I was very fortunate to grow up with a father who was a Veteran.  My dad served in WWII and was part of the 76^th Infantry Division where he served both as a soldier and also a musician.  As a kid, I spent a good amount of time around WWII Vets, as a lot of his friends served.  He was also involved in the local American Legion Post as well as later in his life working for a veterans in need organization.  So, needless to say, my education of the importance of our military and those who served was instilled in me at a young age.

When I was in the sixth grade at the Alpha Public School, I began playing Taps for military funerals.  At that time, the American Legion Post #446 of Alpha, NJ had a color guard detail that would attend funerals to provide the military honors for a veteran.  It was around that time that I was beginning to play in the Alpha Legion Band, which my dad directed. So, when it came time to play Taps, I would bring my uniform to school and when my dad came to sign me out, I would change and be on the way.  This opportunity continued throughout my high school years.  If my class schedule permitted, it was important to me to go and play.   To this day, if called, I will try to accommodate the request if I possibly can.

Although the summer of 2020 will forever be known as the “Summer of Covid,” it did provide me with a great opportunity to pair the love I have for the Battle of Gettysburg and The Civil War with the honor and duty of performing Taps. The Lincoln Fellowship, in partnership with Taps for Veterans, and the Gettysburg National Military Park, presented a nightly program called 100 Nights of Taps every evening from Memorial Day through Labor Day at the Soldier’s Monument in the Gettysburg National Cemetery. The event is open to anyone.  To be considered to perform, one must submit an application to the committee who makes the decision on who is selected to perform.  This year, buglers representing 17 states were selected to come to Gettysburg. I had the honor of performing on July 31^st and again on September 4^th .

The Gettysburg National Cemetery was created shortly after the battle. After 3 days of fighting in the tiny town on July 1-3, 1863, the result of the conflict would forever change the landscape and importance of the community.  The aftermath of the battle left carnage and destruction throughout the town. Most of the farms were decimated and many farmers lost everything. With over 7000 Union and Confederate deaths in just three days of fighting, prominent Gettysburg attorney David Wills led a group to acquire land and establish a national cemetery for the battle on what is known as Cemetery Hill.  With a unified effort throughout the North, the creation of the cemetery happened very quickly. The official dedication occurred on November 19, 1863, which featured President Abraham Lincoln and the delivery of the immortal Gettysburg Address.  The centerpiece of the cemetery would be the soldier’s monument, which would not be completed until 1865.  The impressive 60 foot tall monument was designed as an allegory, which would tell a story of peace and plenty following a historic struggle. There are over 3500 Union soldiers buried here as well as other veterans from the Civil War to Vietnam.

For the nightly program, the buglers stand on the base of the monument to play.  It is awe inspiring to be standing on such an important and solemn location for our American history.  To honor those who served in the turning point battle of the Civil War, a war, which forever changed our country to make all men equal is a proud moment for me. The grounds of the cemetery played an important role in the battle, one that you can feel upon entering the cemetery. 

I was thankful to have been chosen for this honor.  It was a very special and significant moment in my life, one, which I will never forget.  I was overjoyed to be able to go out for a second opportunity in September.  I look forward to applying again in 2021 and a hope to have an opportunity to once again pay respect to those who served…

The summer of 2018 has been one of unique opportunity for me.  For as long as I can remember, every summer would present itself with various concerts, festivals and outdoor gigs to play. The setting of dusk underneath the bright moon with the warm breeze of the hot summer night is very typical for all the summer gigs I play.  Of course, with the many days of extreme heat this summer, an out-door concert posed to be a bit more challenging!  Nonetheless, the summer concert season was made a little different with a few unique and personal opportunities for me.

