Gospel Pages Magazine - Vol. 2 - Issue 1 by Brooks Publications

Gospel Pages Magazine | June 2010 | www.gospelpagesmag.com

june 2010

EDITOR’S

NOTE Volume 2 Issue 1 Founder: Curtis Brooks Senior Writer: Pete Gour Staff Writer: Keyatta Brooks ART DIRECTOR: Jimmy Taylor CIRCULATION: Danielle Kinsey ADVERTISING DIRECTOR: Porcha Brooks PUBLISHED BY: Brooks Publications, Inc. IN LOVING MEMORY OF: Elders Lizzie Joyce Brooks Joyner 1944 - 2010

If you are a new reader of Gospel Pages WELCOME! And if you are a former subscribers to gospel pages WELCOME BACK. You’ve undoubtedly notice that you stopped receiving your subscription last summer. Since then we have been working hard to relaunch gospel pages magazine, gospelpagesmagazine.com and the over all business. This is the first issue of the new gospel pages magazine. The second issue is coming this summer. We thank former gospel pages readers for pass support and we welcome all of you new readers as the legacy continues. Editor-in-Chief/Publisher Curtis Brooks

Ardra Brooks, President

TO subscribe Mail: Attn: Gospel Pages Magazine Brooks Publications, Inc. 3219 Carey Rd. Suite 7E Kinston, NC 28504 Phone: 252-523-8995 FAX: 252-520-0123 email: gospelpagesmag@gmail.com 4

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contents june 2010 News Gospel, Blues Artist Marva Wright Dead at 62 • Marvin Sapp’s “Here I AM” Breaks Records.......................6 Hari Salons, Movie Theaters Open in Haiti Tent Cities • Gospel Artists Unite for Haiti, Jennifer Hudson To Go Gospel? • Fred Hammond ‘Wait’ Earns Sixth Week at No., Plus God’s Favor..........7 Gospel Music Awards • Tonex Opens Up About Furor Over Homosexuality...................................................8 MaryMary, Hezekiah Walker and Love Fellowship and Crystal Aikin Win Big at The Stellar Awards...........10 Dove Awards Keep Focus on Christ............................11

Mcclurkin Stubles To Sucess.............................12

Clay Johnson & The Gospel Sounds • The Wings of Joy • The Southland Gospel Singers............................13 Pastor Julian Pridgen: Sin is Sin ....................................14

God is My Co-Defendent................................15

legal Winans Family Member Accused of Ponzi Scheme........................................................................16 Kidnappers Release Belgian Taken In Haiti • Oprah Settle Lawsuit................................................17

history TV Preview: PBS’s American Masters Show, ‘Sam Cooke: Crossing Over’.....................................19

business tribute All News Isn’t Bad, Remembering Reverend Glenwood Burden & Good News Gazette.............20

feature Local Pastor Trains For The Lord.......................................................................................................22

Artist spotlight Victor Speight Embarks on ‘The Journey’.........................................................................................25

business spotlight A Joyfull Noise. Andrew Hargett, Jr. wants religious people to know its okay to laugh.’.............26

business update Day Break..........................................................................................................................................28

political International Group Gathers in New York to Discuss Haiti’s Future................................................31 The Obama Health Care Plan: What Does It Mean For You?,.......................................................35

fashion Todays Fashion Trends......................................................................................................................37

style Cutting Hair is a Family Affair............................................................................................................39

fitness Gold’s Gym of Kinston.......................................................................................................................40

food How to Cook Shrimp Over Chees Grits, How to Make A Pineapple Smoothie..............................43 Home to Make a Rum Cake............................................................................................................45

DVD Reveiw Precious.............................................................................................................................................46

CD Reveiws BEBE & CECE Winans ‘Still’.....................................,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,...49 James Fortune ‘Encore’, Fred Hammond ;Love Unstoppable’.........................................................50

Book Reveiws Redeeming Love by Francis Chan • Crazy Love: Overwhelmed by A Rentless God by Francis Chan • The Missing (Seasons of Grace Series #2) by Beverly Lewis..................................46 The Shack by William P. Young • Fearless: Imagine Your Life Without Fear’......................................50

couples in christ Couples In Christ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,..................................54

