Coming Up: Shining Light reaches out to our local audiences

Starting this Sunday, April 15, Shining Light will begin a series of three performances in four weeks for our local audiences. The group will be reaching out to many local shelters and rehab centers, as well as performing for our friends, family and sponsors. If you're in high school or college, we also want to talk to you about joining us for the 2012-2013 season (or even this June's tour!).

Here's where we'll be performing:

• April 15, 6:30 p.m.: Penn State-Harrisburg Campus
• April 22, 7 p.m.: Lebanon Evangelical Free Church
• May 6, 6 p.m.: Teen Challenge Training Center

Shining Light rolls through the holidays and into the New Year!

Since our weekend in New York City, Shining Light has been busy! Starting the Sunday after Thanksgiving, we held our annual nexus' Got Talent show, with several Shining Light members sharing their art, poetry, and musical talents during an evening at the Bohn's Farm.

After a quick rehearsal in early December, the group traveled to Glen Mills School on December 11. The performance that night was very inspiring to the students there, and kicked off a long "talk time" where we were really able to share and interact with those in attendance. Our hosts also shared their inspiring story of their kidney donation/transplant that saved one's life.

The group had a few weeks off over the holidays, but got together on New Year's Eve for the annual nexus. More than 50 Shining Light members and friends joined the party, which was highlighted by the live nexus band, who performed two fantastic sets of music to ring in the New Year!

Finally, after a rehearsal in January, Shining Light traveled to New Life for Girls for our annual visit with the women at this rehab facility. This performance featured energy! Both the audience and the members on stage came away pumped up and inspired! This is always one of the best shows of the season, with such an amazingly thankful audience!

Shining Light also welcomed several new members in recent weeks, thanks to our relationship with Penn State Harrisburg. Several students have joined the group and have been regularly attending rehearsals, while three joined us at New Life. We are excited to have them with us and look forward to getting to know them as the spring progresses!

Shining Light takes on New York City!

The 70 members and staff of Shining Light recently traveled to New York City for 2 days of ministry on Rikers Island, New York City’s jail and the largest penal colony in the world. During ministry presentations in 2 facilities on the island, Shining Light saw about 400 of the 14,000 average daily inmate population.

After each presentation the group had audience interaction time with the inmates and staff. Warden Edmund Duffy also met with the group and shared about his how his Christian faith has influenced his rise to warden and his responsibilities as warden. He also noted that Shining Light is the largest production that does ministry there. This was the group’s 6th visit to Rikers.

During this trip, the ensemble spent 2 nights at the New York School of Urban Ministry in Queens, participating in their Saturday night outreach to the homeless on the streets of New York City. Groups from Shining Light took food, blankets, and Bibles to homeless people in the Penn Station area and Upper East Side. On Sunday morning Shining Light also attended the Redeemer Presbyterian Church “classical” service in Manhattan. Best-selling author Timothy Keller is the Founding & Senior Pastor at Redeemer.

See photos from Friday, Saturday and Sunday on Facebook.

Welcome to Shining Light

Welcome to the home of Shining Light, an interdenominational youth performing arts ensemble located in South Central Pennsylvania. Through the performing arts, we provide ministry experiences and leadership training for youth as we offer presentations in prisons, shelters, and rehab facilities throughout the United States and Puerto Rico. Learn more about us!