Today’s Herald-Mail newspaper from Hagerstown, MD, carries a story by Wanda T. Williams entitled “Called to Dance” featuring a young dancer from the Valley Grace Brethren Church in Hagerstown (Dan Pritchett, pastor). The lead paragraphs are reproduced here–to read the entire article, click here. (Herald-Mail photo by Joe Crocetta)
Like a minister who teaches from a pulpit, Joelle Shenk uses the stage to spread God’s teachings. But it’s no act for this 17-year-old who said she’s answering a “special calling from above.”
“I like to call it ministry through the arts. I love performing. I do it for the glory of God,” she said.
Shenk, an interpretive praise and worship dancer, has been acting, singing and dancing her way into the hearts of local Christian audiences since she was 4 years old.
In June, she’ll join New Life Drama Company’s Christian-based outreach performance ministry. Shenk, who recently got the news that she had been accepted by the Cleveland, Tenn., drama company, said she was on pins and needles waiting for the phone call. 