United melodies open mic brings harmony to Kanab-Fredonia

Music, community, and collaboration took center stage this past weekend at the Unit­ed Church of Kanab- Fredonia during a two-day open mic event titled United Melodies. The celebration, held July 26 - 27 at 530 S. Highway 89A, drew a joyful crowd and show­cased a wide range of local talent - all while highlighting the power of community in action.

Images courtesy of Eric Sims.

The event doubled as an open house to honor the ongoing renovation of the historic home located behind the church. The project has brought together volunteers from across the region - spanning multiple towns, states and faith traditions - and United Melodies reflected that same spirit of unity.

Saturday’s open mic featured an eclectic mix of musical and spoken word perfor­mances, both secular and spiritual. Perform­ers included Bobbi and Sky Chaney, Carla Powell, Bill Tarbell, Derek Robinson, Pat­rick Norris, Angela Aldatz, Thomas Sug­den, Victoria Xiong and Troy Snow. The Baker Bunch - com­posed of Jan Wieneke, Randy Merrell, Chris Ratches, Joyce Rhodes, Nayna Christensen and Ross Ray- deliv­ered a crowd-pleasing set. Other highlights included performances by Seth Giddings, Tom Carter and the bands Eureka! (Cat Denton and Eric Sims) and Nebulus (Derek Rob­inson and Eric Sims).

One particularly touching moment came when Tony Schoenfeld and Alyssa Mosdell debuted an original composition using the words of a poem dis­covered during the renovation - a musical tribute to the home’s rich history.

Sunday’s service was filled with worship and spiritual music, fea­turing Carla Powell, Bill Tarbell, Cherise Supieza and Aurelia Lunsford in a rever­ent continuation of the weekend’s theme of community connec­tion.

The United Church of Kanab-Fredonia welcomes all to at­tend Sunday services at 10 a.m., as well as weekly meditations on Tuesdays at 6:30 p.m. and Fridays at 9:30 a.m. The church is located at 530 S. Hwy 89A. Many community members know it as “the church with the pretty stained glass window”. For more information, please call/text 317-402-2791.

Those who wish to support the contin­ued restoration of the historic home can con­tribute to a fund des­ignated for flooring improvements. The church is also seek­ing the donation of a white electric stove to complete the kitchen.

In the words of event organizer Marilyn Vickery, “It wasn’t just a concert - it was a celebration of every­thing that brings us together.”