Chesapeake Conference’s Frederick church partnered with WGTS 91.9 to present the station's Summer Concert Series on its campus in Frederick, Maryland, drawing an estimated 4,500 attendees, the event's largest crowd yet.
Singer-songwriter Blessing Offor headlined the free event, which took place Aug. 29, with gates opening at 5 p.m. and the show starting at 6 p.m. Carly Ann Taylor also performed. Organizers offered ice cream and raffles throughout the evening.
The concert has grown every year since it began. Organizers counted more than 300 attendees in 2023, more than 1,800 in 2024, more than 3,500 in 2025, and more than 4,500 this year. The Chesapeake Conference and the Columbia Union Conference support the event and the Frederick church presents it each year in partnership with WGTS 91.9.
More than 100 volunteers staffed the event, serving as shuttle drivers and greeters and running booths for Frederick Adventist Academy, Highland View Academy in Hagerstown, Md., and the church's children's ministries department. Rather than charge admission, organizers partnered with Frederick Rescue Mission and asked attendees to bring donations for the mission in lieu of tickets. The church also partnered with the Frederick Police Department and Frederick Fire Department, and worked with the city and a church across the street to secure nearby offsite parking.
Alareece Collie, discipleship pastor of the church reflected on the crowd after the event.
"As I looked at the crowd and reflected on the day, I was reminded of the ministry of Jesus," Collie said. "Wherever He went, diverse crowds gathered, each person carrying their own needs, concerns, joys, and fears. Yet even in the crowd, Jesus saw each person as if they were the only one. On Saturday, He saw us too. It was a reminder that though we plan and prepare for community events like this, there is a work that only the Holy Spirit can do, and we have to surrender to that. I'm incredibly grateful that we were able to be a part of His work."
Morgan Kochenower, senior pastor, spoke to the crowd about rest.
"I believe Jesus is coming very soon, and I believe rest will play a pivotal role before He returns," Kochenower said. "It was an honor to stand and remind people that even when you're exhausted from chasing the next party, running from your past, or weighed down by what you see on TV, the invitation to rest in Jesus still stands. He has woven rest into our weekly rhythm, calling us to trust in His sovereignty and stand firm in His salvation."
Church volunteers also staffed a health booth and distributed literature to visitors, including copies of "The Ministry of Healing" by Ellen G. White, printed vegan recipe cards, and fliers promoting the church's upcoming Wellness Weekend Kickoff, scheduled for Oct. 31–Nov. 1, 2026, in the church gymnasium. The wellness event will offer sessions on hydrotherapy and mental health, along with recipes, health advice and a blood drive.
Frederick Adventist Academy ran a Color Fun Run booth nearby, distributing cotton candy, popcorn, snow cones, and ice cream, while wearing T-shirts commemorating past Color Fun Run events, and volunteers handed out flyers about the run.
Organizers said the annual concert has introduced more Frederick residents to the church and to Adventism. Each year, the church extends invitations to community partners, city officials, and nonprofit organizations, and continues to count WGTS 91.9 among its closest community partners.
To learn more about the Frederick Adventist Church and its activities, please visit here.
Pastors Morgan Kochenower and Alareece Collie contributed to this story.