In June, my wedding band, Generations (www.vposwing.com) had the privilege of being hired to play for the wedding of Ronnie Lord and Cassy Vash. If you didn’t already know, Cassy was a former student of mine who is currently living in Texas working as an engineer within the highway department system of Texas. She is doing very well and I am very proud of her.  Generations also played for her sister Helen’s wedding in 2014. So, it was a great honor for me to have the chance to play for a family that I am very close with.  As you can see in the photos, her wedding was held at the Loft at Jacks Barn (www.jacksbarn.com) in Hackettstown, NJ. The theme was very rustic and tailored to be very personal to both Cassy and Ronnie.  Since Cassy lives in Texas and is not able to travel to New Jersey that often, the day was even that much more special for the family and everyone involved.  We were part of both the ceremony and reception.  Everyone had a great time and the band had everyone dancing throughout. I am very thankful to Cassy, Ron and their family for allowing us to be a part of their most special day.

If you’ve read any of my past blogs, you maybe aware of the Ken Brader Holiday Brass Quartet that I play with have been playing the national anthem at various events. (www.facebook.com/groups/659018100807942/)  This summer, we were chosen to play at a home game for the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizen Bank Park in Philadelphia on June 26.  The chance to play at a major league stadium regardless of who the home team is, presents a great opportunity. But, there is definitely more pressure upon us as 40,000 fans, players, and workers are standing at attention as we play on the field with cameras in our faces as it is being displayed on the big stadium screen. We were blessed with great weather that day and I want to humbly say that we hit a homerun with our performance.  This video was taken by the Phillies staff and they did a great job. (www.phillies.com)

We had two more nice opportunities to play the anthem this summer.  On Friday and Saturday, Aug. 3-4, we were asked to perform for the Drum Corps International semifinal performance at J. Birney Crum Stadium in Allentown, PA.  Drum Corps, or DCI for short (www.dci.org) is marching band for those serious students between ages 18-21. They work and travel all over the country all summer long leading up to the finals and championships in mid August.  Those in attendance are musicians and fans of brass music. So, this was a nice chance to play to a crowd who truly enjoy what we do. We also had a chance to again play for the Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs on August 27^th for their final home game before the playoffs begin.  Although not the size of the Phillies stadium, it still is a great place to play and we enjoy every chance we have to play there.  This year, the Iron Pigs had the best record in the league and will be playing Scranton beginning September 5^th in the playoffs. It is a best of 5 series. If they go to a 4^th game, that will be Saturday, September 8^th and we will again be playing for that important game.

I finished up the summer by joining the band once again to be a part of Gloria’s Miami Sound, the best Gloria Estefan Tribute Band in America. (www.facebook.com/gloriasmiamisound/)  Led by the husband and wife team of Nikki Torres and Bill Ciamarelli, this band is awesome and a pleasure to play with. The show was held at the Cold Spring Country Club in Long Island, New York.  A top- notch band comprised of the best New York has to offer, I always enjoy meeting and performing with these musicians. I always look forward to working with Bill and Nikki in this band or their other very popular band New York Minute  (www.facebook.com/NYMinuteBand/) (see photo)

For me, these opportunities paved the way for a nice summer of music and gigs.  I am always glad to play and enjoy the life, but, it adds a special touch when you have some new events to perform helping those you know to share a beautiful moment in their life.  Plus, to be able to share the stage with talented musicians is always a great experience.

As you may have read from my other blog posts, the quartet has performed the past 2 years at a home game of the Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs, which are the AAA affiliate of the Phillies.  That is always a special experience and, even though it is minor league baseball, is still a cool thing to be on the field by home plate to play.  When we performed in September 2017, I inquired to the events coordinator who booked us, what would we need to do to be selected to perform for the major league team.  He instructed me to wait until January and then check out their website for info about it.  Well, I found the site and it required me to fill out an application and more importantly, include several videos of us performing.  Well, considering we had a good video of playing in the previous September, I felt our chances would be ok.  To my surprise, on February 16^th I received an email from the Phillies congratulating us on being selected to perform.  I had figured this might be political and you more or less needed a connection or had to know someone to be asked to perform.  But, that was not the case.  They had liked our arrangement and sound and wanted us to be there.  Now, we needed to review the schedule and select find a date to play.

