In September, we feature the fine music of Lazy Does It traditional jazz band, and benefit Pratt Community School.
To make a donation to Pratt School, click the button below and make sure to type “Concert Series” into the field to the right of the $$ box.
Listen to Lazy Does It perform “Just a Closer Walk with Thee” at the 2010 City of Lauderdale’s “A Day in the Park” celebration:
Lazy Does It got its start in the mid-90’s when the leader, Len Yaeger, got a request from the organizers of the annual Pratt School Ice Cream Social in Minneapolis to supply a band for the event. Having gotten their foot in the door at that long-ago Pratt Ice Cream Social, Lazy Does It has been a featured attraction there every year since. The event has evolved and grown, over the years, and has benefited greatly from the increased ethnic diversity of the neighborhood. Lazy Does It has also been a regular act in the Prospect Park United Methodist Church’s Community Concert Series, appearing for the first time during the 2012-2013 concert season. These are always fun gigs with enthusiastic and appreciative audiences. All proceeds from the free-will offerings collected at these events go to worthwhile local charities.
Pratt Community School needs our support as much as ever as they strive to bring enriching educational
opportunities to students virtually to start this year. Their mission is to create a safe, challenging and nurturing learning environment where all students succeed.
The Prospect Park United Methodist Church Community Concert Series has always been about community:
- The community supported by local nonprofit organizations that are benefited by the generous donations from concert goers
- The community of musicians who graciously share their musical talents with others
- The community of concert goers who come together to experience that music and who generously donate funds in support of those nonprofit organizations
In this time of pandemic, we do not feel that we can safely bring musicians and concert goers together for in-person concerts. Consequently, we will not be scheduling any in-person concerts until further notice.
This doesn’t mean that the needs of the community served by the non-profit organizations is any less, or that the musical groups are any less worthy of a listen to brighten our lives, or that those who attend those concerts have any less desire to enjoy that music and support those worthy causes.
As in many other parts of our lives, the 11th season of the concert series will be a virtual one. Each month we will feature on our website one of our musical groups with information about the group and links to music recorded by them. We will also feature a nonprofit organization doing excellent social justice work in the neighborhood, community, city and across denominations.
We ask you to join in as the ‘concert-going’ community by listening to music by the featured musicians (and perhaps purchasing one of their albums); reading about the work of the featured organizations and if you are so moved, by donating to those organizations; and finally, in the spirit of community, add a comment about the music you have experienced or the inspiration or appreciation you have gained from the featured organization on this web page for that month’s ‘concert’ (while treating yourself to a cookie or bar or a healthy vegetable snack in solidarity with others in the concert going community)!
To go along with your treat, if you would like to add delicious coffee as authentic to the PPUMC Community Concert series, you can purchase Velasquez Family Coffee here. This is the fair trade coffee served during the reception following the formerly in-person concerts, and it can be delivered to your door!
Other beneficiaries of the 2020-2021 season:
- MN Council of Churches Refugee Services
- Southeast Seniors
- MN Interfaith Power & Light (MNIPL)
- Simpson Housing
- Glendale Food Shelf – Eastside Neighborhood Services
- Voices for Racial Justice
- FamilyWise (MCCC)
- Habitat for Humanity
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