Retiring Retirement

Retiring Retirement ‘Good News Train’ on track

Musical project bridges the generations and aims to inspire a revival of faith

This is the second part of a series.

Anew album is an old calling for 77-yearold Jim Staats of South Bethlehem.

A roofer by trade, Jim is also an avid songwriter who has a gift for tailoring tunes that youths can sing to express their faith.

“Bridge Street Revival” is an EP that he crafted during the pandemic to bring the young and old together.

Carefully muddling his way

through COVID, Staats steered a small group of pre-teens and teens into practicing, performing and recording tunes that he believes are ideal for young people and adults alike and apropos for this by era of uncertainty. Robert “We need a revival,” says StaLaCosta ats. “And I can see more young people coming on board. At their ages, they might not understand a revival movement. But their voices can inspire middleage and older adults. I envision people coming back to church as if to ask, ‘Hey, what did I “Bridge Street Revival” is available on ITunes, Spotify, Amazon, CD Baby and other platforms.

miss?’

“But we don’t want to just preach to the choir,” Staats says. “We could play at street celebrations and sing to people who don’t go to church. My songs present situations, stories and metaphors and hit on contemporary issues. Sometimes we can get jaded during things like the pandemic, but I’m beginning to see more people openly express their faith.”

He likens the project and movement to a “Good News Train” – not coincidently one of the “tracks” on the EP.

Robert J. LaCosta’s daily devotional blog is on his Facebook page and can also be received in your email by writing to norepcom@ gmail.com.

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