Rev. Daniel Aaron Cohen, Agawam Congregational Church
Reminder Publishing photo by Mike Lydick
AGAWAM — This Friday night, the Agawam Congregational Church will host what could become regular monthly contemporary services featuring live music, singing, prayer and pizza.
The Oct. 16 event – Praise and Pizza Night – starts at 6:30 and includes free pizza. It’s designed to be a unifying event for people in Agawam as well as Springfield and surrounding communities.
The Rev. Daniel Aaron Cohen, church pastor, said the event is open to everyone — not just members of the church. He said the goal is to bring together people of different ages and backgrounds.
“We’re trying to create a special event where people will worship and break bread together, uniting folks from different towns and walks of life,” said Cohen. “Children are especially welcome — even children who are in their 80s, 90s or 100-plus.”
Cohen is hoping to get around 50 people, including about 20 from the regular Sunday congregation. “This is our first time, so if we get 20 people and they have a meaningful experience, I’ll consider that a success. The church can hold several hundred, so if God surprises us, we’ve got room.”
He said the idea for Praise and Pizza Night came from God and a friend, the Rev. Jean-Fritz Guerrier, pastor of a church in East Lyme, Connecticut, who has had success with a contemporary second service.
“I had been thinking about how we could bring some younger people into the church. We have a wonderful congregation, but it’s an older congregation, and most of them love the traditional hymns we sing on Sunday mornings,” said Cohen. “I wasn’t sure that changing what we’re already doing on Sunday morning was either necessary or fair to them.”
When people at the church asked him to start wearing a microphone instead of using a handheld mic, Cohen began thinking more about adding a contemporary service — an idea he had kicked around for some time — where he could move around more and preach with a little more “oomph.”
That preaching style is something that comes naturally to Cohen. He spent about 25 years worshiping and ministering in predominantly African American churches, where he preached “with a lot of energy.”
Cohen didn’t want another weekly service because he felt it would put too much pressure on him and the church. But once a month seemed possible. Then his idea started growing.
First aboard was Dennis King, a church member and owner of King Gray Coach Lines. He had talked with Cohen about using contemporary music to bring more people into the church. King is providing a bus at no charge and is also donating $100 toward the pizza.
Next was Kevin Ramsdell, executive director of the Springfield Rescue Mission. “Kevin loved the idea. So, I started thinking: Why not use Dennis’s bus to bring some people from Springfield to Agawam?”
Cohen then enlisted Darlene St. Jacques, program director for Loaves and Fishes Community Kitchen at South Congregational Church in Springfield, where ACC members go monthly to help serve meals. She told Cohen her “customers” were excited about the event and wanted to go.
In addition, Cohen contacted area colleges and received positive feedback. “We’ve also invited Scouts, high school students, Rotarians, pastors and just about anybody else I can think of.”
Response to his idea has been encouraging, said Cohen. “I’m really excited about how God is moving in this ministry already. There have been so many open doors. Everyone I’ve invited or spoken to about it has been enthusiastic. And best of all, the church is excited as well.”
Cohen is especially grateful for the response from his church. “People have gotten behind it. There’s now a Praise and Pizza Night sign on the church lawn, we’ve put flyers around town and church members are excited,” he said.
The music will be a bit of a family affair, according to Cohen. Steve Tapply, a choir member and a lead vocalist/guitarist with the local blues-rock band, “Built for Comfort,” will be playing and singing. His mother, Ann Tapply, church music director. will play the keyboard and sing. Cohen’s wife Christine also will sing.
Cohen added that the pizza really is free. “Dennis’s donation gives us a good start, and we’ll have choices, such as meat lovers, veggie and plain cheese. We’ll ask people what they want when they arrive and make sure we have enough,” he said.
The church is planning another Praise and Pizza Night — probably in mid-November. People at the October event will be asked to complete a simple form to be notified about the November event. “Just as important, we’ll ask them what they liked most about the evening and why. I want the people who actually come to help us shape what this becomes,” said Cohen.
The church is located at 754 Main St. While advance notice is not required, anyone planning to attend or who needs more information, should contact the church office: 413-786-7111 or office@agawamcong.com.
