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 SAN
MARCOS — Entertainers often seek the spotlight, but a
North County Christian music ministry has a higher
priority.
Solid Stage Footlights is a ministry team of talented,
committed young Christian performers who minister
through music, drama and dance, but their ministry goes
far beyond mere entertainment. The team’s deepest desire
is to glorify Jesus Christ.
Founded in 2006 by Karlyn Dagraedt and her mother, Debe
Eddo, Footlights is a nonprofit ministry of Masterful
Living—the outreach of authors and speakers Bill and Pam
Farrel.
“Karlyn and her mother Debe were two of the women I
mentored when we first arrived in San Diego years ago,”
Pam Farrel said. “It is exciting to me to have watched
Karlyn grow from a cute, talented young 10-year-old into
a godly leader who is now mentoring, training and
equipping young people.”
As a teen, Dagraedt toured with a Christian ministry
group, The Young Continentals, traveling across the
United States and abroad. She knew music ministry was
God’s calling when she joined the group at 14, but God
prepared her heart at an even younger age. At 8,
Dagraedt and her mother visited nursing homes, singing
and sharing the gospel. “At that tender age, I
discovered the joy of evangelism as I had the privilege
of leading several precious souls to Jesus,” she said.
“God also began preparing me in practical ways through
my early years with community theater groups and dance.
A ministry comes to life
Dagraedt, 31, a resident of San Marcos and member at
Church of the Hills, met her husband KJ, a technical
director, while helping to lead dance at a Continental
rehearsal camp. When their first child arrived, the
Dagraedts felt that they could not travel the world—in
charge of 30-plus teenagers—for four weeks at a time
with a newborn. “As elated as I was to have my
first son, I felt part of my world—who I was—died,” she
said. “My husband and I loved being in ministry
together.”
In 2005, Karlyn and her mother talked about their dream
of working with talented young people who love the Lord
and are willing to work hard in theater arts. They
talked about the costumes and messages they might share.
They discussed stage, lighting and video effects—and KJ
added his input. “In our heads, we had it all
planned out,” Dagraedt said. “God took our dreams—He
took us seriously—and He thought we could actually do
this.” She picked up the phone and called team
members who had toured with her in the past, who were on
her dream list of tour members. “When they
actually said ‘yes,’ I knew God was in!” she said.
As Dagraedt and her mother wrote scripts, picked the
music, props and costumes, recruited additional tour
members, designed sound, and raised funds, Solid Stage
Footlights came to life.
Reflecting Christ
Dagraedt, professionally trained in dance and theater
since the age of 5, studied at Palomar College, Colorado
Christian University and Christian Heritage College.
Today, she is excited to see how God allows her to
pursue her passion for evangelism and the arts while
enjoying her three children.
The Floodlights team has
ministered at a number of churches, including The Rock,
Valley Bible Church and Cornerstone Church. Performances
were also held in retirement homes, fairs, summer camps
and at revivals. The performances are just
one aspect of the ministry’s purpose.
“Footlights are at the end of the stage, which keeps you
from falling into the (stage) pit,” she said. “We are
footlights, and Christ is in the spotlight. We are
reflecting Him, and we don’t want to be falling and
stumbling in the darkness.” Part of that
reflection of Christ is accomplished in service
projects, such as leading a children’s camp in Mexico
and then giving out clothing to needy children, handing
out bread to a needy community through a local church in
San Marcos, helping at a preschool, or helping with
church cleaning projects.
“It’s easy for performance-based ministries to become
inward,” Dagraedt said. “We want to instill the
importance of behind-the-scenes, off-the-stage,
out-of-the-spotlight ministry. We want to provide
opportunities to serve others the way Jesus did, in
humility and truth.”
Ministering to the community is also part of her script.
“Another of my hopes for the church is to take people
and interrupt their lives, even for just a few hours in
a concert, and jumpstart their lives for Christ,” she
said.
God’s ways are bigger
Tour members stay with a host family, chosen by the
leadership team. On average, team members perform five
concerts per week on tour, and participate in two
service days. “In between, we have fun,” she said,
“We will visit local beaches, have pool parties,
barbecues, go to a theme park or two, and other local
activities San Diego County offers.”
Each tour group consists of teens and young adults who
tour as performers and technicians, chaperones, and
various leadership opportunities. Next year’s
tours are set for June 13 through July 14 and July 12 to
Aug. 11. The cost for each four-week tour is $2,650 plus
a $300 camp fee, with special rates to participate in
both tours. Participants must be age 14 as of next June
and no older than 23—except for chaperones, sound techs
and spotlight or light tech crew. Rehearsal camps will
take place in San Diego.
Concert hosts and host homes are also being booked, and
donations to help the ministry—financial, practice
facilities, and even food donations—are welcome.
“I’m learning God’s ways are way bigger than the ones my
mother and I dreamed up,” Dagraedt said.
“Only God knows where we will end up at the end of the
road. I am really excited to see what God has in store!”
Used by permission of
Christian Examiner newspapers
Serving San Diego, Riverside, San Bernardino, Orange and
Los Angeles counties
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