The Phillies required you to visit the schedule and select 5 dates. From these dates they would select your day and you would have to play for that game.  You couldn’t just send in one date and that was it. As I checked the schedule, I realized that this was the year that the Yankees would be going to Philly for a three game set (June 25-27).  So, I quickly selected our five dates with June 26^th being a favorite and replied.  A few days later I was pleasantly surprised to read the email that they gave us June 26^th to perform.  As you can probably assume, I was thrilled.  It has been probably 5-6 years since I have been to a major league baseball game let alone a Yankee game.  Going to the Bronx for a Yankees home game really isn’t an ideal situation. The travel to the Bronx, parking, food, etc. is just really costly and something I didn’t feel is worth the money to spend.  But, now it is much easier to travel to Philadelphia and as a perk, we are given preferred parking for free! We do have to buy our tickets, but, the parking alone is worth it. So, to have a chance to go see the Yankees in person but not have to deal with the cost and travel to go to New York is something I am extremely looking forward to.

It will definitely be a great experience for us.  I can remember being in high school when each year the band played the national anthem in the outfield at the old Veteran’s Stadium in Philadelphia.  But, that was always on a hot Sunday afternoon and our tickets were usually in the 700 level high up in the outfield’s nose bleed section.  We were told that most likely the anthem would not be live on television, only showed on the ballpark screens. But, we would be able to have a copy for ourselves. Who knows if we may be on TV at all or maybe even partially. But, it is still a great experience to perform as well as knowing that once that is over, I can sit back and enjoy watching Aaron Judge, Didi Gregorious, Gary Sanchez and the rest of the New York Yankees all thanks to the Phillies!!

Spring Coffee House

A BIG Hit!!

On Saturday, April 28^th, the Bethel Memorial Baptist Church held their second annual Coffee House event in our downstairs multipurpose room.  I am very pleased to say that it was an awesome night and was attended by 150 people!  It far exceeded the amount we had at our initial event in October and I am very happy and thankful for a great night for the church.

As head of the coffee house committee, I am in charge of or have to be a part of just about everything.  But, I welcome the opportunity and am happy with how well everything turned out.  The night featured a diverse line up of entertainment from sacred to secular and even a little rhythm and blues.  Featuring members of our church as well as a few guests, the audience was Blessed with such wonderful talent. I had the privilege of directing the Victory Voices once again as we sang Instrument of Peace and Stand By Me.  Both went well and I am so thankful to the men for giving of their time and talent. We also had a few acts where the musicians took the time to talk about a funny story in their life or to speak about the love of their spouse.  Crooner Joe DeMaio, dedicated the song “Longer”  by Dan Fogelberg to his wife.  However, she was unaware that he was going to sing this as well as walk towards her as he was singing ending with the lyric “I’m so in love, with you” followed by a kiss! How romantic!! Then we had Sam Bodder who grew up with his grandfather singing the very funny song “Pretty Little Dear “ from 1927, which spoke of a gentlemen’s girlfriend who had a very healthy appetite! Considering it was humor of the 20’s, the way he told the story was classic and well loved by the audience.

The highlight of the night was how we ended it.  Advertising in the program as “guests from Chicago” we featured Jeff Barrows and Jerry Crivellaro teaming up to be Jake and Elwood Blues of the Blues Brothers to sing Soul Man. Of course, the lyrics were changed a bit to reflect the term Soul Man and to tie-it in with our church. Since no one had any idea this was going to happen, it was a surprise and by far the best moment of the evening. To see two husky guys over 6ft tall moving and dancing around like their fellow mentors was hilarious and awesome.  The fact that this was so unexpected is what really made their act. Yes, they sang well, but, here you have two Board of Trustee Members in a role that you would not expect.  It was priceless.

Similar to our first event, we had plenty of food for everyone. From hoagies and chicken sandwiches to hot pretzels and desserts, there was something for everyone and plenty to go around.  What we did have this year which was really neat was a red carpet style photo booth in our lobby.  Anyone who came in could have their picture taken in front of a classy screen well lit by photography lighting.  We also had plenty of props, both serious and fun, if you wanted to pick up a fake mustache or a pair of funny glasses. Many photos were taken ranging from nice family pics to humorous outtakes.  It was really a nice addition to our event and everyone seemed generally happy to oblige.