Gospel Pages Magazine | June 2010 | www.gospelpagesmag.com

News

Gospel, blues artist Marva Wright dead at 62 New Orleans blues and gospel singer Marva Wright died March 25 at age 62, her former manager said. Adam Shipley confirmed that Wright died of complications from a stroke she suffered last year. She sang traditional jazz and gospel standards but was better known for sultry, sometimes bawdy blues songs. Among her best known songs were “Heartbreakin’ Woman” and “Mama, He Treats Your Daughter Mean.” She released a series of albums on local and international record labels, and frequently performed in Europe and at blues festivals around the country. With her band, the BMWs, she drew large crowds for performances at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival. As a child, Wright listened to her mother sing and play piano at church. Among her childhood memories were visits to Chicago, the adopted home of New Orleans gospel great Mahalia Jackson, who had grown up with Wright’s mother. “My mother would go to the national Baptist convention,” Ms. Wright once said, according to an account in The Times-Picayune newspaper. “When it convened in Chicago, Mahalia would say, ‘Girl, you don’t need to get no hotel. Stay with me.’ That’s what my mother would do. I met Mahalia when I was 9 years old, but I never realized she was that popular until I got older.” But Wright didn’t start singing professionally until she was almost 40, according to a biography on her Web site. Wright was hospitalized last June after suffering a serious stroke following a gig at the CoCo Club on Bourbon Street. Relatives said then that she had just recovered from an earlier, less serious stroke. On the Net: http://www.marvawright.com

Gospel Pages Magazine | June 2010 | www.gospelpagesmag.com

Marvin Sapp’s ‘Here I Am’ Breaks REcords Marvin Sapp has raised the bar and broken records with “Here I Am,” his anticipated follow up to 2007’s “Thirsty”. Not only debuting atop the Gospel Albums chart, Sapp’s “Here I Am” debuted at no.2 on the Billboard 200 chart in the company of mainstream acts including Ludacris, Lady Antebellum and Raheem Devaughn. With 76,000 copies moved in its first week of release, “Here I Am” is not just Sapp’s best debut but the highest charting Gospel album in the 54-year existence of the Billboard 200. Up until this week, no gospel album had reached higher than No. 3 – a rank that was met by Kirk Franklin & God’s Property with their 1997 album “The Nu Nation Project.” Speaking of the album’s success, which was fueled by the inspirational single “The Best In Me,” Sapp told New York radio listeners “All I wanted to do on this CD was pour out what God poured into me. I’m grateful for the opportunity to minister in song and I hope this is just the beginning of where this CD is going.” “Here I Am” is also no.1 on the Billboard R&B/Hip Hop Albums chart, Top Christian Gospel and Top Christian/Gospel Digital Albums chart.

News Hair Salons, Movie Theaters Open In Haiti Tent Cities: Tens of thousands of Haitians have been living in tent cities since the January earthquake -- many of them are not even homeless, simply afraid to sleep indoors with the threat of aftershocks. Since many have nowhere else to go, and aid agencies can only provide tent city residents with “wheat grain and oil,” many Haitians are selling their skills or resources to their neighbors. The biggest tent city in Port-au-Prince includes a full-service beauty salon. “It don’t matter which condition your life is in, you still haveto keep yourself clean and look good,” Yolene Samard, the proprietor, says while working on a customer’s toenails. Samard’s big square tent is made out of tarps and bedsheets. She and her husband sleep in one half; the other half is the salon. It’s clean and bright, with a shelf stacked with beauty supplies and a bench where customers wait. The hair salons, rice and bean stores, and even a makeshift cell phone charging station and movie theater, provide a brief sense of normalcy for thousands of Haitians whose lives are anything but.

Gospel artists unite for Haiti Kirk Franklin is leading a choir of gospel greats that are giving voice to the victims of Haiti’s devastating earthquake.? Yolanda Adams, Shirley Caesar, Fred Hammond, Mary Mary and Donnie McClurkin are just a few of the artists lifting up their voice for Haiti relief as a part of a choir lead by Kirk. The group recorded “A Song For Pain” this past weekend at the Stellar Awards. The piece, which is like a 2010 version “We Are The World,” was created in response to the devastating earthquake that rocked Haiti just one week ago. The heavenly choir isn’t stopping there, though. They reconvened to do a studio recording of “A Song For Pain,” which will be available for download starting this week on iTunes and other online retailers. Part of the money raised by the track will go to a Haiti relief charity or fund, but there is no word on which one that might be at this time.? And Rihanna has also lent her voice to the cause by releasing the audio from her performance of “Redemption Song,” recorded during her recent appearance on “The Oprah Winfrey Show.” The track is available for download on iTunes and a portion of the proceeds will be donated to the relief effort.

