Catholic News Around Indiana

Diocese of Fort Wayne-SOuth Bend

Diocesan musician ‘discovers a way’ to the National Catholic Youth Conference

By Denise Fedorow (Today’s Catholic)

NAPPANEE—David and Terri Smith of Nappanee have been making music together professionally since the

mid-1990s. The multi-talented couple sings, plays instruments, writes and produces songs.

Recently their projects have been gaining more attention—winning awards and contests—including the contest for the theme song for the National Catholic Youth Conference (NCYC).

David submitted a song he co-wrote with Nick Cardelino titled “Discover the Way.” The Smiths said there were approximately 25 contest entrants, and Terri said, “We were hoping they’d pick it, but were surprised when we found out.”

The conference is being held in Columbus, Ohio, on Nov. 8-11, and organizers expect there will be an audience of 20,000 or more youths.

David will be performing “Discover the Way” with the house band.

Terri, who performs under her full name, Teresa Smith, recently released a new CD titled “Blooming.” She said her version is liturgical, and Nick Cardelino released a more upbeat rock style version. Both will be available for sale at NCYC.

The Smiths met at Anderson University and have six children ages 5 to 14. Terri home-schools the children, and the family currently lives in what was once Union Center Elementary School in the Wa-Nee School District.

“When this facility became available, we were able to live here and run our business [Icon Music Studio] from here as well,” David explained.

The Smiths first started working together as a duo, “Crossed Hearts,” and after a while their work got noticed by GIA Publications, which was starting a new company, Disciples Records.

“We were one of the first artists signed to the label,” David said.

The Smiths said they worked with Disciple Records for about two years until they found, with a growing family, it was getting more difficult to travel and tour. Also at the time, they were getting a lot of inquiries about doing projects with other Catholic artists. In 2003, they slowly started to build the recording studio.

“And it’s been growing since then,” Terri said. She often adds background vocals to some of the artists’ projects and still performs in concert as a solo artist.

On a spiritual level, the Smiths said the big word in their vocation is trust. When they first began recording, David was working full time.

When they decided to pursue music full time, they were trying to discern “whether God was calling us to it. We thought he was, but the scary thing was always the money when you’re trying to raise a large family.”

Sometimes people would tell the couple they were crazy to try to make a living in music.

“You might be right” was David’s thought, but it compelled the Smiths “to seek out God in prayer so we’d know what we’re doing is right.”

The couple prays the rosary regularly and goes to weekly adoration at the adoration chapel in Bristol.

“We go to talk to Jesus and find peace. It’s been really helpful,” David said. “Since we’ve been going to adoration, we’re much more peaceful about what we’re doing and more work has been coming.”

The Smiths have had their best year financially and, for that and all the awards, they thank God.

“Prayer before every decision is critical,” Terri said.

(To contact the Smiths, call 574-773-7171. Icon Music Studio is located at 69954 County Road 11, Nappanee, IN 46550. Visit their Web site at www.Iconmusicstudio.com.)

 

Diocese of Lafayette

Ten Commandments monument dedicated in downtown Tipton

By Caroline B. Mooney (The Catholic Moment)

TIPTON—Traffic was blocked off on Indiana Highway 19 as more than 200 people, including many local Catholics, gathered to dedicate a Ten Commandments monument in the heart of downtown on Oct. 21.

“This is really a divine thing—the community and Churches have been extremely generous,” said the Rev. Linda Philabaun, pastor of First Presbyterian Church in Tipton.

She also ministers at a church in Elwood, where a similar monument was dedicated in March. She spoke with members of the Ten Commandments Committee, who hope to place monuments in every county seat in Indiana.

Members of the Tipton Ministerial Association spoke at the dedication, and members of the Knights of Columbus and the American Legion raised flags next to the monument.

“We are a Christian community,” said Father Leroy Kinnaman, pastor of St. John the Baptist Parish in Tipton. “The ministerial association worked together to raise money for the monument and St. John’s held a pancake breakfast that made $1,300 for the project. The Knights of Columbus Council gave $500, and the Knights of Columbus Assembly gave $500.”

The cost of each monument project is $6,000.

Ten Commandments Committee members are available to help anyone interested in placing monuments in their community. All money contributed goes strictly to pay for the monuments. For more information or to make a contribution, visit the Web site at www.Godslawondisplay.com or write to The Ten Commandments, P.O. Box 267, Lapel, IN 46051. †