18/04/2026
Back in early February, Lester messaged a few of our Elm worship team members and friends to host a Praise and Prayer Night together, open to our community and local youth groups. It became something bigger and truly memorable for everyone that was involved and for those that attended. Here he shares some of his thoughts:
“That praise night felt like something more than just a planned event. It felt like the voices in the room carried us. There was a kind of unity and sincerity that we can’t manufacture. I’m really grateful for how everyone leaned into the playlist Sandy put together. You could feel that people weren’t just singing songs, they were entering into something cool, together.
One of the things that stayed with me most was hearing from the parents who grew up in that specific sanctuary before it was remodeled. Several of them shared that when they were younger, they had never seen that sanctuary transformed in that way, so Spirit-led, so alive. Some of the churches that attended even did a survey afterward, and the consistent feedback was that the praise night felt like a room filled with powerful voices and meaningful worship. I also received a couple of emails from parents who said the night was deeply impactful for them personally, especially as adults who hadn’t experienced something like that since their college years.
I wanted to make sure we had photos from the night, not just as memories, but as a way to honor what happened. Honestly, I don’t see this done enough in churches. These moments DO matter. They form us as Christians. So this was my small attempt to help capture it. The way the space was transformed, through moving images, sound, through presence, through worship, it was deeply moving.”
Coordinator/worship leader:
Counselor for guided reflections:
Worship leaders:
Vocalist:
Bass:
Percussion:
Audio tech:
Digital animator/videographer: of .tv
Photographer: Dawa of