Jennifer Hudson to go gospel? Following her comeback in the Super Bowl, where she performed the National Anthem, Hudson has performed at the NAACP Image Awards, the Grammys, as well as the pre-Grammy MusiCares event and Clive Davis’ pre-Grammy party. In related news, Hudson is ditching her pop music roots to record a gospel album, according to reports. The singer, who won Best R&B Album at 2009 Grammy Awards, will begin crafting new songs for her new project in spring. “(Jennifer) has always wanted to explore different genres and she’s recorded gospel before, so it makes a lot of sense,” Contactmusic quoted a source as telling MediaTakeOut.com. No official statement has been made by Jennifer’s camp yet.

Fred Hammond ‘Wait’ Earns Sixth Week at No.1, Plus God’s Favor Fred Hammond’s John P. Kee featured single “They That Way” continues to inspire atop the Billboard Gospel Songs chart. Earning its sixth week atop the chart, “They That Wait” is taken from Hammond’s latest studio effort “Love Unstoppable”. Released via Verity Records last year, “Love Unstoppable” is Hammond’s twelfth studio album.

Gospel Pages Magazine | June 2010 | www.gospelpagesmag.com

News

Gospel Music awards There were no red carpets or fashionably dressed celebrities for this awards event - just a community of people full of song and praise. The Martin Luther King Commemorative Council concluded its fournight annual celebration and tribute to Martin Luther King Jr. with gospel music awards Monday night. Winners included Daron J. Mann as Musician of the Year, Agape Temple Church of God in Christ as Praise Team of the Year and Community Baptist Church as Choir of the Year. Queta Whitfield was named Female Vocalist of the Year, and pastor Daryl Collins Male Vocalist of the Year. King of Kings was named Group/Duo of the Year. Youth awards went to Jay Bibbs, soloist; Mount Gilead Baptist Church Choir, youth group/duo; and Lyons Chapel Youth Praise Team in the dance, drill or praise team category. Apart from his civil rights work, Donnie Wright, president of council, said he wanted to emphasize King was foremost a minister and a man of God. “We want to reach every aspect we think Dr. King stood for ... and let his legacy live on and on for years to come,” Wright said. People cast their votes online for their favorite gospel choirs, soloists and praise teams during a weeklong period prior to the event. The winners were announced during the awards ceremony, where they each received a trophy and gave a small acceptance speech. Wright said more than 500 votes had been submitted for the nine categories. He said this was an opportunity to honor individuals and groups from local churches who have been sharing their musical talents for years. “We’re from separate churches and separate congregations so this is the way we can band together as one body ... as a community in Lubbock,” said Darius Luckey, a 2009 gospel awards winner. Guest artist Chrystal Rucker ended the night with a gospel music concert. This was the first year to have a guest performer who could show the audience and award recipients that it is possible to succeed as a professional gospel singer, Wright said. Juanita Anderson said she remembered King when he was still alive and how difficult life was in the 1960s. “He helped me get to some of the places where I am today,” Anderson said. “I lived when we had to ride at the back of the school bus and sit in the balcony of the theater.” She said she hopes the younger generations are grateful for what they have and “achieve what they can out of life.” The Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity, co-sponsor of the event, issued a call to action, encouraging the audience to work for a better future. Through a video of King and pictures of well-known black figures including President Barack Obama, the fraternity stressed the time for change is not over. “I believe we still have a long way to go,” Luckey said. “We made a lot of progress, but we need to keep striving for the mark where Dr. King would want us to be and keep striving to get there because we’re not there yet.”

