brokish, drum set and vibraphone; Allison Lamm, saxophone; Crimson Parsons, clarinet; and Mansfield Yiu, piano. Lise Berryhill, Eleanor Christmann, Victor Davis, Ms. Medlock, Kaden Pennertz, and Lillian Rogers serve as the group’s vocalists. They were joined by Jensen who shared a message in Japanese at each service.
“What a privilege it was to help make God’s glory known on the other side of the globe!” said Dr. Patty.
For more information about Advent Now! and Lee’s School of Music, visit leeuniversity.edu/academics/music or call (423) 614-8240.
AloJapan.com