It was always my vision to offer an event for the church that can bring people in and create a sense of togetherness, outreach and community all while keeping the focus on the Lord.  I really feel this event accomplished that.  I have seen where some groups will focus solely on witnessing for the Lord to guests before they have even made a connection with them.  For some, this method may work. However, my desire is to bring everyone in to have a fun night and allow them to feel comfortable and at home in our church.  I don’t want anyone to feel like we only wanted them there because we thought we could get them to become members. Not the case at all. If we don’t make personal connections and relationships first, none of that can really happen anyway.  With the entertainment, food, photo booth and general enjoyment of the night, our church is experiencing two things. We are seeing great attendance at our newly discovered social events as well as inviting others and sharing our building, family and fellowship with others.  Since the church never had anything like this, both events have proven that people will come out to socialize with their friends all while realizing we are in church and it is because of the Lord that we are all there!

Hopefully we can keep this moving forward and maybe we can see you at the next one!

After a cancellation and a postponement due to weather, our new Sacred Band finally debuted on Sunday, March 4th at the Christ Lutheran Church in Hellertown, Pa. What began a long time ago as a vision finally came to fruition as we performed for the wonderful congregation of the Christ Lutheran Church. Like I said in my previous blog, our 17pc. big band that plays in churches is AWESOME, but, the size and logistics of programming that can be an issue and very difficult to schedule. So, when the interest came from Christ Lutheran to book sacred music, we felt the need to move in a different direction. A direction that would feature a smaller band which is easier to adapt and book for a wide variety of churches and their facilities. The new 7pc. band features vocals, piano, bass, drums, trumpet, sax, and trombone.

Although I am the leader of the band, the featured instrument is the vocalist, which is very capably handled by my sister Linda. Whether singing solo or leading the congregation in song, her energy and praise of the Lord is unmistakable. Although we were dealing with the winter blues from the recent rash of storms which left many without power, she wiped that away and got many up on their feet to worship the Lord in Praise! Backing up Linda was a driving rhythm section featuring Steve Wysocki, Tom Mondschein and Mark Marina. Steve, who is the Minister of Music for the church, played keyboard and did a great job. This band was new for him and his excitement was contagious to all of us. Tom played Bass and has been with the big band for many years. Sitting behind the drums, Mark kept the feel and drive throughout.

On the other side of the band was the horn section that added pop and sizzle to the songs. The section consisted of myself on trumpet, Ricky Paetzell on saxophones and Dustin Hartman on Trombone. The three of us have played together for many years in the big band and it was a pleasure to join these two well-trained musicians in the section once again. The band jelled together on so many levels. You could definitely feel the sense of joy and satisfaction as this project, which has been in the works for quite a while, finally happened.

One neat aspect about this band is that we have an eclectic playlist of music. We play revered standard hymns, contemporary praise and worship songs and even jazz influenced hymns. We began the service with a beautiful quartet arrangement of It is Well With My Soul. Led by the flugelhorn, this arrangement was a perfect vehicle to calm the mind and to be able to mentally prepare for the service. We then had the congregation join us on Stand Up and Bless the Lord and All Hail The Power of Jesus Name. These 2 are great for anyone to join in as it combines a fun newer contemporary song with one of the most all-time favorite hymns.

After the sermon, we had a chance to stretch our chops a bit as we were featured on Oh, Happy Day! This was performed in the style of the song as heard in the movie Sister Act 2. This bluesy rock feel was fun to play and easily a crowd favorite. They couldn’t help but to clap along and move in their seats to this song. We then had chance to play for their communion. We chose Christ is Reaching Out. A really pretty jazz ballad by David Arivet, Linda did a great job capturing the feel and style of the song backed by a solid arrangement. We finished off the morning with a nice version of Crown Him With Many Crowns and reprised Stand Up and Bless the Lord as our postlude.

