Helping Haiti
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Christian Organizations Plan Relief Efforts
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On Tuesday, January 19th, just before sunset, a powerful 7.0 magnitude earthquake rocked the island country of Haiti. The aftermath has been horrible. Haiti is the poorest country in the western hemisphere. The earthquake was a further devastating blow. Relief efforts are being coordinated quickly from across the world with many Christian organizations are stepping up to help.
The Council of Bishops of the African Methodist Episcopal Church are urging local congregations to accept donations for the next two Sundays and forward as follows: Donations for Disaster Relief can be mailed to: Finance Department of the AME Church 1134 11th Street, NW Washington, DC 20001 http://www.ame-church.com/ The six-time Grammy Award winning Brookyn Tabernacle Choir will March on Saturday, January 23, 2010 @ 10:00 AM And Will Be Featured in Concert on Sunday, January 24, 2010 @ 3 PM. The choir will take to the streets of New York City waving thousands of purple flags (signifying royalty in the
Bible) and singing songs of joy as they pass out free tickets to a concert to raise money for survivors of the January 10th earthquake in Haiti. “We want people to join us in TAKING PURPLE to the City of New York,” says the choir’s founder, Carol Cymbala. “We want to present a symbol of hope to a hopeless world.” Minister Kirk Franklin and several top Gospel artists gathered during the Stellar Awards weekend in Nashville to record a CD single that will benefit victims in Haiti. The project’s release date was not scheduled as yet. Streamingfaith.com will donate 10% of proceeds from all orders placed up through Friday, Jan. 22nd, to the Haiti victims. gt Don’t miss it! Tickets online: gospelheritage.org
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Same-Sex Marriage Moves Forward Bishop Harry Jackson’s Challenge Denied Bishop Harry Jackson (The Stand 4 Marriage Coalition), and opponents of same-sex marriage in the District of Columbia lost their second court challenge in less than a year this past Thursday when a Superior Court judge ruled that a voter initiative seeking to ban such marriages cannot be placed on the ballot. On January 11-12, Jackson chaired a 24-hour Marriage Summit in Washington, DC that attracted nearly 200 pastors and leaders from across the country. That Monday, Jackson issued a statement that he and other opponents of same-sex marriages would file an initiative request with the elections board, which he did on Tuesday. However, two days later, Judge Judith Macaluso ruled that the D.C. Board of Elections & Ethics acted properly in November when it rejected a proposed initiative calling for banning same-sex marriages in the city. The election board said seeking a gay marriage ban was an impermissible subject for a ballot measure because it would violate the city’s Human Rights Act, which bans discrimination based on sexual orientation.
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“Today’s decision affirms the District’s effort to make our city open and inclusive,” said D.C. Mayor Adrian Fenty, who signed the same-sex marriage bill last month shortly after the City Council approved it.
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Among those who signed on as co-plaintiffs with Jackson in the case decided Thursday were Rev. Walter Fauntroy, the city’s former congressional delegate; Ward 5 Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner Robert King; and Rev. Anthony Evans, a D.C. minister. Attorneys representing Jackson and the other plaintiffs argued in court
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papers that the right of citizens to propose initiatives and referenda was established as an amendment to the congressionally approved D.C. City Charter. They noted that the restriction used by the city to disqualify initiatives and referenda that would violate the city’s Human Rights Act was established by a regular law passed by the City Council aimed at implementing the City Charter amendment.D.C. Council to legalize those marriages. "The D.C. City Council has stated that their intention is to redefine marriage by going beyond recognizing homosexual marriage to allow them to be performed in the District of Columbia," Jackson's statement said. "This redefinition of marriage will permanently impact D.C. businesses, education, and the family unit without the voice of the residents being heard." Jackson and his fellow plaintiffs will likely appeal a decision by Macaluso. Jackson, senior pastor of Hope Christian Church in Beltsville, has become the leading critic of efforts to legalize same-sex marriage in the District. He recently stated that does not view his stand for marriage as political, “This is a matter of morality,” he stated. gt
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l-r Pastor Andraé Crouch; BMI President & CEO Del Bryant; BMI Vice President, Writer/Publisher Relations Catherine Brewton; and BMI Senior Director, Writer/Publisher Relations Wardell Malloy
Dr. Jamal Bryant Advises How to Win the “ME” War
Over 500 Gospel industry luminaries gathered at Nashville’s Rocketown to pay tribute to Andrae Crouch and Donnie McClurkin for their contributions to Gospel music. The “Trailblazers of Gospel” is an annual event sponsored by Broadcast Music Inc. (BMI), and is one of the most highly touted Gospel industry gatherings. Both celebrants were honored with a medley of their compositions, performed by leading artists.
