UN I V E R S I T Y D A I L Y K A N S A N
Thursday, April 28, 1994
7
MUSIC WITH A MESSAGE
In a small church west of Lawrence, Jami Flynn, the lead singer of the rock and roll band Jami Flynn and One Will, prepares for a show.
An audience of about 20 gathers, expectant.
Jami Flynn sings at a Seventh Saturday service. Flynn is the lead singer of the Christian band Jami Flynn and One Will.
The music starts with a driving beat. Flynn, dressed in a red jacket, belts out a tune. The audience members tap their toes as the ball comes alive at the Community Bible Church, woven 906 N. 1464 Road. Flynn is leading a Saturday service at the church — a service possibly unlike any other.
Seventh Saturday is the name of an alternative church service begun in January by Flynn, her husband, John, and their friends Beth and Larry Baldridge, all Lawrence residents. They started the service especially for KU students who might have been attracted to a different style of church service than students may be used to.
The Flynns were in a secular band called "Punchin' Judi," which played occasionally in Lawrence during 1989. When they played the Lawrence music scene, they saw a lot of unhappy, dissatisfied people.
"We've been where they're at, and we wanted to do rock music with a different message," Flynn said.
However, the Flynns and their friends the Baldridges wanted to go beyond the usual church service.
"We talked to lots of people who didn't want to go to a traditional church service but who have lots of questions about Jesus, church and God," Jami Flynn said.
Flynn said she was concerned that students at the University didn't get a chance to hear the truth about Christianity.
"A lot of what they hear of the truth is what David Koresh or Fred Phelps say," Flynn said. "But the truth is that God hates sin but loves people."
Flynn said she started thinking about "eternal things" in college after the death of her mother.
"She wasn't old; she wasn't sick; she just died of a heart attack," she said. "I started thinking, 'That could happen to me.' I wanted to know if there was a real heaven and hell an eternal life."
A licensed hardrressed, Flynn also is the mother of two boys; Shaun, 12, and Isaac, 2.
Jami and John Flynn met when Jami cut John's hair at in a salon in Hutchinson. Because of John, Jami got into music.
"I never even considered singing before I met John." Fliynn said.
She said that while Seventh Saturday hasn't taken off vet, she was hopeful that it would.
"We made a commitment to keep doing this for two years even if only a few people come," Beth Baldridge said.
But however successful the service will be,
Flynn said, she will continue to lead the service.
"We just want to provide an environment where people can ask questions, hear music and hear the truth," Flynn said. "Sometimes people share about their own lives. Every story is tremendous."
Above: Jami plays hockey with her sons, Isaac, 2, and Shaun, 12, at their house in Lawrence. Left: Paulen Wood, Jami's sister-in-law, shows Jami some rug samples from the store where Wood works. Jami and John have plans to redecorate their dining room.
Story and photos by Valerie Bontrager
In her basement, Jami, a licensed hairdresser, cuts the hair of her sister-in-law Pauleen.