I can’t say enough how gracious and generous Steve, Pastor Phil and the rest of the members of CLC were to us. They are very welcoming and I am glad we were able to debut with them. We are very thankful to them for all they did for us. We hope we can do this again with them in the future.

So, where do we go from here? We have photos, a video and are now ready to begin seeking opportunities. We want to spread our music and our vision with as many churches as we can. Whether it is during a service or for an evening show featuring the band, we welcome a chance to share the praise at a church near you. Please call me at 908-619-4502 or visit www.vposwing.com or www.vincepettinelli.com to bring our band to your church.

The Jack Furlong Orchestra is a talented 12pc. big band that was formed in 2014. Although still relatively new to the scene, they have entertained audiences throughout Central New Jersey for concerts, weddings and private shows.   The band is comprised of some of the top musical talent you will find.  They play a diverse selection of music from the world of jazz, classic standards, and even a hint of pop and favorite television theme songs.  I know this is shaping up to be a great concert as there will definitely be something for everyone. It will be a great way to spend a summer night in August.  More information about this concert can be found at www.jackfurlong.com/orchestra

I have had the privilege of knowing Jack for many years.  I met him while he was a music major at Lafayette College.  I was hired, at the time, to full out the trumpet section for a few semesters.  I then hired Jack to be a member of the Vince Pettinelli Orchestra and have enjoyed his music and friendship ever since.  In addition to this ensemble, Jack is well known for the award winning Jack Furlong Quartet.  Since 2006, the quartet has recorded 3 albums (And That Happened, Jazzeration, and Bunnies in Limbo.) His most recent recording, Charity, is a duet with Sean Gough, piano and features Christian hymns performed in a jazz setting. The title of Charity was chosen because all the proceeds from the CD sales were donated to 3 local charities.

Music is not the only way where Jack spends his time.  He is an avid baseball fan and local baseball umpire. In 2013 he founded the OSIP Foundation.  OSIP stands for Outstanding Sportsmanship is Paramount.  Its mission is 1) To provide financial aid and assistance to those affected by acts of aggression due to poor sportsmanship and/or fanship, and
2) To raise awareness of the need for better sportsmanship in all capacities throughout sports.
Jack ultimately believes that all sporting events and competitions in life can be held without malice and with respect for all involved.  A very noble desire and foundation created by Jack.

The Howe Commons (www.howecommons.com) is a beautiful place to listen to a concert.  The property is made up of five spacious buildings with plenty of off-street parking that blended with the quaint Colonial feeling of the town. The finished product squared off the Commons, creating a dramatic town square that accentuates the historic center-piece of the property, the Abey Building – originally a residential mansion. These common areas heightened the aesthetic appeal and provide a beautiful backdrop for any performance.

I know the concert is going to be great and a fun way to spend a Sunday evening in August. If you are able to come, it is advised to bring a lawn chair.  If the weather is iffy that day and you are unsure about making the trip, give me a call and I can let you know if it is postponed or not. You can reach me on my cell at 908-619-4502.  I hope to see you there!!!

Steel Stacks, Bethelehem, Pa. (www.steelstacks.org)

In the historic South Side of Bethlehem, the Steel Stacks building and Levitt Pavilion have really grown to offer a lot of choices and activities to any person or family.  By clicking EVENTS on the subheading on the home page you can see a wide variety of free and ticketed events.  Events such as Arlo Guthrie, Matthew Morrison and comedians Ben Bailey and Rob Schneider, to name a few, are slated for this summer and fall. But what is so nice about Steel Stacks is the amount of other non-musical entertainment available.  From tours, to family programming, any visitor or even local is bound to find something they will enjoy.

