MADISON – Youth at Messiah Music Camp will premiere the new musical, “Rockin’ with the Rock!,” to Messiah Lutheran Church’s congregation.

Messiah Music Camp is an excursion in music, drama and arts lessons at Messiah Lutheran, 7740 U.S. 72. The five-day camp will run June 5-9 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

For morning activities, campers will rehearse musical numbers, work with crafts, play games and enjoy snacks. After lunch, campers will have off-site recreation, such as bowling, swimming and roller skating.

On June 11, about 35 children and youth will perform “Rockin’ with the Rock!,” written by Lois Graff, Messiah Director of Music Ministries, and Rev. Scott Peterson. Youth will present the 40-minute musical at 8:30 and 11 a.m. worship services.

Graff and Peterson “have written seven children’s musicals over the years,” spokesperson Meredith Kilby said, “but ‘Rockin’ is their first new musical in 10 years.”

“’Rockin’ illuminates transformational power of the Spirit of the Risen Christ following Pentecost. Taking its title from Matthew 16:18, the musical follows the spread of the Gospel of Jesus Christ through the life of disciple, Simon Peter,” Kilby said.

“The children will act out events that led to Christianity’s spread to all nations (… in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. Acts 1:8),” she said.

Another first for Messiah Music Camp, 10 youngsters from Christ Kiswahili Lutheran Church in Nashville will participate. With their parents, they are refugees from West Africa. “The two congregations are forming a friendship that has blossomed through member visits since fall 2016,” Kilby said.

After years in refugee camps, many families resettled in the United States and joined Kiswahili Lutheran Church. Messiah members spoke to their pastor, Rev. Esther Ngoumo, and invited the Nashville youngsters to attend music camp. “That sounds terrific, but we’ll need to present it to parents as ‘Music Lessons.’ ‘Camp’ means something very different to these parents!” Ngoumo said.

The visiting children will stay with Messiah host families whose children will attend music camp. On May 28, some host families will visit Christ Kiswahili to get better acquainted with youngsters and their parents.

Also on June 11, Christ Kiswahili Choir will sing as part of worship at Messiah.

Music camp is open to children in grades kindergarten through ninth grade. Cost is $95 per child ($20 discount for each additional sibling).