Gospel Pages Magazine | June 2010 | www.gospelpagesmag.com

Tonex opens up about furor over homosexuality Gospel singer Tonex has been dodging accusations that he was gay since 2007. Outed in 2007 by MediaTakeOut and others Tonex denied that he was gay. The gospel singer was afraid to tell the truth about being gay for the sake of his career openly gay gospel singers aren’t exactly in high demand. However, two years after the story first broke Tonex has finally come out of the closet. In 2007 MediaTakeOut.com published an expose on the gospel singer Tonex – where we they alleged he was a homosexual. After that report, Tonex came out with a number of video blogs denying the report. A number of mainstream Black and Christian publications claimed that Tonex was straight. Tonex’s genre-defying music draws comparisons to Prince. His multi-octave vocal range, prolific songwriting and dance moves have garnered him a cult-like following in and out of the gospel world. But it was his personal life that took center stage in the five years since “Out The Box,” his last major-label release. Tonex got a divorce from his wife and was sued by former label Verity Records after claims he was being mistreated and a declaration that he was retiring from the music industry began appearing all over the internet. (Verity’s parent label, Sony Music, declined to comment on the legal action, simply saying there was no lawsuit ongoing against Tonex.) During his time away from music, Tonex started pastoring at his late father’s church, and released independent music. He also worked on his new major album release, “Unspoken,” which Tonex describes as “soothing cool ocean blue” and features a somewhat humbler Tonex, with a new spelling of his name, Ton3x (“it just means triple threat,” he explains).

Gospel Pages Magazine | June 2010 | www.gospelpagesmag.com

News

MaryMary, Hezekiah Walker and Love Fellowship and Crystal Aikin Win Big at The Stellar Awards The 25th Anniversary of The Stellar Awards marks their return to the Grand Ol’ Opry in Nashville, TN. Hosted by Kirk Franklin, Vickie Winans and Donnie McClurkin, this year’s awards show was a great night for Mary Mary, Hezekiah Walker and Sunday’s Best winner Crystal Aikin. Spirit-filled performances included BeBe & CeCe Winans, Mary Mary, Kirk Franklin, Pastor Shirley Caesar, Donnie McClurkin, Donald Lawrence, Marvin Sapp, Dottie Peoples, Vanessa Bell Armstrong, and Sunday Bestwinner Crystal Aikin. If you can’t wait for the broadcast in your local area here are the winners.

Artist of the Year

Hezekiah Walker and Love Fellowship (Souled Out/ Verity Records)

Song of the Year

Mary Mary “God In Me” The Sound (Columbia Records)

Male Vocalist of the Year Smokie Norful Smokie Norful Live (EMI Gospel)

Female Vocalist of the Year

Vickie Winans How I Got Over (Destiny Joy Records)

Group or Duo of the Year

Mary Mary The Sound (Columbia)

New Artist of the Year Crystal Aikin Crystal Aikin

(Verity Records)

CD of the Year

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

Contemporary CD of the Year

Instrumental CD of the Year

(Quiet Water/Verity)

(Verity Records)

(Verity)

Contemporary Group/ Duo of the Year

Traditional CD of the Year

Special Event CD of the Year The Clark Sisters, J. Moss and Kierra Sheard Silky Soul Music A Tribute to Maze

Donald Lawrence & Daniel Weatherspoon The Law of Confession Part 1

Mary Mary The Sound (Columbia)

Traditional Group/ Duo of the Year

Lee Williams & The Spiritual QC’s Fall On Me (MCG Records)

Contemporary Male of the Year Smokie Norful Smokie Norful Live (EMI Gospel)

Traditional Male of the Year

Donnie McClurkin We All Are One (Live in Detroit) (Verity Records)

Contemporary Female of the Year Crystal Aikin Crystal Aikin (Verity Records)

Traditional Female of the Year

Hezekiah Walker and Love Fellowship Souled Out

Shari Addison Shari Addison

(Verity Records)

Urban/Inspirational Single and Performance of the Year Mary Mary “God in Me” The Sound (Columbia)

Music Video of the Year Vickie Winans How I Got Over

(Barantera Music Group)

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 Rev. Dr. Emory Andrews and Oxon Hill High School Choir Amazing (Yrome Records) Quartet of the Year Lee Williams & The Spiritual QC’s Fall On Me

(Destiny Joy Records)

(MCG Records)

Traditional Choir of the Year

Recorded Music Package of the Year Denise Trotman, Donald Lawrence The Confession Part 1 (Quiet Water/Verity)

(Light)

Praise and Worship CD of the Year Stephen Hurd Times of Refreshing

Bishop Paul S. Morton & The FGBCF Mass Choir Cry Your Last Tear

Contemporary Choir of the Year

Dottie Peoples Do It!

