Press Release: The Rochester Project

Rochester, Minnesota, May, 2000.

  Here's a riddle. What would drive an advertising director to spend hours in his southwest Rochester basement with a molecular biologist, a computer programmer, an administrative assistant, a psychiatric nurse, an office manager, a youth leader and a radiation therapist? Give up? This unlikely team is also a group of gospel musicians and singers who call themselves "The Rochester Project" or simply "TRP". The basement provides a convenient home recording studio. Their goal? A benefit compact disc recording project to be released this fall.

"TRP is a group of gifted Christian musicians representing a variety of churches and backgrounds in southeastern Minnesota" notes Jim Maher, the Mayo molecular biology professor and bassist who co-founded The Rochester Project along with Jeffry Swertfeger, composer and guitarist, whose day job is advertising director for McNeilus Truck and Manufacturing Co.

Maher states "TRP has three goals in this CD project. First, to share our belief that faith in Jesus Christ is the only path to God. Second, to raise money for a non-sectarian Rochester charity, and third, to have a blast".

"And that third goal has sure been easy" adds Sarah Manthei with a smile. Manthei is office manager at Sargent's Landscape Nursery, Inc. in Rochester and is a vocalist on the recording.

The compact disc "Yours" will be the first release for this group of eight. Consisting entirely of original material, the pop/gospel collection is largely the work of Swertfeger who composed the music and penned most of the lyrics for the CD.

"But-" Swertfeger notes, "the project has been a delightful collaboration right from the start. Each person has brought distinct musical talents, insights and creative ideas to this recording. The pleasure of working together to make this music is hard to describe".

The CD presents a collection songs and instrumentals imprinted with a clear Christian message, giving insights into the personal relationships with Jesus Christ claimed by each of the musicians.

"Each of us was separated from God by our own selfish choices" states lead singer, Mollie Pellegrino, a radiation therapist at Naeve hospital in Albert Lea, Minnesota. "We each have found reconciliation with God by believing that Jesus Christ died as a sacrifice for us, his life paying the ransom needed to win us back to God".

"Even though our experiences as Christians are different in many ways" points out Mick Nichols, a worship leader at Rochester Berean Community Church and another lead vocalist on the CD, "we share the belief that God has built a bridge back to himself- a bridge built by the sacrifice of Jesus Christ for us".

"Our CD presents the concept that Christianity is a relationship with Jesus Christ" says Sheryl Brown, a vocalist and psychiatric nurse at St. Mary's hospital in Rochester. "There's nothing we can do on our own to earn God's favor" she points out. "The sacrifice of Jesus Christ provides the bridge back to God. This is the message behind our music".

The other two performers who can be heard on the upcoming CD are April Rowe, a keyboardist and worship assistant at First Baptist Church in Rochester, and drummer Kris Davis, a programmer at IBM.

The Rochester Project's "Yours" CD represents a partnership between TRP and Olmsted Outreach, a non-profit organization in southeastern Minnesota. The CD will be retailed in Rochester stores in the fall. All profits from the sales of the CD will benefit the Rochester Area Habitat for Humanity. Information concerning The Rochester Project is available at www.TheRochesterProject.org