Gospel Music’s Leading man, Earnest Pugh, is joining forces with Washington, D.C.’s leading inspirational radio station, Praise 104.1 FM, to kick off the holiday season with an early Christmas party that is open to all. The big event revolves around the October 16^th release of the new yuletide CD, “Christmas with Earnest Pugh & Friends” that features cameos by Chrystal Rucker, Keith Williams, Martha Buries, Vincent Tharpe & Kenosis – all of whom will appear at the show. 

There will be a 6 pm red carpet arrival for VIPs and talent, followed by a 7 pm concert and listening party featuring Pugh and his guest artists performing songs from the CD that will be available for purchase throughout the evening.  The free admission event takes place at The Atrium At Treetops, 8181 Professional Blvd Hyattsville, MD.

Over the last half dozen years, Earnest Pugh has established himself as Gospel Music’s Leading Man with soul stirring, #1 radio smashes such as “Rain On Us” and “I Need Your Glory” that also hit the Adult R&B Airplay charts. Now, he’s joining the ranks of Johnny Mathis, Mahalia Jackson and Nat “King” Cole by creating a holiday album. 

The fourteen-track set marks Pugh’s first time sitting in the producer’s chair and he shares the mic with some of his best and most talented friends in the music biz. The initial radio single, “Ring Dem Bells”, a rousing mid-tempo ballad features impassioned backing vocals by Charles Butler & Trinity. A soulful “Silent Night” features the smooth tenor of Quadrius Salters. Baritone Keith Williams joins Pugh on “Holy 2 U” while powerhouse soprano Chrystal Rucker does a majestic rendition of “Do You Hear What I Hear?” with a simple piano arrangement. Lisa Knowles of the Brown Sisters and Pugh trade adlibs on a churchy rendition of “O Come All Ye Faithful”. Vincent Tharpe & Kenosis create a warm and cozy groove on “Go Tell It” while newcomer Martha Buries brings a jazzy vibe to Ann McCrary’s “Remember Not 2 Forget”. Veteran vocalist Nikki Ross sits us down on the front pew of a Sunday morning church service to deliver a dramatic version of  “Walk in the Light”. 

CLICK HERE to Preview and Purchase CD

Stellar Award nominated Syreeta “Trumpet Lady” Thompson announced plans to expand her music education platform today.

“If I can impact a child’s life by sharing about something I love and that I’ve been blessed to receive formal education in, I don’t even have to think twice,” shares Thompson.

In expanding her music education platform and creating Mission Music, Boys & Girls Clubs were a first choice because of their 100+ year commitment to helping change the lives of youth. Ms. Thompson will speak with children at the center, encouraging them to become involved in music and arts as well as lending some of the technique and information she shares in her Master Class program. The first session will be held at Boys & Girls Club of Garfield, NJ on Wednesday, November 7, 2012 and will be an ongoing effort.

Syreeta Thompson’s career has brought her a long way since her days of study at the tender age of twelve at the Merit Music Program and Sherwood Conservatory of Music in Chicago, Illinois. The Stellar Award nominated performer is a graduate of Douglass College, Rutgers University with a Bachelor of Arts in Music and she holds a Master’s Degree in film scoring and jazz composition and arranging. Today, Syreeta’s scholastic competence and musical proficiency has garnered the position of Department Chair of Instrumental Music for Cicely Tyson School of fine and Performing Arts, East Orange, NJ. Thompson has also skillfully written six curriculums for the East Orange School District. The in-demand clinician is a Master Music Educator with the New Jersey Education Association, as well as a Member of M.E.N.C. (Music Educators National Conference).

Visit www.trumpetlady.com for more information on Syreeta Thompson and her Master Class program.

About Mission Music

Mission Music is a platform created by Syreeta Thompson, Dept. Chair at the Cicely Tyson School of Fine Arts & Music (Newark, NJ) and member of the Music Educators National Conference. Through a 45 minute presentation, Syreeta aims to spark a fire and encourage children and teens, ages 5 – 15 to become involved in their local music and arts programs. The presentation includes a brief introduction, a demonstrative portion where 1 – 2 of Syreeta’s current students speak about the instruments they play, as well as a rhythmic activity which allows all of the children to participate in creating music.