Hezekiah Walker and Love Fellowship Souled Out

(DP Muzik Group)

(Verity Records)

Gospel Pages Magazine | June 2010 | www.gospelpagesmag.com

Ben Tankard Mercy, Mercy, Mercy

(Integrity Gospel)

NEWS

DOVE AWARDS

KEEP FOCUS ON CHRIST Musicians and recording industry representatives who gathered for a press conference—and a time of prayer and devotion—before the nominees were announced for the 41st Annual Gospel Music Association’s Dove Awards included (left to right) Ed Leonard, chairman of the board of the Gospel Music Association and president of Daywind Music Group; Wes Bulla, dean of the Mike Curb College of Entertainment and Music Business at Belmont University; Ben Tankard, gospel/jazz artist and multiple Dove Award nominee; Francesca Battistelli, Dove Award nominee; Michael W. Smith, 44time Dove Award winner; Brandon Heath, 2009 Dove Award-winning male vocalist of the year; Kari Jobe, Dove Award nominee; Jeremy Camp, two-time male vocalist of the year; Lisa Kimmey-Winans, member of the group Out of Eden and Gospel Music Channel host; and Jason Crabb, 10-time Dove Award winner. Before the nominations were announced for the 41st annual Dove Awards, many Christian musicians and industry leaders gathered together for a time of prayer and devotion led by Pete Wilson, senior pastor of Cross Point Church in Nashville and author of Plan B—What Do You Do When God Doesn’t Show Up The Way You Thought He Would?

takes the focus off of himself and shines the spotlight on Christ, that’s what makes me proud to be a part of this industry.

“We’re here to celebrate music and to celebrate Jesus, the one who really is the famous one. It’s not about us. As we recognize these artists who have made a significant impact, it’s really recognizing a “Your primary responsibility in heart that loves Jesus and is focused life is to be living for his glory. It on leading people to him.” may seem like the tasks will always require more than you have to offer, In addition to Smith, other but remember, what Christ begins recording artists including Brandon in you, he will complete. As you’re Heath, Kari Jobe, Francesca writing these songs of hope and Battistelli, Jason Crabb and Jeremy sharing messages of grace and Camp attended the devotional redemption, you’re being used as time and press conference at a vessel for Christ to accomplish Belmont University’s Curb Café in Nashville, Tenn., where this incredible things for his glory.” year’s Dove Award nominees were announced. “The more God expands your ministry and influence, the more you have to give up control and completely surrender to him,” Wilson said.

“It’s such a joy to be here with all my peers—amazing musicians who love Jesus,” he said. “And that’s the whole purpose why we’re here—to get the gospel out. To be nominated is such an honor, but above all, just to see everyone joined together and saying, ‘I just want to be here to glorify God,’ that’s what brings me the most joy.” The Dove Awards will be held April 21 at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville and aired on the Gospel Music Channel. The evening will feature artists from every style of gospel/Christian music coming together for a night of music and celebration. For a complete list of nominees, visit www.gos-pelmusic.org.

Jaci Velasquez made a special appearance to assist Camp in announcing the nominees for the Spanish language album of the year. “I’m always honored and so excited to be a part of anything that the Gospel Music Association does,” Velasquez said.

Multiple Dove Award winner Michael W. Smith agreed. “It’s wonderful to hear great songs, but when people’s hearts are really in the right place and focusing on Christ, that’s what will change the world,” he said. “When an artist

“It’s an incredible industry. We get to be a part of music that changes people’s lives. For me, watching all the artists is such a great experience and my hat goes off to each and every one of them. They’re all doing amazing things and creating music that is intended to lead people to a deeper love for God and promoting the kingdom.” Camp agreed.

Natalie Grant, four-time Dove Award winning female vocalist of the year, and Bart Millard, lead singer of the Texas-based band MercyMe, will serve as hosts for the awards show.

