Scott Fillmer » encounter

Brett Younker Joins Band for Encounter Finale // Photos

Scott Fillmer — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 18:51:32 +0000

Last night was the grand finale of sorts for Encounter with Grace Campus Ministries.Â There is one more left but they had everyone come last night to what turned out to be an incredible night of music, worship, and reflecting.Â Brett Younker joined the band last night to lead a few songs with Daniel Bashta (who just got back from China two days ago) and the two together were great.Â Brett led worship last year and for several years prior to this year and many people told me how great it was to see him back in Auburn.

Here are a few of my favorites shots of Brett from last night.

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Encounter Lacks No Intensity for the Lord as it Winds Down in Auburn

Scott Fillmer — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 14:59:33 +0000

If you haven’t heard yet Encounter only has a few more nights in Auburn before the ministry moves to Hong Kong.Â If you haven’t been out to the student activities building on the Auburn campus to participate with Grace Campus Ministries you have about two more chances.Â This coming Monday and the Thursday about 10 days later on November 20th.Â Below are a few shots I took this past Monday.

This semester has been a completely new challenge to me to find new ways to shoot in almost complete darkness while the band performs.Â For the past several months I had tried to get a shot of the drums but (by design) the drums sit in almost pure darkness.Â I was finally able to grab a shot as the sticks flailed through an led light on the other side of the stage.

Daniel Bashta, the worship leader, (who happens to be in Shanghai China right now) gives great meaning to the thoughts of intense worship.Â I love capturing Daniel’s eyes as he plays for his Lord.Â Many times I watch and know that he probably feels like he is in a room by himself and God having a conversation. I have really enjoyed getting to know Daniel and his wife the past several months.

If you are around the Auburn area, come by campus next Monday night.

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Monday Version of Encounter Tonight if You are in Auburn

Scott Fillmer — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 14:17:18 +0000

Just a reminder that Encounter is tonight, Monday night.Â If you are an Auburn student or just someone in the Auburn area who would like to see what Encounter has been all about this semester just come by the Auburn Student Activities center around 8pm tonight.Â Since Encounter announced they are moving the ministry to Hong Kong next year (Yes. It is true.), there are only a few more times to see this ministry at work and to enjoy the worship.

Below are two shots I took last week.

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Daniel Bashta Leads Encounter Worship in Auburn

Scott Fillmer — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 17:50:32 +0000

Here are a few images from Encounter last night at Auburn University. Most of the staff for Grace Campus Ministries is in Hong Kong right now for Passion so lighting was a little different but it was a great worship time and my good friend Brian Johnson from Cornerstone lead with a great message straight from the heart. It was quite intense and I know Brian spoke to the students last night from the depths of his heart, it was great… something I wish I could get in the habit of doing on this blog a little more. The blogs I enjoy reading the most are ones that share with their readers, where they are walking, how they got there, and often how or what makes them stumble. Something I am going to try to do here but I have 37 years of ingrained restraint to overcome. Thanks Brian for a great message on Thursday.

Leading worship this year is Daniel Bashta from Birmingham and I have really enjoyed getting to know Daniel and the rest of the Encounter band. Daniel released his first full album last year called My Worship in Motion which is actually available for download, for free, on his website. I am old fashion as far as CD’s go I guess, I still like to have the physical disc and I would recommend getting this one if you are so inclined. If not, check out the second track called With Everything on Daniel’s site, pretty cool. One thing that engages me as a person is Daniels intensity. It’s authentic, real, and emotional, and it makes for a time of worship that is alive. If not to anyone else, it is to him. Here are a few of Daniel from last night.

Tonight I will be doing a live shoot with Martha’s Trouble at Eighth & Rail in Opelika (see Coming up this weekend) and then another debute on Saturday so watch for some images from those two coming up. I also still have several posts on Catalyst from Atlanta last week coming soon.

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Encounter Intensifies as Reality of Faith in a Savior is Made Real

Scott Fillmer — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 16:42:22 +0000

Last night, Encounter was intense to say the least. It was hard hitting truth and was very powerful. I can’t speak for last year, but this week was probably the most intense gathering this year, and many students were moved by the events of the evening. To me, it seemed like a very vertical night, lifting straight up to God the few hours of worship, study, and music. It was that way with the photos I took last night as well.

For some reason I took a good percentage of vertical images last night and in keeping with the theme, all the images below are vertically oriented this time. To see the entire shoot from last night please visit the Grace Campus Ministry with Encounter gallery [the full set of images should be uploaded by 12-1pm today]. On a side note, I did finally get to meet an online friend of mine, Stephen DeVries, who had just returned from a documentary trip to Haiti. It was great to meet you Stephen, I hope we can get together again real soon.

So what made last night more intense than other nights? I think it was just the atmosphere of the week. Grace showed a moving video about a boy named Eliot (see Creative Chaos 28 // Dear Eliot Video, 99 Balloons, and Brave Parents), and half the people in the room were moved to tears. After some scripture, Matt Dean (seen below) told the story and testimony of Cindy Wall who passed away on Wednesday. Cindy worked in the Auburn Athletics department as a trainer for 17 years, and it wasn’t until Matt started telling the story again did I realize that some on campus probably knew who she was, but may not have known the whole story. I took the image above of Matt speaking about her life’s most wonderful testimony.

