By Jay Kennedy

Veteran musician Russ Smith leads worship at Camp Qwanoes

Every summer since 1995, Qwanoes has produced original music. Qwanoes’s mission is to present a vision for what life is meant to be and can be with Christ – Qwanoes calls it “life like no other” – and Qwanoes’s music is filled with this message.

The music ministry of Camp Qwanoes is called Q-Town (qtown.ca).

The name comes from Mathew 5:14-16: “You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden . . . Let your light shine before all men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.”

When campers at Qwanoes gather each day for Q-Town, the lights are shining, the music is rocking, and campers are being challenged to be that light to others.

Q-Town is definitely music, but it’s also a place. In the evening, campers come together in the giant Q-Town tent, where they are offered tons of music, awesome singing led by the band Quixotic, QTV video highlights of a camper’s day and a challenging message from a speaker.

At the core of the music is God’s truth, and as campers are enjoying the music, they are filling their minds with the message of Jesus Christ.

Since 1995, there have been 14 Q-Town albums produced, containing almost 90 original songs. A new full-length album is being released this summer called “Out of this World.”

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Each year a new theme song is written to help reinforce the camp theme, and this helps campers remember what the core message was while they were at camp.

A participant at Qwanoes recently said, “When I hear that Q-Town song, it takes me right back to camp, right back to all those great memories of friends, Q-Town and when I felt the closest to God I have ever felt.”

So, who is behind Q-Town music?

Russ Smith is the main songwriter and singer. No stranger to Christian music and songwriting, he was the lead singer of the well-known Canadian band Hokus Pick.

Russ and his band toured extensively in Canada and the United States, and in October 2007 they were honoured with a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Canadian Gospel Music Association.

Q-Town actually provides music all year long. Qwanoes has a weekly online radio program, with campers tuning in every week to listen to great music hosted by the ‘Squirrel,’ Russ Smith (www.qrok.ca).

To celebrate the 15th anniversary of          Q-Town music, Qwanoes is running an online singing contest called ‘Shine Out Loud,’ with lots of prizes every week during the summer (shineoutloud.ca).

Campers and summer staff are encouraged to send a video of them singing from their hearts and letting their lights shine.

While they’re at it, aspiring camp staffers would be well advised to check out one of the key products of Qwanoes Publishing:     a comprehensive resource known as The Christian Camp Counsellor.

The book includes sections on servant leadership, understanding age patterns and turning problems into  opportunities.

See qwanoes.ca.

April 2010