About Boys & Girls Clubs

For more than a century, Boys & Girls Clubs have helped put young people on the path to great futures. Boys & Girls Clubs annually serve nearly 4 million young people, through membership and community outreach, in some 4,000 Club facilities throughout the country and BGCA-affiliated Youth Centers on U.S. military installations worldwide.

Since 1997, Creative Soul Records has been helping Christian artists from around the world develop their music, build strong ministries and produce amazing recordings. To celebrate their 15th anniversary, the label is proud to announce the upcoming album release, We Are Creative Soul – a collaboration of 15 artists that have trusted Creative Soul to help shape their careers. The album will be released on February 5, 2013.

The project will be produced by Creative Soul Founder and President, Eric Copeland, and Grammy and Dove Award winning producer, Phil Naish (Steven Curtis Chapman, Point of Grace, Jaci Velasquez). Over the past decade and half, Creative Soul has consistently provided artists with the top session players and engineers in the Christian music industry. As part of their ongoing evolution, they are now bringing in additional producers in order to serve more artists. 

“We’re thrilled to be working with new producers like Phil Naish,” says Copeland. “We live in a new world of music ministry and are positioning Creative Soul Records to be the bridge for artists to a new music business. We’re developing artists in Nashville, and helping them to the one thing they want more than anything else: the opportunity to get busy with their music and ministry.”

We Are Creative Soul will feature all new tracks by some of the best independent artists in Christian music today. Featured on the project are Zach Allen, Stephen Bautista, Cedars Gray, Angela Donadio, Belinda Jane, Frances Drost, Eternity Focus, Adriam Lobaina, Leslie McKee, Stephanie Newton, Jeannette Petkau, Michelle Ruben, Trish Torline, Mike Westendorf and Samuel Wilson.

To raise funds for the project, Creative Soul launched a Kickstarter campaign which runs through Friday, October 5th. The Kickstarter rewards include discounts on Creative Soul’s consulting and production services. 

“We feel that this album is both a thank you to our artists for letting us serve them all these years, as well as the start of a new chapter for our company,” adds Copeland. 

For more information on Creative Soul Records, visit www.CreativeSoulRecords.com. For more information on Creative Soul development programs for new artists, visit www.CreativeSoulOnline.com.

Changing Forward, the new book by Bishop Paul S. Morton. Bishop Morton’s compelling journey stands as an example to any who would follow God’s urging to change, grow, and move forward in faith.

When Paul Morton was born, his father prophesied that Paul would be a great preacher one day. As the son of an influential pastor of two churches, Paul was raised in the Word and encouraged to follow his father into the pulpit. But God had a different plan for Paul, one that required change, risk, hardship, and a powerful faith. His earthly father had a vision for him, and his heavenly Father brought that and much more to fruition.

Changing Forward is Bishop Paul Morton’s story of God’s faithfulness. When Paul was offered a record contract singing pop music, God made it clear that was not the change He wanted. When he found himself the pastor of a large New Orleans church at only twenty-four years old, God used Paul to bring renewal to that church and its people. When Hurricane Katrina destroyed New Orleans, God called that same church not only to come back stronger but also to grow and add a second location in another state.

This is also the story of the birth of The Full Gospel Baptist Fellowship, one of the fastest-growing and most influential fellowships in the church. Not just one man but many people and multiple churches had to step out in faith. That willingness to change forward as led by the Holy Spirit defines the life of Paul Morton and the church to which he has committed his life.

Although he had to overcome many obstacles that would defeat a lesser man, Bishop Morton prevailed, moving forward every time. His sometimes humorous, sometimes heartbreaking, always compelling journey stands as an example to any who would follow God’s urging to change, grow, and move forward in faith.

Changing Forward, the new book by Bishop Paul S. Morton and published by Abingdon Press, is available wherever fine books are sold.

 

A dozen years in, the Chicago-based ensemble known as Shekinah Glory Ministry (SGM) continues to dominate and set the standard for urban praise and worship music. They’ve made chants such as “Praise is What I Do” and “Jesus” universally known tunes that are sung by choirs all over the world. With five RIAA gold and platinum record and video certifications behind them, this coterie of psalmists, minstrels and banner-wavers are poised to strike gold again with their fourth original CD, “Surrender” (Kingdom Records), that features the radio hit, “Champion.”

