Ian Garrott wants Morgan Hill to be as well known for Jesus as
it is for mushrooms.
Morgan Hill – Ian Garrott wants Morgan Hill to be as well known for Jesus as it is for mushrooms.
To that end, he and a small group of Christians have organized an Aug. 11 music event unlike any the city has seen or heard to honor the central figure of Christianity whom many worship and consider their Messiah and God incarnate.
Celebrate Jesus 2007 will fill the air of downtown Morgan Hill with the sounds of gospel and rock music from nearly a dozen Christian bands and local church groups, punctuated by a few sermons and inspirational messages. Garrott has grand ambitions for the all-day event at the Morgan Hill Community and Cultural Center’s amphitheater. He hopes to make it an annual festival that rivals the Mushroom Mardi Gras and Taste of Morgan Hill.
“I have an intent to get the good news out to people that don’t know about it,” Garrott said, speaking of the Bible and Jesus’ teachings of unconditional love for all people. “I see very little of Jesus being mentioned in society in general, and churches aren’t really doing a high-profile job of that.”
The fire-safety-equipment salesman, now 50, said he found salvation in Christianity 10 years ago after leaving a life of “sex, drugs and rock and roll.” Garrott now attends Calvary Church in San Jose, an outgrowth of the Jesus Freak movement that sought to make converts of hippees in the ’60s. His church focuses on scripture rather than ritual and hierarchy, Garrott said, contrasting it with the Catholic Church.
Though the Celebrate Jesus concert is officially sponsored by New Life Baptist Church in Morgan Hill, Garrott said the event aims to unite Christians of all denominations – and even non-believers – to celebrate the life and teachings of Christ.
Inspiration for the event came during the last Mushroom Mardi Gras, said Garrott, recounting how people at the city’s signature event were trying to have fun yet looked bored. The Lord’s presence, he said, was nowhere to be found.
“I was walking past the United Methodist Church on Monterey, and sitting on the front sidewalk were two gals doing Tarot-card readings,” Garrott recounted. “I thought they were bold about what they’re doing. I look at the church behind them and it’s buttoned up tight. I thought what a picture of our society today – people are unabashed about going out and saying, ‘I’m a wiccan, a paganist, a Satan worshiper. I’m a gay, bisexual or lesbian.’ But people are afraid to come out and say they’re Christian.”
Chris Weber, director of development at the Billy DeFrank Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Community Center, in San Jose, said, “Being Christian and being homosexual are not mutually exclusive,” responding to Garrott’s comment about homosexuality. “There are gay Christians that belong to churches in San Jose, California, and all throughout this nation. I think that too often religion is used to divide people and not reflect what God’s word is, which is love thy neighbor.”
Garrott said while he puzzled over the openess of those he considers non-Christians, the Holy Spirit spoke to him.
“The lord said, ‘Just praise me,’ ” Garrott said, explaining that he was moved to contact the city’s recreation department. Upon reaching them, he learned that on several occasions during the year, the city allows free public use of the cultural center’s amphitheater.
Garrott took the free booking as “confirmation from God” that he should put on the event. But in recent days, Morgan Hill city officials have taken pains to avoid the perception of an inappropriate mingling of church and state. Last week, Morgan Hill recreation department officials took down the event’s promotional banner from a sign-post overlooking Monterey Road and Dunne Avenue because the sign did not make clear that the city is not sponsoring the function, according to Steve Rymer, the city’s community services and recreation director.
Officials also decided to charge Garrott $610 for use of the facility, a fee that falls short of the $880 an organization would normally pay to rent the space for eight hours on a Sunday. The city occasionally waives the $110-hourly weekend fee to promote greater use by the public, as it did on July 14 for a line-up of blues musicians.
“One of our staff did have (the Celebrate Jesus event) as part of our concert series, but as we looked into this more and realized that we had an obligation not to promote any particular religious group or event, we called back and said we were going to have to charge them,” Rymer said.
He added that they deducted $270 in printing costs for a banner “due to the recognition that they were under the notion that this would be a free event for them, and in recognition that this was a staff error.”
Pastor Jack Clegg, of New Life Baptist Church, said he is not bothered by the removal of the banner as long as the city applies the same rules to all religious organizations. His greater concern, he said, is spreading the message of the Bible in a time when the lessons of Christ are co-opted and corrupted by politicians.
“I don’t have any illusions that some people aren’t going to like the fact that we’ve allowed the Christian message to get into the air. They’ll feel like it is assaulting them,” said Clegg, who will deliver a sermon at 6pm after playing bass with his church’s “worship team” band.
“It will really be something that can really bring life and hope to our community,” he added. “I deal with lost people all the time, meaning people who are not believers. Christianity done right is always good for our community.”
To see a line-up of bands for Celebrate Jesus 2007, visit http://www.swordandcross.com.
CELEBRATE JESUS FESTIVAL 2007
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When: 11am-7pm, Sunday, Aug. 11
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Where: Morgan Hill Community and Cultural Center, 17000 Monterey Road at the corner of Dunne Avenue.
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Web address: www.swordandcross.com
