Youth band leads praise at Michiana District conference

South Bend's Clay UMC Youth Praise Band, a contemporary Christian group, was this year's entertainment and led praise worship at the Michiana District Annual Conference. To everyone's delight the band provided entertainment before the conference began, then during the conference, led the audience in singing contemporary versions of favorite hymns such as "Joyful, Joyful" and "Holy, Holy, Holy." The band features vocalists Ashley Bureau, Rebecca Vale, and Alyssa Thompson, along with Aaron Helman on drums and the Rev. Bob Vale on lead guitar. The Clay Youth Praise Band regularly performs at area Mega-Worship Services for youth, as well as with the Clay "ProClaymers," a group that visits area churches to perform both musically and dramatically to proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ.