The God's Country Band is back row, from left, Tony Frochio, drums, percussion and vocals; Joe Mastropietro, steel guitar; Brian Check, keyboards; Tom Manuel, guitar; front row, from left, Von McCommons, rhythm guitar; Kim Gaiser, vocals, piano; Ruth Mastropietro, bass, vocals; and Lynda McCommons, vocals. The band will give a free concert Saturday night at First United Methodist Church's Connection Center, 232 E. North St.

God's Country is both a country worship service of First United Methodist Church and the God's Country Band, an eight-piece group that provides the music.

Tony Frochio, the percussionist for the band, said, “We're like the best-kept secret. It's been a few years. We've had the steady lineup for a while. We are like Butler County's only country music church.”

To remedy that secrecy, First United Methodist will have a Bring a Friend Night beginning at 6 p.m. Saturday at the Connection Center, 232 E. North St.

This is where God's Country has its regular 7 p.m. Saturday worship service.

“People can come dressed as they want, to meet new people, fellowship, hear a good message, then hear some good country gospel music,” he said.

But this coming Saturday, Frochio said, there will be a dinner at 6 p.m. and a regular concert by the God's Country band starting at 7 p.m. in place of a regular Saturday worship service.

Frochio said the special event will give people a chance to meet and hear the band.

Playing in the band has certainly changed his life, Frochio said.

The longtime professional drummer, singer and songwriter traveled back and forth across the country performing in rock and blues bands.

But in 2005, he was diagnosed with colon cancer.

“I thought I was never going to play music again,” he said.

But as his health improved, he began to play with the God's Country band every Saturday night.

“I was always a rock 'n' roller, I didn't play country music,” he said. “I went to church only on the holidays. Now I go every week.

“It's a blessing. I quit playing music for years. It got me to playing,” he said. “I was done with music. I could only talk about it in the past, ” he said.

The Rev. David Janz, senior pastor at First United Methodist Church, 200 E. North St., said he preaches at the God's Country service every Saturday night just as he preaches at First United's main campus at 200 E. North St and its Crossfire campus, 1802 N. Main St. Ext.

Janz said the three locations make for three different kinds of worship services.

“The God's Country service at the Connection Center appeals to people well across the gamut from young people to those in retirement age,” he said.

“Von McCommons has got a great country-western band. It's a quality music band and people choose that service because of the style of music,” Janz said of God's Country's worship leader and rhythm guitarist.

McCommons said he and his wife, Lynda, joined the band six years ago.

“Most of the group has been together for five or six years,” he said.

“When they brought me in,” McCommons said, “they told me to gather top-notch musicians and get the word out.”

“Everyone on the platform has been a professional musicians for years and years,” he added. “It makes for a really relaxed service and some great music.”