A complimentary worship concert will be held in the Cornerstone Church of Ames on Friday at 8 p.m. by one of Ames’ birth worship bands, Anthem.

Anthem is a 10-pieced band led by both Jesse Antelman and Russell Allen that aims to glorify the name and reflect the image of Jesus Christ to its audience.

James Pusey, a pianist/keyboardist and a songwriter and Natalie Lubbers, a singer and a songwriter in the band explained the aim of Anthem.

Pusey said that the band aims to provide an “authentic encounter with God” regardless of how much people know about God, and they believe in God or not.

“It’s just a night where we can boast about who God is to us and why he is so important in our lives. Where we just get to sing about his characteristics, and just praise him for all that he’s done for us and he’s [going to] continue to do,” Lubbers said. “We want to reflect Jesus to [the audience].”

Although the members of Anthem are different now and have continuously changed since the start of the group, they still have the same aim.

Pusey briefly mentioned the start of the first ever Anthem.

“The first Anthem was … 2006,” Pusey said. “It started, the first ever one was actually out on the parking lot here we set a big tent …[it] started as an event, but now it’s like a band, there’s an Anthem band and an Anthem songwriting team so yeah it’s been fun to see it grow into what it is.”

An event that was originally designed for the younger generation evolved into an actual album-recording worship band.

Anthem currently has three albums with one that was released last year. The next album does not have a release date yet.

The preparation for Anthem worship concert begins a couple of weeks before the worship concert date. The songwriting process happens throughout the year.

Lubbers has been a part of the beginning stages of the Anthem journey and explained on her experience with the band.

“For me, I most connect with God through worship music. I think his Spirit just becomes heavy on me while I’m worshipping, and I think that’s something that, that I can relate most to God in. Just because just singing His truths over and over, for me, is just an awesome reminder of who he is and what he’s done for me, so yeah it makes me emotional it makes me connected to him,” Lubbers said.

Pusey said that people may not understand things that they read in the Bible sometimes, but when it is being placed into a music piece the understanding becomes clear.

“I think there’s something that music does for the soul that nothing else can do, you know,” Pusey said. “It allows me to connect with God in a different way than anything else.”

Anthem has played for various youth retreats, weekend retreats, and has even opened for Phil Wickham, a contemporary Christian artist during one of The Salt Company kickoff. Anthem is not a touring band yet.

Lubbers and Pusey spoke about their favorite part about being a part of this god-centered band.

“My favorite part of Anthem is when I get to step back from leading a song, take my ear buds out and just listen to the entire body singing and just worshipping with their hands raised high,” Lubbers said. “I just feel like I get pictures of Heaven when I’m at Anthem to be honest just thinking about how when we’re all going to be surrounding God’s throne and worshipping Him for eternity.”

Pusey said that he enjoyed the united view over the crowd when they have their hands up high, which humbles him and makes him realize that it is all about God.

“It’s an unreal experience and it’s worth, worth taking time to do on a Friday night,” Lubbers said. “Worth changing your plans for.”

Lubbers briefly said her view on this coming Friday night’s Anthem worship concert.

“Prepare your hearts for a sweet encounter with God,” Lubbers said. “Come ready to worship the God that made you and get to know Him more in the process.”