By By Adrienne McKenzie
Nathan Woodward awed the members and guests of Atmore's First Baptist Church last Sunday night while ministering to them in an unconventional method.
Woodward is a 20-year-old alto and soprano saxophone player from Pascagoula, Miss. who is a student at the University of Mobile. He travels to different churches to share his love for not only his music, but also the Lord. He said he felt like his experience at FBC went well and was glad the crowd enjoyed his music.
"I feel very good about it," Woodward said. "I felt that the First Baptist Church of Atmore was a church with such a warm heart. I appreciate them opening their doors and their arms and having me there with them."
Woodward said he plays his sax in churches to encourage church guests and members to get keyed up about what is going on in the world.
"I do events like this mainly because I want to bring instrumental music and ministry into the church," he said. "The church is a place where believers gather. You have the larger crowds in the church for the most part and it's a place where I can come to them and they don't necessarily have to come to me. It's all about being there to encourage the church and to get people excited about what's going on in the world today and to know that there are people my age that generally do care about the future."
Woodward has been on several mission trips and is planning to go with the University of Mobile to China. FBC pastor Arnold Hendrix said the event Sunday night was great and that the church members gave a good bit of money to help Woodward pay for the trip to China.
"I thought it was wonderful," Hendrix said. "He's very, very talented, but not only that, he had a good message too. He has a powerful ministry because of his talent and his message. We got a nice offering for him too and we hope to have him back."
Woodward said he enjoyed playing for the Atmore crowd.
"I'd definitely come back for sure," he said.
Woodward's CD "Prayer of Language" features original arrangements of eight traditional and contemporary Christian songs including "Amazing Grace," the first song Woodward played solo in the sixth grade at First United Methodist Church of Pascagoula, Miss.
For a sample of Woodward's music or for more information, visit his Web site at http://www.nathanwoodward.com