Written By: Olivia Anselment
The Worship Arts Collective is a collection of students who lead worship during daily chapels. Students have noticed a significant improvement in worship during chapel this year, so what’s the difference? How are things being run? What actually happens backstage? Dayton Dodge, the assistant director of worship arts, explains the team’s new structure to years past.
“We wanted to create a structure that was more together. Where pieces can be interchanged. To do that, we had to raise the bar for onstage capabilities so everyone would feel confident in that leadership role. We didn’t want it to feel like JV and Varsity.” -Dayton Dodge
The collective is made up of three teams, with each team having two mini-teams. They are run by two student leaders each and each mini-team has a point person. Mini teams primarily lead worship on Monday and Wednesday chapels.
“So, we thought, what if we attach two mini teams to a Friday team? Then those team leads could oversee the whole thing. Now we have 3 collectives all part of one big team.” -Dayton Dodge
Student leaders Rachel Rotz and Sophia Prigge say they have seen the collective blossom under this new structure, and while it is not perfect, they are ironing out the creases and rolling with the punches. They lead Team 3 and get to pour into all three of its groups.
“I’m very thankful for this position! I mainly help plan and prepare for Friday sets which involves figuring out songs, order, flow and we pray about what God wants to highlight for that chapel. In this position we get to help support the two smaller teams that are a part of our overall team.” -Rachel Rotz
Dayton shared his vision for the future of the WAC and his hopes for what it will achieve in the coming years. He has played a crucial role in making the WAC more organized and fostering greater collaboration within the team.
“I’m really excited for what’s ahead! I’m hoping for even more of what we have now—deeper connection, stronger chemistry, richer relationships, and greater cohesion. I also want this to be a place of growth and training, where students are not only equipped to lead worship here on campus, but also prepared to step into those roles beyond UNW.” -Dayton Dodge
With a new, more cohesive structure in place, the team has not only strengthened its onstage performance but also fostered deeper collaboration and connection among its students and leaders. The collective’s journey is far from over, but it’s clear that the foundation has been laid for a bright future.