Sands Event Center, Bethlehem, Pa. (www.sandseventcenter.com/events/)

Located within walking distance of the Steel stacks property is the Bethlehem Sands Casino and event center. The event center has planned some eclectic and diverse entertainment this summer and is certainly worth checking out.  Or, you can go to the Molten Lounge in the Sands Casino and check out their weekly slate of free entertainment. (www.pasands.com/nightlife/molten.html)

MusikFest Bethlehem, Pa. (www.musikfest.org/lineup/)

I would be neglecting probably one of the biggest music festivals in the country if I did not mention MusikFest. With over 500 concerts in a 10-day festival, MusikFest offers a wide range of performances both free and ticketed for just about any musical taste. Click on the website and you can clearly see where and when your favorite act will be performing.

www.lehighvalleymarketplace.com/the-sounds-of-summer/

This website is a good general site which offers you a lot of choices and information for each choice and venue.  It is worth taking a look at.

www.mcall.com/entertainment/mc-summer-band-concerts-lehigh-valley-20170506-story.html

If you are into local bands of all types, there are a lot of choices for that too.  Click on the link above and you will find from Easton to Catasauqua, Bethlehem to Macungie, a large list of venues and scheduled performances.  This alone is enough to tire anyone out!

www.discoverlehighvalley.com/events/major-events-festivals/

If fairs and festivals are your thing, discover Lehigh valley has a list of 21 different events, which offer great food, music and activities for family, friends or just yourself.  This is a great resource for activity in the greater Lehigh Valley.

Mt. Airy Casino & Resort  (www.mountairycasino.com/entertainment/)

The Poconos are about 30 miles North of the Lehigh Valley and also feature a wide range of activity both indoors and out for you to take advantage of.  Perhaps my next blog will focus more on the Poconos and the treasure trove of great things the region offers. In the meantime,  Mt. Airy Casino and Resort is a hot spot with a lot of activity and entertainment nightly and including special event concerts.  If you are thinking family or doing something with friends, check out this website: www.poconomountains.com/things-to-do/adventure-bucketlist/summer/  The summer bucket list for the Pocono area gives you a list of cool activities available to you.

There is so much more I could list here. The greater Lehigh Valley and even a little further out, it is just filled with so many options of things to do.  If you ever say, “there is nothing to do tonight”, you probably aren’t looking because with just a little amount of searching, you can really open up a ton of possibilities. Plus, this is without mentioning any of the many shopping areas, food choices and parks.  Phew, I am tired just thinking of all these possibilities!

Best of luck in finding what you are looking for this summer!!

The group is comprised of myself on trumpet, Rick Case on drums, Joe DeMaio on bass, Oscar Duarte on auxiliary percussion and Jennie Tielman on piano.  Jennie was unable to make it so Linda Pettinelli (my sister) filled in quite ably for her. We played “Leaning on the Everlasting Arms” and “When the Roll is Called Up Yonder”.  This was the first time that our jazz quintet has performed outside of Bethel.  When the coffee house date was set, I thought it would be great to include this group to have an opportunity to perform for a different audience away from the church campus.”

The members of the group beside myself mainly only perform with the praise team at the church.  So, when this opportunity came along, I knew it would be a great chance to get out of our comfort zone. I’ve always believed that anytime an ensemble or performer has a chance to play outside of their regular spot, it can only strengthen them. When you go to a venue that is new, there is a sense of uncertainty and you don’t always know what to expect. It actually draws everyone closer because the only thing that you can rely on initially is each other.  It is natural if you are in an unfamiliar place to cling to what you are comfortable with.  So I thought from this aspect it would be a nice bonding experience for all of us.  Then, when you begin to perform you know it sounds a little different and that forces your ears to be even more focused to what is going on.  This is always my favorite part.  When you begin to hear your music and it sounds a little different than the way it usually does, it allows you to take more chances and develop more creativity.  I believe the members of the quintet did just that on Saturday.  I felt Oscar was playing more unique rhythmic patterns and whether he recognized it or not, was branching out and expanding on the parts he normally plays. The same was true with Rick. I felt his drumming had a different vibe to it as he added some neat new grooves to both songs.  Both added a nice touch to the music allowing us to really feed off of one another.  All of these experiences I believe, will help us in the future as we continue to grow and build on the success we are having. Overall, we are most happy to be able to Glorify the Lord through our music! We were very grateful to have the opportunity.

