As part of their “Anything is Possible” tour, contemporary pop worship artists Jason and deMarco will be performing live at SunCoast Cathedral MCC in Venice on Friday, Feb. 26 at 7 p.m. The concert will be a free-will offering and coincides with the church’s 21st anniversary.
Susie Brenner, SunCoast MCC program developer, says she is excited about their music and the message they bring.
“They are very talented,” Brenner says. “They have beautiful harmonies and they are easy on the eyes [laughing]. I believe that they really live out what they believe. You can’t say that about everybody; with some people, all they do is perform.”
Jason Warner and deMarco DeCiccio have been touring for 14 of the 15 years they have been a couple. They live in Franklin, Tenn., with their four-year-old twin boys. Warner discusses their surrogacy journey in his book Anything is Possible, formerly titled The Journey of Same-Sex Surrogacy. Warner says he recently changed the title because, although he discusses the surrogacy process at length, he also details the couple’s dreams and life journey.
“We were told we could never come out, never have kids, and never be openly gay and Christian,” Warner says. “The things we were told we couldn’t do have all become realities.”
Warner says after touring for ten years, he and deMarco started feeling burnt out and were looking for a change of pace.
“We felt like it was time to take some time off and live,” Warner says. “At the same time, we talked about starting a family. It was just kind of a natural progression for us. We joke that we didn’t get pets, we just went straight to having kids.”
Warner says he thought the two were done touring after having children. However, Warner’s mother, who he says was not initially supportive of their relationship, offered to join the couple on tour and help with the boys. She has been traveling with the family since the twins were 18 months old and sings with the duo.
“She represents to the community the hope that maybe families will come around if they haven’t already,” Warner says. “She’s also there to hug on those who don’t get that support at home. Ours is a powerful story of reconciliation.”
Jason and deMarco also run a nonprofit called S.A.F.E. (Safe, Affirming, Family Environment) to serve homeless youth, as well as a ranch for foster youth and families to bond and experience nature. Warner says he has seen a large amount of LGBT youth in foster care and wants to focus on those aging out of the system to equip them with appropriate life skills for the real world.
Warner says he is looking forward to touring in the state because his ministry roots began in Florida. He and deMarco try to revisit each Florida church every year or two and like to incorporate new music for each visit.
“I like that SunCoast MCC has a Friday night service,” Warner says. “It’s outside the box. Our music is more contemporary, so it’s always nice to go into a space that encourages that. I feel like we are walking into a very similar environment to our music.”
A reception including a meet and greet, CD sales and light bites will follow the concert.
“We’ve been told by fans that our music has saved their life and given them hope,” Warner says. “The message of our concert is that anything is possible. And that you are loved. Your dreams are just as worthy as anyone else’s.”
