Potosi community pulls together, makes Christian concert a reality
October 26, 2004
POTOSI – An amazing thing happened in this Washington County town of around 2,700 Sept. 18 when NewSong and Allen Asbury performed in concert for free.
One person, Joni Jacobsen, a member of Potosi Community Church, a Missouri Baptist Convention congregation of about 70, had a vision of providing a musical event for the community. She wanted to book NewSong, an internationally acclaimed contemporary Christian group, and Asbury, a solo artist whose hit “Someone’s Praying Me Through” was chosen by the Presidential Prayer Team for the National Day of Prayer.
The booking fee was $12,000, which seemed impossible when the primary fundraising method was selling donuts. But the church stepped out in faith one February morning and sold and delivered 450 dozen donuts.
“Soon other churches, businesses and individuals began offering ideas and providing resources,” said Bill Brammer, pastor, Potosi Community Church. “The cooperation was amazing as everyone came together under the banner of Jesus Christ. Churches donated money, banks held raffles, homemade lunches were sold and businesses and individuals began donating.”
The money was raised by June.
The concert came off without a hitch thanks to the work of more than 200 volunteers who helped with set-up, parking, security, concessions and counseling. A total of 1,100 people attended, with 76 coming forward during the invitation. Of those, 25 came to convert to Christianity, with 41 re-committing their lives to Christ and 10 coming for special prayer needs.
“This is a modern-day, two-fish-and-five-loaves example of what Christ can do with one inspired person, one committed small church and a group of Christian volunteers,” Brammer said.