Frederick Church Hosts Community Concert with Mike Donehey in Baker Park

The Frederick (Md.) church held a free community concert on April 8 in Baker Park in downtown Frederick, featuring Mike Donehey, the lead singer of Tenth Avenue North. The event took place during Easter weekend, with the aim of connecting with the community and inviting people to engage with the church in a casual, neutral setting.

Alareece Collie, associate pastor, explained that the church chose Easter weekend for the concert as it is a time when even nominally Christian individuals are more open to attending religious events. During the concert, Donehey asked the audience to raise their hands if they were regular churchgoers, and only about half of the attendees did so, indicating a strong turnout of unchurched individuals.

Organziers were intentional to connect concertgoers back to the church. Lead pastor Morgan Kochenower delivered a short homily from the bandshell before the concert on the meaning of the resurrection, emphasizing how Jesus’ triumph over death offers hope for even the most hopeless and broken situations. Additionally, the Frederick church’s worship band, InFusion, opened for Donehey, showcasing the music that the church regularly offers.

Several tents were set up for additional interaction, including a kids’ activity tent featuring games and balloons, and a prayer tent where a team of volunteers, including mental health professionals, were available to talk to and pray with anyone seeking prayer. Adventist Health, WGTS 91.9, and Frederick Rescue Mission were partners for the event and also had tents for engaging with concertgoers. In lieu of purchasing tickets, attendees were encouraged to donate essential items to Frederick Rescue Mission.

More than 90 church volunteers participated in organizing and running the event. Collie noted that it was exciting to see church members getting to know each other better while serving the community together. She added that through the process of hosting the concert, the church had been able to connect with many city leaders and community organizations.

“I want our church to be known in the community,” Collie said. “I want people to think of the Frederick Seventh-day Adventist Church in a positive way because, when they do, it opens the door for us to minister to them further.”