07/28/2025
“(ESM) member churches have also expanded their fundraising events to give people the opportunity to enjoy themselves while making donations to the ministry.
The first event will take place on Saturday, August 23, in Meadowbrook-Poly UMC’s Fellowship Hall where ESM will hold its fourth annual Sizzling Summer Jazz Fest featuring the East Fort Worth Community Jazz Band that rehearses and performs in our church.
While our first two Jazz Fests included hamburger and hot dog dinners, the heat led the board to switch to an Ice Cream Social last year, which will continue this year. So mark your calendars for this free event, which will run from 6 to 8 p.m. With breaks for ice cream, cookies and fund appeals.
But wait, that’s not your only opportunity to hear some good music while supporting Eastside Ministries.
St. Matthew’s UMC, whose own musicians have periodically performed to raise money for ESM, plans to kick the musical event up a notch on Saturday, September 20, when it will host the MSB Choir, a Denton-based Gospel choir.
MSB is a small but well-known gospel choir, featuring some of the best and most decorated singers in the area. The choir performs standard gospel songs, traditional hymns, and popular songs in a choral style including Motown and new music.
St. Matthew’s and other ESM member churches are selling $25 tickets to cover the choir’s $2,500 fee. Since the sanctuary seats nearly 200 people, the goal is to sell 200 tickets to raise money for ESM. The ticket includes a picnic dinner after the 6 p.m. concert.
Ticket purchasers will receive a statement allowing them to write-off the purchase as a charitable contribution. Contact Martha Deller, MPUMC’s ESM board representative, for tickets.
And last but not least, the All Peoples Unitarian Church choir will perform Lazarus, the Musical, a biblical story of Dives, the rich man, and Lazarus, the poor man who survives on crumbs from the rich man’s table. The performance will be at St. Matthew’s in October.
Initially performed during an All Peoples worship service last May to raise awareness of hunger, homelessness, poverty and the disparity between rich and poor, the church donated 40 boxes of food and clothing to ESM.
After offering to repeat the musical at other churches, St. Matthew’s agreed to host another performance of the All Peoples musical in October. A date has not been set, but the plan is to collect food, clothing and money for ESM. A date will be announced later.
Other ESM fundraisers are in the works, including the ever-popular Christmas by Candlelight musical kickoff to Advent in early December.”
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