Who We Are
Music and Worship
Our Vision
To see disciples whose music-making reflects Jesus.
Our Mission
To provide biblical training and resources in music and worship for the everyday Anabaptist.
Core Values
God-honoring, theologically sound music
Enduring, engaged, authentic congregational music
Instructors who are aligned with these values
Giving our best in music and worship
Varied music appropriate to all facets of community and life
Education that supports the local church body
Accessible music that encourages growth in singers and audience
Collaboration of instructors and students in seeking God-honoring music
New music informed by the best of centuries of musical heritage
Where We Are
Central
Our central office is located in the center of Harrisonburg, VA. From there, we coordinate our PermaCamps, Mobile Camps, resource development, and all the other things we do.
Camps
PermaCamps are in Harrisonburg, VA, Holmes County, OH, and Hawkesville, ON. We have held mobile camps throughout the U.S. and Canada, including in Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Maine, Maryland, Minnesota, Missouri, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Texas, Wyoming, and two communities in Alberta.
Online
We have a growing online presence, including our website, YouTube channel, Sing for Joy curriculum, and other online resources, which are available for people regardless of location.
Who We Serve
Churches
Our goal: We envision congregations deeply engaged in worship through scripture, singing, and prayer, who are becoming like Jesus through regularly hearing the story of God and responding in repentance, praise, and obedience.
What we’re doing:
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Providing Mobile Camps and MiniCamps to bring instruction right into individual church communities.
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Providing Draw Near, a curriculum to teach hymn-singing.
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Providing Into His Presence, a songbook for worship.
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Surveying worship practices and needs so that we can help where most needed.
Schools
Our goal: We envision schools whose graduates understand music, sing in church, and have the tools to participate in healthy community music-making. Students are brought to this place by school boards and administrators who understand why God gave his people music, and by teachers who are skilled in teaching music.
What we’re doing:
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Creating a K-12 curriculum, Sing for Joy, for schools (the first three levels are available).
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Providing classes for schoolteachers at our PermaCamps, including primary and secondary education classes.
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Publishing textbook recommendations and other resources on our resources page.
Families
Our goal: We envision families who sing together, and who sort wisely through issues that confront them concerning music and media.
What we’re doing:
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Offering a range of opportunities for adults and children at our Perma Camps. Family packages are available at Ontario and Virginia.
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Providing articles and resources on subjects including family worship and teaching children.
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Providing Follow Me, a children’s songbook available in shape-note and round-note versions.
Individuals
Our goal: We envision Christians who have the musical skills needed to worship God in the ways he has given us, who honor God through musical choices in daily life, and who offer themselves in love to Christ and his church.
What we’re doing:
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Hosting Perma Camps in Ohio, Ontario, and Virginia to provide individuals with an experience of instruction and growth.
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Publishing online articles and resources and YouTube videos to provide inspiration and instruction.
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Sending updates on our work and regular thought-provoking and educational articles in our quarterly newsletter. You can sign up for our mailing list here.
Our Communities
Shenandoah Christian Music Camp was started with a focus on serving conservative Anabaptist communities. We don’t confine ourselves to benefiting only Anabaptists, and we hope to serve the church as a whole, but in general we do so by strengthening the music and worship of our communities.
Anabaptism is not a single denomination or a church group. It is, in fact, quite diverse and includes many different church groups with similar historical roots and perspectives. These churches originated in Europe during the Reformation as a distinct, non-centralized movement that was neither Catholic nor Protestant in theology or practice. The movement, called by some the “Radical Reformation,” emphasizes lived obedience to the teachings of Jesus and the apostles.
Some groups that we tend to serve are various groups of Mennonites, Beachy, Amish, River Brethren, Charity, Brethren, Kleine Gemeinde, and unaffiliated Anabaptist churches. We serve individuals from non-Anabaptist churches as well.
