Ethan Oltremari likes to think big.
“God laid this on my heart, that we need to have a combined worship service where all the churches, all denominations, can come together,” said Oltremari, a senior at Pillow Academy.
That idea has led to “Revival on the River,” a planned Christian music festival, scheduled for April 10 at the city arboretum located between the Keesler and Veterans bridges.
The event is scheduled from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. The event is free to the public. Lawn chairs are permitted.
About a year ago, Oltremari and classmate Collin Short were thinking about a festival where different praise bands could come together and play.
Then Oltremari came up with what would become Revival on the River.
“Instead of having a band competition, I wanted to have a combined worship service where all the different churches can come together, no matter what denomination, no matter the differences in worship, we worship one true God,” he said.
“Having the churches come together and join as one will make us as a town and as a community so much stronger than we are now,” Oltremari said.
The effort has met with an enthusiastic response among churches in Greenwood as well as the Greenwood Convention and Visitors Bureau and the Greenwood-Leflore County Chamber of Commerce, he said.
City officials, such as Mayor Carolyn McAdams and Police Chief Ray Moore, have also been supportive of the event.
Beginning at 4 p.m. ministry booths will be set up and inflatables will be available for children, he said.
Oltremari said that eight bands from various churches will perform beginning at 5 p.m.
Each band will have 30 minutes to perform, he said.
Oltremari said he hopes the event will grow and thrive.
“I love worship. It’s really impacted my life in the past couple of years. I just think it is something very, very important. Sometimes, we just take it for granted,” he said.
“My main goal is to just worship our Lord and give all the glory and honor and praise to Him because He is so worthy of it," Oltremari said.
If Revival on the River is a success, Oltremari said, he’d like to see it become an annual event and, eventually, a statewide one as well.
• Contact Bob Darden at 581-7239 or bdarden@gwcommonwealth.com.