Gospel Pages Magazine | June 2010 | www.gospelpagesmag.com

NEWS McClurkin stubles

to success

Gospel singer and pastor, Donnie McClurkin, claims that every success he has experienced in life happened because he stumbled into it. “My mother’s side of the family were the musical ones. My father’s side had the comedy. We were raised up around the piano from the time we were born. We learned how to sing in harmonies at 3 and 4 years old,” remarked the 3-time Grammy Award winner, 10-time Stellar Award winner. The winner of 2 BET Awards and 2 Soul Train Awards as well as a Dove Award and an NAACP Image Award. When some of us think of Amityville, NY, where Donnie grew up, we think of the movie, Amityville Horrors but the talented performer remembers it as a wonderful community. “When I grew up in Amityville, L.I., it was a rural area. It wasn’t popular or urban,” said Donnie. “It had some dirt roads and a farm on it with a population of about 30,000. Once the “Amityville Horror” movie came out in the 1970s, everything changed. But for the most part, it was a place where the neighborhood raised the children and everybody on the block knew one another. You were safe. You ate dinner at the table at 6:30 p.m., with mom on one side and dad on the other. We came from a family of 10 children. 8 of us lived and 2 were still born. That was the way it was. It was life.” As a young boy Donnie was molested by two family members and lost his young brother to a car accident. A lot for a child to bear. “In everybody’s life its proven the thing that hurts and broke us the most, is oftentimes the very thing that gives us strength. It presents a challenge and allows us to develop abilities, mentalities and concepts that allow us to get through anything. Sometimes positive things result from something negative,” said Donnie who talked about his bout with leukemia — demonstrating his great faith in prayer. “In 1991, I contracted leukemia and now its 2010. I’m still here! I had leukemia for about a year. The doctors told me it was in an acute stage. They said I needed some dramatic medicines – chemotherapy and radiation. I said give me 60 days to talk to my doctor. The doctor asked, “Who is your doctor… God? I replied, “as a matter fact, “yes.” I talked to my pastor, Andrae Crouch and his father (who was a bishop in California at that time). They prayed for me. Later when the doctors tested me they couldn’t find any cancer. I was healed,” said the pastor, 12

Gospel Pages Magazine | June 2010 | www.gospelpagesmag.com

attributing his healing to the power of prayer. Donnie talked about his mentor Andrae Crouch: “Back in the 1970s, Andrae Crouch was the Kirk Franklin of our gospel day. I always loved Crouch. He was like Michael Jackson to me. In 1971, he came to Jamaica, Queens. I begged my mother to let me go see him. His concert was late but I begged my mother to let me go, promising I would still make school on time the next day. I was 11 years old. My mother agreed. After the concert, I sat in the front row waiting for Mr. Crouch to come out. He came out about 11:00 p.m., and saw me sitting in the dark auditorium. It was surreal. He approached me and asked me what I was doing there. I replied “waiting for you.” He asked if I liked the concert. I replied that I loved it. He queried whether I sang or played and I answered ‘no’. Andrae told me he couldn’t sing or play either until his Dad prayed for him. I said my Dad cant pray for me because he is not born again. Mr. Crouch asked whether I minded if he prayed for me. I said, no. He laid his hand on top of my head and said “God, give him what you gave to me.” Patted my cheek and walked away. And that is how it all began for me,” recalled McClurkin. Donnie formed the McClurkin Singers at age 19 and then at age 29, the Restoration Choir. “I notice that every 10 years significant change occurs in my life. Ten years later, I became a minister,” remarked Donnie who recently released his CD “We All Are One.” “I got into radio because of BeBe Winans. He has always looked out for me. I am like the 11th member of the Winans family. I lost my identity and became Donnie McClurkin Winan,” laughed the WLIB radio host. “Bebe is the one that introduced me to Oprah Winfry. She has supported me ever since. BeBe interviewed me on his radio show and suggested I do radio. He introduced me to his network, I did a test pilot for the radio and it actually caught on,” explained McClurkin who also has a TV show “Perfecting Your Faith,” in the Philadelphia, St. Louis, Norfolk, Memphis and Baton Rouge markets. Fans can get tickets by calling Lehman Center’s box office at 718-960-8833 or online at www.LehmanCenter.org. “I’m 50 this year and so far, it’s been a great run,”said Donnie.

