Published: August 02, 2008 12:20 am            

MOLSON CONCERTS: Church reaches out at Canal Concert series

For each of the Molson Canal Concerts this year, members from the Antioch Bible Baptist Church in Wrights Corners have stood out on the corner of Market and Main streets in Lockport trying to spread their message.

Members of the church usually show up just as opening acts are beginning their performances in the series. The group carries signs expressing their faith to get people’s attention. On Friday, dozens of Antioch members were back out on the corner, ready to share their faith in Jesus Christ with anyone who passes by.

“We’re here every week,” said member Jim Sorta, adding the many church members were there voluntarily.

The group has also made appearances at a few other public events, and even knocked on a few doors. Sorta said he hasn’t run into any problems with people while sharing his faith with them, he just enjoys talking to them.

“We don’t want to scream at them, or push it down their throats,” he said.

He turned and spoke for a little while with a police officer who was standing nearby and gave him a pamphlet.

Sorta said he grew up in Niagara Falls and said nobody told him about Jesus Christ or the Bible. He said it’s great for him to see kids in the church, because it was something he missed out on.

Sorta added that the response has been great to the Antioch members’ appearance at the concerts, but there are people who might not want to hear there’s a heaven and a hell.

“But there’s always somebody who will listen,” Sorta said.

Friday’s concert opened with performances by Handsome Jack and Eric Solomon. Solomon told the crowd that he had driven all the way from his hometown of Vancouver, British Columbia.

“It’s a long drive,” he said. “But rumor has it you guys love Canadian bands.”

Solomon kept interacting with the crowd in a number of ways, trying to get people to sing along and at one point, playing around with some of the beach balls that were bouncing back and forth.

Lockport natives, Handsome Jack members Jamison Passuite and Phil Allport said it was great to perform in front of their hometown.

“It was a lot more people than we expected,” Allport said.

Passuite and Allport said they have been to a couple of the Molson concerts, with the Kenny Wayne Shepherd show being one of their favorites.

But the main act was Robert Randolph and the Family Band, who drew cheers when the band walked into the Ulrich City Centre. They weren’t even on stage yet when the cheers started. But when they did get on, the band started off with a long musical number before getting into the song “Good Times.”

The concert series continues Friday with Riders on the Storm, and opening acts Mo Porter and Chylde.

Contact reporter Joe Olenick at 439-9222, ext. 6241.

        

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