BLANDFORD-Eighty Mennonite students from around the world – including young people from the Pioneer Valley Mennonite Church in Russell, will present a unique concert Sept. 10 at the White Church of Blandford.
“Come & Worship through Song” is the theme of the 7 p.m. free event, hosted by the Blandford Historical Society. Each month throughout the year, the society hosts a variety of musical, educational and inspirational programs that are geared for all ages.
Mennonite students from around the world will present a free concert Sept. 10 at the White Church of Blandford, followed by a performance the next day at Ground Zero in New York City. (Submitted photo)
“This is our 13th year of bringing a group of students together in this way and it started out with the main focus being a visit to Ground Zero to sing for the families that lost loved ones in 9/11,” said Ronald Hess of Russell, who added that the group’s focus has “broadened” over the years. Hess serves as the chorus director and also helped start the Mennonite church in Russell 18 years ago.
Hess encourages local residents to attend the 90-minute event which will feature sing-a-longs and old-time hymns.
“The group consists of different young folks each year and they come mainly from all over the United States, all over Canada, and including quite a few from some of our mission churches in Mexico and many other countries,” said Hess.
Young people encompassing the Pioneer Valley Mennonite Mission Conference will board buses in the early morning of Sept. 11 to ensure they have ample time to arrive at Ground Zero of the World Trade Center site in New York City to once again lend their voices in song.
“The name of the group basically reflects the reason we do this,” said Hess. “Jesus taught us to serve one another, including our neighbors and all mankind. The focus of the conference is on teaching our young folks to love to serve – singing, encouraging, stacking wood or cleaning out someone’s attic – whatever it is.”
Attendees at the Blandford program will also be able to meet the students following the event.
Members of the Pioneer Valley Mennonite Church in Russell have performed at the Ground Zero Memorial in New York City for more than 10 years – as part of the Pioneer Valley Mennonite Mission Conference. (Submitted photo)
Upcoming programs also planned by the society include “500 Years of Music for Guitar” by internationally known guitarist and composer Peter Griggs on Sept. 17 from 4 to 5:30 p.m. at the White Church of Blandford. Griggs will perform music for classical guitar from the Renaissance to the contemporary, as well as Flamenco, Brazilian music, jazz, blues and several of his own compositions. Admission is by donation.
Griggs has presented more than 500 solo guitar concerts throughout the United States, Germany, United Kingdom, France, Scandinavia and Eastern Europe at art centers, festivals, museums, churches, jazz clubs and other venues. He was based for more than 10 years in Dusseldorf, Germany, and now resides in Brooklyn, N.Y.
Events rounding out the year’s schedule include an Oct. 13 lecture at 7 p.m. titled “Horace Moses” by Bob Kidd at the Blandford Historical Society meeting house on North Street; a free reptile program on Oct. 14 at 11 a.m. at the town hall gym; an appreciation dinner for veterans at town hall at 5 p.m. on Nov. 11, and a Christmas tree-lighting ceremony at the meeting house on Dec. 3 at 5 p.m.
For up-to-date details on the society’s happenings, visit its Facebook page – The Blandford Historical Society. For more information on the concert, call (413) 454-7254.