The group is making a rare North Carolina appearance as part of WIDU 1600 AM’s 54^th anniversary celebration concert, “Let’s Go Back to Church.” Aside from SGM, the show will also feature performances from John P. Kee, the Rance Allen Group, the Williams Brothers, Bishop Michael A. Blue and Tim Rogers & The Fellas. The Crown Coliseum is located at 1960 Coliseum Drive, Fayetteville, NC 28306. Tickets range from $13 to $32.40 and are available at www.ticketmaster.com.

Shekinah Glory Ministry made its mark with the 2001 gold-selling CD, “Praise is What I Do.” Its name means, “the glorified presence of God.” Their CDs Praise Is What I Do (#5 peak Top Gospel Albums) and Shekinah Glory Ministry Live (#3 peak Top Gospel Albums – 103 weeks on the chart) continue to be best sellers and their 2010 CD, Refreshed By Fire, debuted at #1 on Billboard’s Top Gospel Albums chart. Visit www.kingdomrecordsinc.com for further information on SGM and Kingdom Records.

A megachurch in southwest Ohio dedicated a new statue of Jesus on Sunday that replaces the iconic sculpture known as “Touchdown Jesus” that burned down after being struck by lightning in 2010.

The Solid Rock Church in Monroe, Ohio, celebrated the construction of the new “Lux Mundi” (The Light of the World) statue off Interstate 75 in a special service on Sunday evening.

“It’s a big, big event for us…. it’s been over 2 years, it’s been a long process. But, we’re very pleased with the final product. Peoples’ reaction has been very positive for us. So it’s a great day,” wpco.com quoted church administrator Ron Carter as saying. The new statue is designed by Japanese-American sculptor Tom Tsuchiya, who is with Design Dynamics, Inc. “Ultimately, I hope Lux Mundi will be a constant reminder for all of us to get along with each other,” Tsuchiya was quoted as saying.

The Lux Mundi statue depicts a full body Jesus with arms outstretched walking on the lake in front of Solid Rock’s sanctuary. Because it has its arms reaching forward, bearing a resemblance to the football referee’s signal, and not towards the sky, some referred to it also as “Touchdown Jesus.”

In 2010, a storm ripped through the area and a bolt of lightning struck the previous statue built in 2004. All that remained of “Touchdown Jesus” was a heavily damaged iron frame.

“When it got burnt down, people looked at it in different ways,” church member Nick Isbel was quoted as saying. “Some people left the church, they thought it was a bad sign. That this was a bad place to be. Other people saw it as a good sign. It’s the most that Jesus has been in the news for a while, so. It being rebuilt just puts it on people’s minds and in people’s hearts.”

“The materials used for the [new] statue are all fire rated and we have installed a lightning suppression system as an integral part of the statue,” Carter said last month. “If the statue is struck by lightning, I’m told there will be damage at the point of the strike, but the statue should not burn.”

At Sunday’s service, the church also honored Pastor Lawrence Bishop, who spearheaded construction of the original Jesus statue and who died last year.

Church members were excited about the new statue. “We’re happy to see the statue going up tonight. All of this is just allowing us to remind people of Jesus and that’s all it is,” said Al Slaughter from Fairfield.

However, there was a church protest before the dedication service. About half a dozen of protesters carrying a bullhorn and signs demonstrated in front of the church gate, saying they are Christians who are against idol worship.

Solid Rock Church has about 4,000 members and two campuses for worship. It is led by Pastor Darlene Bishop.

Capping off a whirlwind year of new releases, national television appearances, and No. 1 hits, Mandisa plans to wrap up 2012 strong with an updated Christmas album, It’s Christmas: Christmas Angel Edition on October 9. The album features 3 new recordings including the new original cuts “It’s Christmas” and “Somebody’s Angel,” plus an all-new recording of the classic “What Child Is This.” It’s Christmas also boasts popular classics such as “What Christmas Means to Me,” “Silent Night,” and “Little Drummer Boy,” along with special duets with Matthew West and Michael W. Smith. The first single and new recording from the album, “Somebody’s Angel” will be featured in the original movie Christmas Angel debuting this December on GMCtv.