Dr., Pastor, Speaker, and Author, Jamal H. Bryant, recently launched a new book, “World War Me: How to Win the War I Lost.” The book focuses on character struggles that ultimately lead to selfsabotage and how God uses our most personal and painful battles to equip us to carry out His will on earth. Pastor Bryant, who has faced a number of personal challenges in the past couple years, says he takes full responsibility for his weaknesses while reminding readers of the many subtle attacks of the enemy. The book is inteded to help others prepare and overcome satanic attacks.
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BMI Salutes Gospel Legend Andrae Crouch and Donnie McClurkin
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2010 Stellar Award Winners Artist of the Year Hezekiah Walker and Love Fellowship; Souled Out; Verity Records
Contemporary Male of the Special Event CD of the Year Year The Clark Sisters, J. Moss Smokie Norful, Smokie Norful Live, EMI Gospel
Song of the Year (Songwriter; Song - Album; Label)
Contemporary Female of the Year
Mary, Mary, "God in Me" The Sound, Columbia
Crystal Aikin, Crystal Aikin, Verity Records
Male Vocalist of the Year
Traditional Male of the Year
Smokie Norful, Smokie Norful Live, EMI Gospel
Donnie McClurkin, We All Are One (Live in Detroit), Verity Records
Female Vocalist of the Year Vickie Winans, How I Got Over, Destiny Joy Records
Traditional Female of the Year Dottie Peoples, Do It!, DP Muzik Group
Group Duo of the Year Mary, Mary, The Sound, Columbia
Contemporary CD of the Year
and Kierra Sheard, Silky Soul Music - A Tribute to Maze, Barantera Music Group
Instrumental CD of the Year Ben Tankard, Mercy, Mercy, Mercy, Verity
Rap/Hip Hop Gospel CD of the Year Da' T.R.U.T.H., The Big Picture, Cross Movement Records
Children's Performance of the Year
New Artist of the Year
Hezekiah Walker and Love Fellowship, Souled Out, Verity Records
Rev. Dr. Emory Andrews and Oxon Hill High School Choir, Amazing, Yrome Records
Crystal Aikin, Crystal Aikin, Verity Records
Traditional CD of the Year
Quartet of the Year
CD of the Year
Shari Addison, Shari Addison, Verity Records
Lee Williams & The Spiritual QC's, Fall On Me, MCG Records
Hezekiah Walker and Love Fellowship; Souled Out; Verity Records
Choir of the Year Hezekiah Walker and Love Fellowship, Souled Out, Verity Records
Producer of the Year Donald Lawrence & Daniel Weatherspoon, The Law of Confession Part 1, Quiet Water/Verity
Urban/ Inspirational Single / Performance of the Year Contemporary Female of the (Artist; Song - Album; Label) Year Mary, Mary, "God in Me" The Sound, Columbia
Crystal Aikin, Crystal Aikin, Verity Records
Music Video of the Year (artist, song or CD title, label)
Praise and Worship CD of the Year
Vickie Winans, How I Got Over, Destiny Joy Records
Stephen Hurd, Times of Refreshing, Integrity Gospel
Contemporary Choir of the Year
Contemporary Group/Duo of the Year
Hezekiah Walker and Love Fellowship, Souled Out, Verity Records
Mary, Mary, The Sound, Columbia
Traditional Choir of the Year
Traditional Group/Duo of the Year
Bishop Paul S. Morton & The FGBCF Mass Choir, Cry Your Last Tear, Light Records
Lee Williams & The Spiritual QC's, Fall On Me, MCG Records
Recorded Music Package of the Year [art credit / artist album / label] Denise Trotman, Donald Lawrence The Confession Part 1, Quiet Water/Verity gt