Share-A-Christmas Night of Music on tap for Dec. 4
Anytime someone from Wall Street turns $100 into $16,000, they are sure to garner admiration, and a good bit of jealousy, from their friends and rivals.
But those in the stock exchange are usually out for themselves or their clients. Jann Hershberger had a much more noble idea.
One decade ago, Hershberger, a piano instructor from Martins Creek Mennonite, took on a challenge from pastor Carl Wiebe, to take a $100 gift from the church and extend the hand of mercy and giving into the community, to make something wonderful happen.
Rather than bury her $100 in the ground, Hershberger decided to make something spectacular happen, and thus was born the Share-A-Christmas Night of Music, a gala event in which Hershberger has assembled some of the premier talent from Holmes County and the surrounding areas to perform Christmas music.
Over the past decade, her initial $100 investment has netted more than $16,000, which has all gone to aid Holmes County Share-A-Christmas.
JannFest, which the event is lovingly dubbed, has grown from 100 people that first year to packing the Martins Creek church, and it has been an instrumental part of the fundraising efforts for Share-A-Christmas.
This year, as the show celebrates its ninth anniversary, Hershberger said the many blessings that have accumulated from the event range from her and those who have performed, to those in attendance, to the families who have been touched through Share-A-Christmas.
This year’s music spectacular on Sunday, Dec. 4, at 5 p.m., will again feature a tremendous cast of talent, each musician bringing their own uniqueness to the show.
“It’s just going to be another wonderful night of music,” said Hershberger. “We have so many awesome musicians in this area. It’s exciting to see them all gather for one night of Christmas music.”
The line-up for the night includes James McFarren, a percussionist from Loudonville, the trio of Rhoda Mast on the piano and granddaughters Mattie and Emma Mast on violin, trumpet solos from Brent Young and Jerry Ryan, the Dale Kaufman bluegrass band, a touching sign language performance by Marcella and friends, a duet by guitarist Ed Miller and flutist Pam Miller will provide pre-concert music in the foyer, a stirring performance by blind pianist Todd Swallen, accompanied by his wife, Ruth, a solo featuring the smooth voice of Charles Scamman, a rousing performance by the Hiland jazz band directed by Scott Thomas, a solo from Kidron Central Christian sophomore Micha Raber and more. The evening’s performances will conclude with a spectacular medley of Christmas carols, directed by Jamie White, and featuring a number of area performers.
“We invite anyone who would like to participate in the Christmas carols to join us,” said Hershberger. “There will be a rehearsal Dec. 2, from 7-8:15 p.m. at Martins Creek, and we would love to have a lot of people for this.”
Following the performance, there will be finger foods in the lavishly adorned new family life center, and during the performance there will be nursery aid provided.
The public is invited to stay after the concert and enjoy the finger food meal, which, to anyone who has attended, is a great deal more than just finger foods.
Last year, close to 450 people joined in the celebration, making the evening a festive Christmas evening. Aside from the donations raised for Share-A-Christmas, which reach many local families at Christmastime, Hershberger cherishes the idea that she is performing a ministry as the Christmas season approaches. “I think it is a wonderful local outreach ministry in which people all over Holmes County donate time, money, effort and goods to help families in need every Christmas,” said Hershberger. “It has been so neat to see so many people cooperate with the production of this event. People everywhere have volunteered to help wherever they are needed, and it makes it feel like God is doing something special.
“This whole thing is about God’s love pouring out through people to others,” she continued. “The concert itself is people using the gifts God has given them to bless others through the gift of music. The money is everyone involved with Share-A-Christmas reaching out to hurting families in the community.”
But those in the stock exchange are usually out for themselves or their clients. Jann Hershberger had a much more noble idea.
One decade ago, Hershberger, a piano instructor from Martins Creek Mennonite, took on a challenge from pastor Carl Wiebe, to take a $100 gift from the church and extend the hand of mercy and giving into the community, to make something wonderful happen.
Rather than bury her $100 in the ground, Hershberger decided to make something spectacular happen, and thus was born the Share-A-Christmas Night of Music, a gala event in which Hershberger has assembled some of the premier talent from Holmes County and the surrounding areas to perform Christmas music.
Over the past decade, her initial $100 investment has netted more than $16,000, which has all gone to aid Holmes County Share-A-Christmas.
JannFest, which the event is lovingly dubbed, has grown from 100 people that first year to packing the Martins Creek church, and it has been an instrumental part of the fundraising efforts for Share-A-Christmas.
This year, as the show celebrates its ninth anniversary, Hershberger said the many blessings that have accumulated from the event range from her and those who have performed, to those in attendance, to the families who have been touched through Share-A-Christmas.
This year’s music spectacular on Sunday, Dec. 4, at 5 p.m., will again feature a tremendous cast of talent, each musician bringing their own uniqueness to the show.
“It’s just going to be another wonderful night of music,” said Hershberger. “We have so many awesome musicians in this area. It’s exciting to see them all gather for one night of Christmas music.”
The line-up for the night includes James McFarren, a percussionist from Loudonville, the trio of Rhoda Mast on the piano and granddaughters Mattie and Emma Mast on violin, trumpet solos from Brent Young and Jerry Ryan, the Dale Kaufman bluegrass band, a touching sign language performance by Marcella and friends, a duet by guitarist Ed Miller and flutist Pam Miller will provide pre-concert music in the foyer, a stirring performance by blind pianist Todd Swallen, accompanied by his wife, Ruth, a solo featuring the smooth voice of Charles Scamman, a rousing performance by the Hiland jazz band directed by Scott Thomas, a solo from Kidron Central Christian sophomore Micha Raber and more. The evening’s performances will conclude with a spectacular medley of Christmas carols, directed by Jamie White, and featuring a number of area performers.
“We invite anyone who would like to participate in the Christmas carols to join us,” said Hershberger. “There will be a rehearsal Dec. 2, from 7-8:15 p.m. at Martins Creek, and we would love to have a lot of people for this.”
Following the performance, there will be finger foods in the lavishly adorned new family life center, and during the performance there will be nursery aid provided.
The public is invited to stay after the concert and enjoy the finger food meal, which, to anyone who has attended, is a great deal more than just finger foods.
Last year, close to 450 people joined in the celebration, making the evening a festive Christmas evening. Aside from the donations raised for Share-A-Christmas, which reach many local families at Christmastime, Hershberger cherishes the idea that she is performing a ministry as the Christmas season approaches. “I think it is a wonderful local outreach ministry in which people all over Holmes County donate time, money, effort and goods to help families in need every Christmas,” said Hershberger. “It has been so neat to see so many people cooperate with the production of this event. People everywhere have volunteered to help wherever they are needed, and it makes it feel like God is doing something special.
“This whole thing is about God’s love pouring out through people to others,” she continued. “The concert itself is people using the gifts God has given them to bless others through the gift of music. The money is everyone involved with Share-A-Christmas reaching out to hurting families in the community.”
Published: November 18, 2011
