On Friday, May 15, Orange Lutheran High School’s Creative Worship team will host its annual Night of Worship at 7 p.m. in the Nechita Center. The evening will celebrate the Class of 2026 and bring together OLu students, families and the wider community through music, devotions and prayer.

The Creative Worship program at OLu began more than a decade ago under founder and former director Pam Hansen. Now led by first-year Worship Arts Director Karissa Raebel, the curriculum-based class serves as the school’s student worship leadership team.

The team leads weekly Praise and Prayer, a worship-based chapel service held during OLu’s Daily Gathering, and serves the local community through student teams that visit partner elementary schools to lead worship and chapel services.

In addition, Creative Worship participates in many of the performing arts events held throughout the year and leads worship at OLu’s ALL IN Freshman Retreat, the school’s annual freshman welcome experience held at Forest Home Christian Camp.

The audition-based class includes vocalists and instrumentalists who comprise a typical worship band, including drummers, acoustic and electric guitarists, bass players and keyboardists.

More than 40 students across two class periods are participating in the program this year. On the academic side, students take a deep dive into topics such as music theory and theology. A select group of students also takes part in the honors-level component of the class, which includes a research paper and presentation, as well as the opportunity to write and record an original worship song.

A unique program on a high school campus, OLu’s Creative Worship team reflects the diversity of the Lancer community, representing a wide range of students from throughout the school.

“I think that's what makes Creative Worship particularly special,” said Raebel. “It's very important because we are leading worship, and our job is to connect to the student body. So having a very diverse representation of our school is important because it helps more students feel seen from a worship perspective.”

Each Creative Worship class period is led by two student presidents, including senior Braydon Overton, who is in his second year in the program and is part of the honors cohort.

When Overton began his freshman year at OLu, he had little interest in joining extracurricular activities. But God had a different plan for his high school experience, and over time, he became involved in OLu Missions, Concert Choir and eventually Creative Worship, following in the footsteps of his older brother, Connor Overton ’25.

Now as a senior, Overton has attended 14 missions trips, is part of Vocal Jazz, and is on stage leading worship for his high school.

“Orange Lutheran has been such a blessing to me,” said Overton. “I never thought I would be the person up on stage leading it, but it's been awesome being able to do that… I've been able to receive so much from it and meet so many amazing people who have truly made me better in multiple ways.”

In his role as one of the Creative Worship class presidents, Overton strives to help all members of the team feel welcomed, just as he felt when he joined the program as a junior. He’s found a community that has become his spiritual family.

“We get to come together and be truly brothers and sisters in Christ and worship alongside each other and alongside the whole entire school,” said Overton.

Through his experiences at OLu, and with a heart for worship and ministry from a young age, Overton has chosen to study pastoral leadership at Lipscomb University in Nashville, Tennessee, beginning next fall.

“Being in Creative Worship has been a blessing,” said Overton. “My faith has been really encouraged, and it just reawakened my love for Christ. It’s taught me how to lead… and I truly felt like I belonged here. God has blessed me to be able to go to school here.”

As an educator, Raebel sees the impact Creative Worship has not only on the students leading worship, but also on the students and community members experiencing it each week.

“The idea with Creative Worship is that it doesn’t just happen here on campus,” said Raebel. “It’s not just a one-time experience. We’re preparing and equipping students to go out into the world as missionaries so that, wherever they go in life, they are followers of Jesus who share that love with others.”

The Night of Worship will feature worship sets led by each Creative Worship class period, along with devotional messages shared by students. The Nechita Center stage will be transformed into a candlelit setting, with OLu instrumental music students accompanying on strings. The evening will also include a time of prayer and a special blessing over the senior class led by campus pastor Tim Detviler.

“I think it's going to be a place where we can truly come together as a school, as a student body, to worship the same God and worship what he's done in every one of our lives,” said Overton.

In a new tradition beginning this year, all OLu Creative Worship alumni are invited to attend and join the current student leaders on stage for the closing song. Raebel and Overton said they hope the event serves as a time of encouragement and worship for students, families and community members alike.

“We try to program the night so that there's something for everyone,” said Raebel. “Sometimes we just need music that can touch us no matter where we're at, and so we’d love for people to come and experience that. During such a busy time of year, there’s no better place to be than in the presence of God.”

To reserve free tickets for OLu’s Night of Worship, visit lhsoc.org/arts/purchase-tickets