Feb. 15, 2019 AURORA, Ill. — Flowing Forth United Methodist Church in Aurora will stage a Mardi Gras-style jazz concert at 7 p.m. on Fat Tuesday, March 5, the last day before Lent.

The public is invited. Admission and parking are free. Flowing Forth UMC meets at Aurora Christian School, 2255 Sullivan Rd. in Aurora. Please enter door 11.

The Matt Erion Dodeca Band, a 12-piece Aurora group, will perform a variety of spiritual music from Dixieland to swing to gospel and R&B. Selections will include “Precious Lord, Take My Hand,” “Just a Closer Walk with Thee” and “When the Saints go Marching In” with Batavia’s Andy Hix on drums.

Erion founded the band in 2016 and debuted its Fat Tuesday concert in 2017. In addition to Erion, band members are: Jeff Ford, Oswego, soprano saxophone; Roland Schuetz, Aurora, alto sax; Walt Howard, Sugar Grove, tenor sax; Randy Ream, Elburn, bari sax; Nate Pritt, S. Elgin, lead trumpet; Mark Lathan, Bartlett, second trumpet; Keith Rogers, North Aurora, third trumpet; Tim Felts, Oswego, trombone; John Klatt, Aurora, tuba and trombone; Jim Abrahamson, Chicago, piano; and Andy Hix, Batavia, drums.

A freewill offering will be taken to support Methodist ministries. The concert is sponsored by Aurora Cluster Methodist churches. They are Flowing Forth UMC, Wesley UMC and Bethany UMC in Aurora and Kaneland UMC and Sugar Grove UMC.

The cluster will also sponsor an Ash Wednesday service at 7 p.m. Wednesday, March 6, at Sugar Grove UMC, 176 S. Main St. in Sugar Grove. The service will include a combined choir of vocalists from Cluster churches, speakers from Cluster churches and imposition of ashes.

Erion said, “It has been the custom in many Christian traditions to have a celebration of fellowship as believers make a final preparation for lent. In our community of believers, we will come together for fellowship and a lively worship featuring a band playing classic spiritual music.”

He added, “The opportunity for me to present jazz in a worship space is a treasured opportunity for me. I have always felt the sound of jazz is about freedom, democracy and learning to bridge the gaps and find common ground between people and cultures.

“The congregation of Flowing Forth looks forward to partnering with the wonderful people of the Aurora Cluster on what is sure to be a memorable night of worship and fellowship.“

Call (630) 239-2321 for more information.

More information on Flowing Forth UMC is available at: https://www.flowingforthumc.org/

Related articles at XPian News: https://xpian.news/category/aurora/

Al Benson

Freelance Photo-Journalist

Al Benson is an Aurora-based freelance photo-journalist. He is currently an archives research specialist at Aurora University. His work has appeared in The Voice, The Daily Herald, The Beacon-News, and the Chicago Tribune.