NEWS

Clay johnson & The gospel sounds Wayne Rhem of Kinston is proud to be a part of a gospel music institution. “Clay Johnson & The Gospel Sounds have been around for 26 years,” Rhem said. “I’ve sang second tenor with them for the past nine years.” Rhem said Clay Johnson & The Gospel Sounds routinely perform at churches and gospel music shows in in Kinston, New Bern, La Grange, Goldsboro, Jacksonville and Rocky Mount. They have also shared the stage with Grammy Award winning gospel singer Lee Williams. The band’s first CD is called ‘Old Folks Home’. “We perform older gospel classics along with new songs that are written by Clay Johnson,” Rhem said. “We’re working on a new CD called ‘It Could Have Been The Other Way’. “My favorite song to sing is ‘Down At The Cross’ by Tommy Ellison,” Rhem said. “That song always touches people in a positive way.” To book the band for a performance or buy one of their CDs, call Clay Johnson at 252-523-5518.

The Wings of Joy Since 2005 Wings of Joy have been delighting audiences with their unique brand of acapella singing. Since there is no instrumental backing, the singers have to carry the show on their own. The members of the group - Belinda Basden, Bertha Powell, Concetta Coverington and Vanessa Brunton - were brought up in a church that didn’t have instruments. “We tried to perform with instrumental backing but it slowed us down,” Basden said. The Wings of Joy can be found performing locally at venues such as Savannah Free Will Baptist Church, and they’ve also done shows in New York. No members of the group had formal training; they learned from singing in the church choir. While The Wings of Joy are in high demand as a live act, they have yet to enter a recording studio. “Some members of the group want to wait until we have more songs in our repertoire, but other members want to get a CD recoreded in time for the group’s anniversary,” Basden said.

The Southland Gospel Singers The Southland Gospel Singers stay busy with upwards of 40 performances per year. The group consists of Robert Daughety, Frank Chambers and Raymond Moore. The band’s musicial knowledge is so deep that a large portion of their show consists of requests from the audience. “We might make an album,” Daughety said. “Some members of the group want to - others don’t.” “We try to pick songs that will help us reach out to the people in the audience,” Daughety said. “We used to sing r&b in the clubs 20 years ago but for various reasons we switched to gospel.” “These songs remind me of the way my mama brought me up,” Daughety said. “We put alot of work into arranging these songs; sometimes we will totally change them, sometimes they’re alright the way they are.” Daughety says that he and his wife pick out the songs based on their message. The group routinely performs in Greenville, Fountain, Snow Hill, Tarboro and LaGrange.

Gospel Pages Magazine | June 2010 | www.gospelpagesmag.com

NEWS

PASTOR JULIAN PRIDGEN:

SIN IS SIN Julian Pridgen has been spreading the gospel from the pulpit since 1989.

we happen to be more educated and aware of the things that are going around the world. For instace, with the power of tv, radio, internet, and other media sources, we learn “I was saved when I was 15-years-old,” faster. Perhaps the world has not changed Pridgen said. “I felt the call to preach the as much gospel; I had a calling to proclaim God’s as people think; sin is sin, wrong is wrong, word.” murder is murder - it’s the same now as it was two thousand years ago.” Pastor Pridgen has been preaching at St. Augusta Church since 1999. He had this to The father of a 20-year-old son and a say about the current state of our society. 16-year-old daughter, Pastor Pridgen has been married to his wife Debra for 23 “It’s the same that its always been, however years.

Gospel Pages Magazine | June 2010 | www.gospelpagesmag.com

God is my co-defendant A gospel-music exec had a divine reason to cancel a contract with one of her singers -- God told her to. April Washington-Essex, head of Habakkuk Music Inc., didn’t option a second CD with gospel singer Isaiah D. Thomas. “I have been seeking God about the timing of your next recording. To date, God has not confirmed His approval for Habakkuk Music to participate,” she wrote to Thomas, according to a lawsuit he filed last week in Manhattan federal court. Thomas’ attorney, Chris Brown, said he had never seen a “God clause”invoked to end a contract. Moses Robinson/WireImage.com LORD TAKETH: Label boss April Washington-Essex allegedly refused to put out a second CD with singer Isaiah D. Thomas, saying, “God has not confirmed His approval.” “It’s one of the strangest things I’ve ever encountered in all my years in entertainment law,” Brown said. Brown said the real reason Washington-Essex backed out of the contract was somewhat less than spiritual. She just didn’t want to pay the $30,000 advance that would accompany a second album, he said. Thomas’ first album with Habakkuk, “The Greatest,” sold more than 12,000 copies, court records said. But Thomas also claims that Washington-Essex was un-Christian when she cheated him out of thousands of dollars in royalties and lied to him about how many records he had sold. He’s suing Habakkuk Music -named for a Hebrew prophet -- for $500,000. When Thomas decided to sign with another record company as a result of the “God” e-mail, Washington-Essex told him he had misunderstood God’s message. “He took the statement out of