The image you see on the screen in the upper left was one I took the night of her baptism. She has such pure joy on her face, and I had seen the photo many times before, yet it wasn’t until I looked at the image on the screen and heard the reaction from the students that it hit me. She was here and gone in my life in a blink of an eye and her life was now a testimony of faith to these students, who were now grieving.

Life is not always fun and games (although I try to make it that way) and there are needed nights like this to show real examples of living faith, to students who may not have a direction or a faith in Jesus. The difference in life and death, and the faith, hope, and love of Jesus could be found and felt last night. It had nothing to do with the video, the photo, the music, or the people involved, but the presence of the Lord in the house.

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This is What Passion for the Lord Looks Like in Auburn

Scott Fillmer — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 17:04:48 +0000

Two quick images from Encounter performing live with Grace Campus Ministries from the campus of Auburn University.Â I really think passion breads passion and this is a very quick, small example of what is going on in Auburn, at least on Thursday nights.Â Campus Crusade for Christ was also on the Auburn campus last night (along with all the ongoing football hoopla, so it was a real busy place) and I am sure that was a big event as well. More photos to come next week, but here are two off the top.

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Encounter Performs Live in Auburn Student Activities Center

Scott Fillmer — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 15:00:33 +0000

This past Thursday I was privileged to be able do a photo shoot of the Encounter worship band performing live at the new Auburn University Student Activities Center on the Auburn University campus. Once again, this week was a fantastic time of music and worship. If you are a student at Auburn University and just enjoy hearing a great live band perform, I encourage you to check these guys out, they will not disappoint. It’s free and you don’t have to do anything but listen to some great music. You can check with Grace Campus Ministries for dates and times for the next live event (usually on Thursday nights at 8:30pm in the new student act center).

I had a hard time picking 3-4 images of Thursday to post here, so I have 6 here for you. The entire gallery has about 100 images from Thursday night so if you want to see a little more of the band, some of the students, and the evening in general, just check out the Encounter at Auburn Sep 2008 gallery for the full shoot. To see all the gallery images at once without having to click on each image, just click on the slideshow in the upper right corner.

I have really enjoyed getting to know the band members over the past few weeks, they really have a heart for the Lord and are about as genuine as it gets. They play with passion and emotion because they believe in what they sing. Talking with Daniel Bashta (the worship leader) after the concert he told me why bother doing anything if it can’t be done with passion, and that is how they play. Again, if you are an Auburn student I would really encourage you to visit the student act center one week while they are playing. With 1,000 fellow students there, you are bound to meet someone you know.

The image just above is Daniel the worship leader for Encounter. The entire band can be seen in the first two images and several more of that particular shoot in the gallery. If you were at Encounter on Thursday I would love to hear your comments below about experiences you had that night. All of the photos and lights and the music, are all for the glory of the Lord, but without the students, there wouldn’t be anything going on in the student act center at all, so I hope all those who did come had a meaningful experience last Thursday.

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Opening Day for Encounter at Auburn University

Scott Fillmer — Sun, 24 Aug 2008 00:00:43 +0000

This was opening week for the Auburn University Campus fall semester, and for Encounter with Grace Campus Ministries. As indicated in my previous post, Grace Campus Ministries with Encounter, I was on campus to shoot the the opening night for Ecounter. What a great awesome night it was and here are a few more images from Thrusday. To view the final edit, please see Encounter Aug 2008 in the gallery (click the link for “slideshow” to view all in large high quality format).

My thanks to Matt Dean, Dan King, Daniel Bashta, and Biscuet (glad we were able to meet while you were in the states this time) for showing me around and making me feel welcome while I was there.

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Encounter at Auburn University on Thursday's

Scott's Misc — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 16:59:44 +0000

Last night I went to see Encounter perform at Auburn University, which is part of Grace Campus Ministries. I usually don’t post two similar blog post on my two blogs, but I know I have some readers that only read this blog, and some that only read my photo blog. For photos, see Grace Campus Ministries with Encounter on my photo blog, or see the full gallery here.

Encounter starts each fall semester and meets Thursday nights at 8:30 in the Student Activities Building on the campus of Auburn University. I went in to the photo shoot with a little hesitation not really knowing what to expect, and left thinking, wow, where was something like this when I was in college.

One of the things I love about college students is the electricity, energy, and excitement they bring with them. Their excitement for worship is not something I experienced in college, but it is contagious, and breeds its own energy.

The story of course is not about the band (which really rocks the house), or the leadership staff at Grace, or the lights, but the students. Being able to share the Gospel with them, minister to them in their specific environment and circumstances, and offer them a place of comfort with the Lord is something special.

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Grace Campus Ministries with Encounter at Auburn University

Scott Fillmer — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 16:25:33 +0000

Last night I had the privilege of doing a photo shoot of Encounter while they performed at Auburn University (in the new Student Activities Center building that just opened) as a part of Grace Campus Ministries. This was the first time I had been able to get over to see Encounter and it was amazing.

The images below are a few off the top. You can see the larger, higher res versions on the gallery under Encounter Aug 2008. These are just the first five to be added to the gallery, once I work through the edit I will add additional images.Â Did I mention they are intense. The first image is Daniel Bashta the worship leader, but the last two say it all.

It was an amazing night (see also Encounter at Auburn University on Thursdayâ€™s for those who read this blog but not The Damascus Blog).