Worship Arts Volunteer Spotlight
One of my favorite parts of working in church ministry is getting to know all different kinds of people. Lakeside is a place for you, wherever you are, and we have a diverse group that calls Lakeside home. Nick Sternad is one of my favorite people, and I’ve had the privilege of knowing him for several years. You may know him as “the guy who plays harmonica” on the weekends. I’m guessing there is a lot about Nick that you don’t know. He is an incredible man.
I had no idea what to expect when Nick first auditioned for our music team. In my conversations with people before they audition, I often get a feel for the kind of musician they are. Nick was initially hard to read. You can imagine my surprise when the first song he played for me was a Metallica song! His musical background and interests are vast and diverse. I LOVE this about Nick. He fits in beautifully with our full band music team and can make the harmonica blend with just about any instrumentation makeup our band throws at him. From guitar parts to keyboard pads, Nick is incredibly creative in how he plays his instrument, either mimicking another instrument (guitar/piano) or adding his own musical personality to the band.
Nick also uses his love for music to reach wider than his tribe as a licensed music therapist. He completed a two-year program training and equipping him to serve people through music. There is not only an emotional benefit to music, but there are physiological impacts that music can have on people when they are unwell. When my dad was in the ICU, a few music therapists visited, and I can’t tell you what a blessing those therapists were. They lifted our spirits with their music, and Nick does that now for others. I was curious if he was planning to start a whole new, post-retirement career, and Nick said, “I have no desire to go back to work full-time. This is my ministry now.”
Nick is a gem of a human, and we are blessed to have him (and his amazing wife, Grace) as a part of our Lakeside family. If you don’t know them yet, I encourage you to say hello and I promise you’ll be blessed by this incredible family.