Nationally acclaimed Christian music pioneer Randy Stonehill will descend upon the Buffalo Christian Center to perform a benefit concert for Peace of the City Ministries. Peace of the City is based on the West Side of Buffalo and serves at-risk children and their families through programs like Homework Club, All God's Children Gospel Choir, Teen Employment Power, home visits and other after-school activities. Stonehill will perform songs off of his new album "Edge of the World" to drum up support for Peace of the City.

The event will take place on Thursday, January 25 from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., beginning with a dinner reception catered by local Chef Lou Williams from the Wesleyan Church of Hamburg. Afterward, Randy and the Peace of the City Gospel Choir will storm the stage to perform an exciting, Spirit-filled live concert at the Forbes Theatre in the Buffalo Christian Center in downtown Buffalo on Pearl and West Tupper Streets.

"Stonehill's unique sound--a mix of folk, blues and R&B Christian music--will awaken downtown Buffalo that Thursday night," said Diann Takens-Cerbone, executive director of Peace of the City. "Randy is traveling far to lend his enormous talent and great heart to this event so Peace of the City can raise awareness as well as volunteer and financial support for its work on Buffalo's West and East Sides."

Event patrons will be asked to participate in a freewill offering to support Peace of the City Ministries, which depends 100 percent on donations from individuals, families and churches. The freewill offering versus ticketed admission allows everyone to participate, regardless of their financial circumstances.

"We want to make sure everyone is included. The event is really a celebration of effective ministry and fellowship," said Takens-Cerbone. "It's important that we raise funds to continue our ministry but we won't exclude our friends, family and neighbors to do it."

Peace of the City Ministries, established in 1992, exists to serve, empower and bring hope to at-risk children, teenagers and their families residing in some of the most challenging neighborhoods in the East and West Sides. We also seek to work cooperatively with other Buffalo-area ministries, including Buffalo City Mission and its women's shelter Cornerstone Manor, Buffalo Christian Center, Ephesus Ministries and the Wesleyan Church of Hamburg. Based at Bethlehem Presbyterian Church on the West Side, Peace of the City also has a new satellite location at Buffalo City Mission's Cornerstone Manor. For more information on Peace of the City Ministry, log on to www.peaceofthecity.org.