Katie Wieand believes in using her gifts to serve others.

That's why she is the director of the Outpour Community Worship Choirs.

The choirs rehearse in Grace Community Church of Willow Street, 212 Peach Bottom Road, Willow Street.

The Outpour Kids Community Worship Choir for children in kindergarten through eighth grade will practice from 6 to 7:15 p.m. on Thursdays from Oct. 2 to Nov. 13. The deadline to register at http://www.outpourkids.com is Sunday, Sept. 28. There is a fee, which includes music and materials and a performance shirt. "If finances are an issue, we have scholarships," Wieand said. "We have people in our congregation who have set aside resources to be able to help families."

There is also an audition choir for students in grades six through eight who are advanced and interested in specialized training in worship leading. The fall auditions have already been held. The winter session will start Thursday, Jan. 29.

The choirs are open to every kid regardless of location. "I think it's important for families to know that by joining a choir here, it doesn't mean you're leaving your church," Wieand said. "This is just like a a sports program that's out at a rec league, and you're just gaining skills to be able to use back at your school. This is here for the whole community."

The choir rehearsals will culminate with a free concert at Grace Community Church on Friday, Nov. 21, at 7 p.m. "That's open to the community for free, and the entire worship night is led by the kids and teens," said Wieand.

The choirs are celebrating their fifth anniversary. Wieand has led the kids' music program and the kids' Sunday morning worship at Grace Community Church for 13 years.

"When we expanded the (church) building, when we were gifted this, we wanted to be able to help other churches who may not have the facilities or the time to be able to help their raise their kids up to be the future worship leaders," Wieand said. "The church is going to need the next generation of leaders and pastors and worship leaders."

Practices are designed to be inspirational, educational, and enjoyable. "(Participants) will learn the worship songs that they're going to be leading in the concert, and they're kids so they need to break up their time of rehearsals," Wieand said. "In the middle of it, my husband (Matt), who is a science teacher at Martin Meylin Middle School, does the Bible devotions with science object lessons. Some things explode, and he maybe sets things on fire. There's lots of excitement, and it really captures the kids' attention, and they remember those things. When they're going home, they're sharing those stories with their families or their friends at school. It's a way that they can share the Gospel without just telling something they experienced in a different way."

Wieand's aunts Janet Zeager and Joyce Speer also assist. "They're using their gifts of loving on kids when they come in, they're greeting them, welcoming them, and just helping them, especially the kindergartners," Wieand said. "This is, for some of them, their first activity that they've been signed up for. We just find such joy in helping kids just feel excited to be here. We want the kids to grow confidence and not feel nervous by making it a relaxed environment."

The choirs' devotion series is called "Vibe Check." "We can only be effective as Christians if we are constantly reflecting on how we are interacting and how we're going about the day to day," Wieand said. "Each week we're going to focus on different things that help us to make sure our attitude is reflecting Christ. And it's a good lesson for adults, so as we're teaching it, it challenges us as well."

Wieand is doing what she loves and loving what she does. "My life verse is 1 Peter 4:10, using whatever gifts the Lord has given you to serve others as good stewards of his grace in our lives," she said. "The gifts that I have are teaching and music. That's my background. I went to college and have my master's in vocal performance, and I had a private vocal studio here in the community for 19 and a half years and just have a love for teaching."

She continued, "I can see the importance of the adult Christians that were in my life beyond my family growing up and feel that that's part of what the Lord's design is for our kids is - to surround them with positive Christian influences to support families and to support them. I look back at some of my favorite music teachers at church and just think about how they really made an impact in my life and gave me confidence in pursuing and using gifts that the Lord gave."