A musical project that's set to benefit the Presbyterian Hunger Program is looking for pledges — and with a monthlong extension, there’s still time to participate.
Independent folk musician Bryan McFarland, hunger action advocate for Salem Presbytery, is raising money to record his third album, called … until all are fed. Through the company Pledge Music, which allows fans to finance musicians through online pledges, he’s hoping to raise $15,700. McFarland will give 10 percent of the production costs and 20 percent of its profits to PHP.
Originally set to run through the end of May, the pledge campaign now ends June 30. As of June 16, more than $13,100 — about 84 percent of the money needed — has been pledged.
And with time running down, McFarland has been pleased with the response he's getting from middle governing bodies, especially in a time of tight budgets and many needs.
Abingdon Presbytery, for example, recently pledged $2,000. It also issued a challenge to other presbyteries to "just show up and make a pledge," McFarland said.
"I'm prayerfully confident that folks are going to show up," he said.
Much like the collaboration needed to end hunger, the CD project takes many to work.
"No entity in and of themselves can do this by themselves," McFarland said. "It takes all of us working together in our different aspects."
McFarland said he's looking forward to moving out of the pledging phase and into the production phase. He plans to record in a studio outside of Nashville, Tenn., with a group of other musicians and a choir, which will form the band Jacob's Join. And while they're in Nashville, the group will dedicate two days to Downtown Presbyterian Church’s food ministry.
"We want to live what we're singing about," McFarland said.
To read the initial PNS story about … until all are fed, click here.
To pledge to the project, click here.