So far this year, Mandisa released a follow up to her most successful album yet, What If We Were Real, with a summer EP, Remixed: Get Movin’, a collection of some of her biggest tracks, remixed and redubbed. Mandisa spent a good portion of the year on her massively successful and almost entirely sold out tour, Girls Night Out, alongside fellow Dove Award nominee Britt Nicole and “Blessings” songstress Laura Story. Most recently, Mandisa performed her breakout single “Good Morning” on ABC’s Good Morning America, which the top-rated morning show has been using during its broadcasts as well, with many other local morning shows adopting the song as their theme song, including ABC New York. She will also be a special guest on The Doctors this fall. Mandisa’s music and lifestyle change has earned her widespread media coverage from other media outlets as well including The Today Show, LIVE! With Regis and Kelly, E!, Extra, Entertainment Tonight, US Magazine, People Magazine and CNN.

It’s Christmas: Christmas Angel Edition Track Listing:
*New Song
**New Recording
1. Its Christmas*
2. What Christmas Means To Me
3. Somebody’s Angel*
4. Christmas Bell Medley (with Silent Night)
5. Feliz Navidad (With Joy to the World)
6. Angels We Have Heard on High
7. Christmas Makes Me Cry (feat. Matthew West)
8. Little Drummer Boy
9. Christmas Day (feat. Michael W. Smith)
10. What Child Is This**
11. Mary’s Little Boy Child
12. Children Go Where I Send Thee

About Mandisa:
Three-time GRAMMY ® nominee Mandisa’s discography includes True Beauty, It’s Christmas, Freedom, What If We Were Real and her remix EP, Get Movin’ on Sparrow Records. This past fall she performed her hit single “Good Morning” on the highest rated morning show, ABC’s “Good Morning America.” The season 5 American Idol finalist is also an author with the release of “Idoleyes: My New Perspective on Faith, Fat & Fame.” Mandisa was one of several Idols selected to open Walt Disney World’s American Idol Experience in early 2009. With over 635,000 albums sold, Mandisa’s music and message continues to connect with fans. Her album, What If We Were Real, has sold over 188,000 albums and features the breakout radio hits “Good Morning,” “Waiting For Tomorrow,” and the #1 AC single, “Stronger.” With widespread media coverage including The Today Show, LIVE! With Regis and Kelly, E!, Extra, Entertainment Tonight, US Magazine, People Magazine and CNN, this American Idol alum and two-time Grammy nominee continues to be a voice of encouragement and truth to women facing life’s challenges.

As the autumn leaves hit the ground, all eyes are turning South – to Orlando, FL – to be exact, as Pastor Riva Tims, celebrates the third anniversary of the church she founded, Majestic Life Church. The festivities kick-off on Friday, October 12 @ 7 PM with Pastor Tims and the Majestic Praise choir’s live CD recording entitled, “Access Granted”, with cameos by noted gospel artists William Murphy and Preashea Hilliard. Admission is free and the event takes place at Rejoice in the Lord Ministries, 8053 Gilliam Road, Orlando, FL 32703. A Pastor & Volunteer Appreciation Gala takes place Saturday, October 13 @ 6 PM at Majestic Life Church, 6782 N. Orange Blossom Trail, Orlando, FL 32810.  The weekend concludes with one combined 10 a.m. Majestic Life Ministries service (there are usually 8 & 10 AM services) where Dr. Douglas Chukwuemeka (the pastor of the New Destiny Christian Church in Laveen, AZ) will be the special guest speaker.

Tims has recently been on the television and syndicated radio talk show circuit discussing her best-selling book, When It All Falls Apart (Charisma House). Now in its fourth printing, the book details her life with her ex-husband, Zachary Tims, a well-known televangelist and pastor who died suddenly in August 2011. They met in Bible school. He was a former drug dealer who had cleaned his life up and pursued the ministry with passion. They married and moved to Orlando where they started a church with six members in 1996. Membership eventually swelled to 8,000 worshippers over the next decade. 

Then, things fell apart. Tims’ marriage ended over her husband’s extramarital affairs. Through it all, Tims’ faith deepened and strengthened her to triumph over betrayal, infidelity and tragic loss. Tims now feels especially well equipped to specifically minister to others who have gone through similar situations. Majestic Life’s mission statement is to minister, motivate, and mentor members to mature in Christ and maximize their lives to live the Majestic Life.  “Riva Tims has walked through the valley of pain and lived to tell about it,” says J. Lee Grady, of Charisma Magazine.  “She has walked through the fire…but she’s not bitter, sarcastic or discouraged. I know her story will restore hope to many who are ready to give up.” Visit www.majesticlifechurch.com for more info.