In addition to performing, I also had the privilege of running sound and lights.  I had recently purchased some new LED lighting so I was excited to be able to use them. Memorial Hall, which is used for Sunday school, the boy scouts and an occasional covered dish was transformed so nicely with the ambiance and feel of a real coffee house.

The night was awesome. Everyone had fun, loved the entertainment and enjoyed reminiscing with the trivia contest.  As I said, “It was a great night for the church”!  The mission aside, the fact that it was a miserable rainy Saturday and yet still drew a record crowd is a great sign of strength and growth occurring within Pilgrim.  As of now, there is talk of wanting to schedule another coffee house in October.  I am already looking forward to it with plans to grow the event even more.

More information regarding the Presbyterian Coffee Project of Equal Exchange and Fairly Traded Coffee can be found on the website http://equalexchange.coop/pcusa

There are many times when there is just nothing to do on a Saturday night. You may look for something, but, there is always a catch or something holding you back. So, you just end up staying home. Well, look no further! If you want a great opportunity to enjoy music, food and fellowship all in a relaxed and enjoyable atmosphere, then you really need to consider coming to the The Redwood Café Coffee House held at the Pilgrim Presbyterian Church in Phillipsburg, NJ on Saturday, May 13th from 6:30pm-8:30pm. This is the third coffee house hosted by the church. The evening features musical performances from church and community members as well as a trivia competition all along with light refreshments and great coffee or tea. The two they held previously have been packed and drew great praise for such a wonderful evening. Not only did it give people a chance to enjoy a night of awesome music, but it also served as a great night for the church. I have been a part of this event since the beginning as I provided sound and lighting for the first two as well as assisting with the musical presentations. I am happy to say that I will be joining in on the fun and performing this time. I will be playing with the jazz ensemble from the Bethel Memorial Baptist Church as we have a few traditional hymns set in a neat jazz style.

The event, which is titled “The Redwood Café” was started in 2015 to provide a great night of gathering and fellowship for the church and local community. But, it also served a great mission called The Presbyterian Coffee Project. The mission offers a special link between congregations and communities around the world. Churches can now reach out to neighbors overseas not only with the prayers and offerings, but with the goods and products we purchase. A warm cup of coffee (or tea) in our hands is perhaps the most tangible daily connection we have with farmers around the world. It represents warmth, hospitality, fellowship, hard work and life’s pleasures both fine and simple.

Buying ‘fair trade’ through the Presbyterian Coffee Project ensures that more of the money we spend on coffee reaches the hardworking farmers who actually grow it. Fair trade far surpasses the temporary assistance provided to farmers through charity. Instead, the ongoing business of long-term, fair trade relationships consistently contributes to the living conditions of farmers, their families and their communities. Cooperatives use profits from fair trade coffee sales to establish community development or improvement programs such as schools, health clinics and training in areas such as leadership development. Fair trade farmers tend to use environmentally friendly growing practices — such as organic farming, composting and shade growing (interspersing coffee trees among other plants) — all of which benefit the farmers, the land and the quality of the coffee.

As you can see, this is a great mission. Fair Trade coffee will be for sale that night as well as an opportunity to purchase. Snacks will be available as well. There is a free will offering which helps to support this mission. If the first two events are any indication, you will definitely have a great time. I would strongly urge you to tell your friends. You won’t be disappointed.

Saturday, May 13, 2017
6:30 – 8:30 p.m.

Pilgrim Presbyterian Church
750 Belvidere Rd., Phillipsburg, NJ
Free Will Offering

Join us for an evening of
Live Music
Food, Fellowship
& Love for Social Justice

Fair Trade Coffee and Tea will be available.
Fair Trade Coffee is a Presbyterian Mission used to aid overseas farmers
in helping them and their community grow.

If you would like more information, please call the church at 908-859-1052

www.pilgrimpcusa.org

PLEASE MARK THIS DATE ON YOUR CALENDAR!!
••IT WILL BE A GREAT NIGHT••