By Dianne Anderson

All the tinsel and twinkling lights with visions of sugarplums have big-eyed little kids hoping to nab their favorite toy, but sometimes the adults need something a little more grownup.

For them, the annual Jazzy Christmas at New Hope Presbyterian Church opens next week with top performers, and don’t forget to bring a toy to help local kids in need.

For fun and funding, their long running event supports music education in the schools, and a string studio music enrichment program.

Rev. Chinetta Goodjoin, pastor at New Hope Presbyterian Church in Anaheim, said their program also enhances academic and personal development because many school programs have been severely cut back or eliminated over the years.

“This is an outlet for children. What I love about Jazzy Christmas is that top named artists come and give their time to support music education and enrichment. We have Stevie Wonder’s drummer,” she said.

On Sunday, December 17, the event runs from 5:00-7:00 p.m., located at 2580 W Orange Ave. in Anaheim. Tickets are $37.

Each year, several jazz giants come out to support her husband’s professional band, which supports the local school music program. Reggie Goodjoin, director of music and arts at the church, is a bassist and a Grammy-award winner.

Through the church, their Music Enrichment Program also provides scholarships for string lessons, and covers the cost of instruction and instruments for under-served students. They have also been mentored by several top names in the industry, among them Sheila E and her father, Pete Escovedo. They have jammed South African beats of Brazil and Argentina through the rhythm of Munyungo Jackson, who played percussion with Stevie Wonder and Sting.

Other heavy hitters featured at past events include Alva Copeland and Kathryn Bailey Cunningham. Rhythm guitarist Yohei Nakamura, the lead guitarist with Chaka Khan and Stevie Wonder. Donald Hayes, who has worked with Beyonce, to name a few.

“Jazzy Christmas are artists giving their time because they have the same vision that we have for supporting music equity and musical arts in Orange County,” she said.

And for those not quite feeling the holiday spirit, earlier this week the church also held its first Blue Christmas worship service.

Rev. Goodjoin said they have taken on mental health support this year as so many in the community are struggling. Many lost loved ones during the pandemic, along with other daily traumas of social injustice and the high cost of living.

Some are not in the mood to be cheery right now.

It’s the first time her church has offered the Blue Christmas event, and the response was overwhelming. Everyone attending received follow-up resources.

At the event, they had chaplains, counselors, therapists, music and prayers. There were safe spaces to sit, or go off for consultations. The community brought pictures of their loved ones and shared their concerns.

“It’s a good thing to focus on toys. It’s traditional and that should never stop, but mommies and daddies are dealing with stuff,” she said.

The church will continue to carry a mental health focus into the New Year, with regular grief support groups. She said they received grant funding along with other churches within the Health Equity for African Americans League (HEAAL) Collective with Second Baptist Church, and will continue to collaborate.

She sees the mental health crisis now in pandemic proportions.

“In working with HEAAL, there will be a lot of initiatives on mental health awareness,” she said. “This Blue Christmas is part of the springboard. There needs to be greater equity and access to resources and funding to help people with their mental health issues.”

One issue is the Black community still delays seeking help, believing therapy is taboo. By opening up the process with safe spaces for mental health help, she said people can know they are not alone. Many others are going through the same pain.

“You deal with it yourself. The more we make it transparent that pain and grief is real, I think it does more to give relief for people, that it’s nothing to be ashamed of,” she said.

This time of year, the church is especially concerned about sharing love, and resources, looking out for those who are in need and are hungry.

“While hunger is a year-long epidemic, it’s at these times like Thanksgiving and Christmas, we want people to feel that spirit of connectedness,” she said. “Whatever we can do to be a source of equity and justice for our people dealing with food insufficiency and economic disparity, it is the call of the church, essential bottom line.”

To donate or attend the concert, see https://mynewhopepres.org/