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(From left) The Rev. Rusty King and the Rev. Eric Folkerth lead singing
of songs by Chicago and the Eagles with Connections Band. Photos
courtesy of Connections Band.
A UMNS Feature
By Joey Butler*
3:00 P.M. ET March 2, 2012
A group of United Methodists in Texas is singing “Bennie and the
Jets” — and raising some serious “Benjamins” for battling malaria.
Connections, a band made up of clergy and laity from the North Texas
Annual (regional) Conference, performs at churches in the area to
raise money for two United Methodist causes, Imagine No Malaria and the United Methodist Committee on Relief.
At its most recent show, the band surpassed an impressive milestone: It has now raised more than $100,000 for Imagine No Malaria.
“Hitting this goal is amazing to all of us,” said the Rev. Eric
Folkerth, senior pastor of Northaven United Methodist Church in Dallas
and one of the band’s leaders. “We're just grateful for the chance to
play music, provide a great evening for the crowd and be a part of
making the world a better place.”
Connections
was formed after a 2004 clergy retreat, when Folkerth met the Rev.
Rusty King, music minister at First United Methodist Church in Allen.
Both avid guitarists, they bonded over their common love of the music
of Dan Fogelberg and had jam sessions at the clergy retreat each year
with other fellow pastors.
The plot thickened when King suggested putting on a Fogelberg
tribute concert, which wound up raising almost $2,000 for UMCOR. As
most of the band members are United Methodist clergy and laity, the name
Connections reflects their Wesleyan bond.
From that original show, the band has developed a number of other
themed concerts, celebrating artists such as Chicago, The Eagles, James
Taylor, Elton John, Billy Joel, Stevie Wonder and two different “Super
Hits of the ‘70s” productions. As many as 40 different people
participate in various incarnations of the band, which has now
performed 40 concerts at United Methodist churches in the North Texas
area, raising close to $200,000 so far.
The musicians donate their time, and the host church decides whether
the money raised will go to Imagine No Malaria or the UMCOR.
Now that it has surpassed $100,000 for Imagine No Malaria, the band
has its eye on the next milestone: $200,000 in total dollars raised.
“It's all but certain that we'll make that goal at the next show,” Folkerth said.
“God made plans to take simple efforts and compound them into
extraordinary results,” said King. “When I reflect on how God is
using Connections Band, it gives me deep joy!”
*Butler is editor of young adult content for United Methodist Communications, Nashville, Tenn.
News media contact: Joey Butler, Nashville, Tenn., (615) 742-5105 or newsdesk@umcom.org.
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