SUNDAY NIGHT LIVE presented by River of Life's Youth Ministry begins this Sunday at 7 p.m. Pictured are: front, l-r, Whitney Rutherford and Chelsea Ferrell; middle, l-r, Logan Rutherford and Jonathan Wilson; and back, l-r, Cole Ferrell, Lissa, Zechariah and Robert Smith. Through music, drama and fellowship, River of Life's Youth Ministry pres- ents a new opportunity for area youth to worship with the first of many Sunday Night Live services beginning this Sunday at 6 p.m.

One of the program's features is the "human video." In a "human video" the students act out song lyrics.

The elaborate pantomime involves costumes, props, sets and hours of practice.

River of Life's youth minister Robert Smith sees organization and unity among the church's youth as they prepare for the event.

"I have seen these kids proactively practice for 8 to 10 hours. After church ends Sunday, we order a pizza or sandwich and they get to work," says Smith.

The kids themselves have noticed a change in their group's dynamics.

"Before we didn't sit together. I sat with my parents and everyone else set with their parents and now we sit together on the front pew," noted Fairfield freshman Chelsea Ferrell.

Collectively, they feel though as they have become more of a presence in the church.

The youth group performed their first and second "human videos" during the Sunday worship service and received a lot of positive feedback.

"I feel that the adults in the congregation are more open to us now. They would see us go into the back and practice and they probably thought that we were playing and then they saw that we were for real," explained Logan Rutherford.

Prior to Sunday Night Live, River of Life's youth group will also participate in an outreach program in Fairfield and Teague where students will minister to residents.