context,” she said. “We just wanted time to strategize, but he just wanted to make his own recording.” She wasn’t ending the contract, she said, but simply wanted to wait before releasing a second album. Furthermore, she said, he was still under contract with her and not allowed to make music with another company. When Thomas released a single under the new label, Global Gospel Music Group, Washington-Essex waged a holy war against him, he alleges. She sent press releases out to radio stations across the country saying that Thomas was still under contract with her and that a court injunction prevented the stations from playing Thomas’ new music. “She tried to sabotage Thomas,” Brown said. “He went from being the third-most-added song in gospel radio to being nonexistent weeks later. The stations didn’t want to deal with any legal problems.” Washington-Essex denied all the allegations of fraud and mismanagement but insisted that Thomas was still her client and that his new songs not be played on the air. “During an era when many among the gospel-music industry face strong criticism for neglecting to practice the basic tenets of the Christian faith, we at Habakkuk are most saddened by our involvement in this issue,” she added Gospel Pages Magazine | June 2010 | www.gospelpagesmag.com

Winans family member accused of

Ponzi scheme Michigan investigators believe a member of the Winans gospelmusic family led a fraudulent, multimillion-dollar investment program by promoting bogus Saudi Arabia oil bonds. The Office of Financial and Insurance Regulation issued a cease-and-desist order, although Commissioner Ken Ross said the alleged scheme probably stopped at the end of 2008.

Ross said Michael Winans Jr. told investors they could double their money in 60 days. Detroit police identified and interviewed at least 180 investors, but state regulators say the actual number is higher. “Our investigation found that Michael Winans Jr. orchestrated a scheme that resulted in hundreds of Detroit residents losing millions of hard-earned dollars,” Ross said in a release. “Promising skyhigh, guaranteed returns, these scammers unscrupulously fleeced unsuspecting churchgoers who let their financial guard down.” Winans could not immediately be reached for comment. A phone number linked to his address in the Detroit area was unanswered, and numbers listed for Winans’ Detroit-based music publishing company have been disconnected. Ross said the Ponzi scheme was worth at least $2.6 million but could have been as high as $11 million. He said Winans used connections in Detroit churches to draw investors between early 2007 and late 2008. State regulators said Winans, his associates and related business entities violated the state’s Uniform Securities Act, and turned over the results of its investigation to local, state and federal law enforcement agencies. Those found violating the act face a maximum penalty of $25,000 per violation and 10 years in prison. A Ponzi scheme is a fraudulent investing technique that promises high rates of return with little risk to investors. Money provided by new investors is used to pay seemingly high returns to early stage investors, but the scheme collapses when required redemptions exceed new investments. Winans is a third-generation member of one of gospel music’s first families. He’s the grandson of Delores “Mom” Winans and David “Pop” Winans Sr., who died last year; and son of Michael Winans Sr., a member of The Winans, a quartet of brothers. 16

Gospel Pages Magazine | June 2010 | www.gospelpagesmag.com

Legal

Kidnappers release Belgian taken in Haiti

Oprah settles lawsuit Oprah Winfrey reportedly rearranged the taping of her show, setting aside time to go to trial in Philadelphia. But that will not be necessary any longer -- the potentially nasty lawsuit has been settled.

A U.N. police official says a Belgian businessman who was kidnapped in Haiti’s capital has been released in good condition. Michel Martin of the U.N.’s criminal intelligence unit in Haiti says a ransom was paid for the release of Philippe Van Reybrouck. Martin said Friday that the man had been held in captivity for about 24 hours. He was taken Wednesday near the international airport. Earlier this month, two European aid workers were held for five days in the first reported kidnapping since Haiti suffered a devastating earthquake on Jan. 12. Crackdowns by U.N. and Haitian police helped curb the crime in the 18 months leading up to the quake, but some suspected leaders of kidnapping rings escaped from prison during the disaster.

The former headmistress of Oprah’s South African girls school was suing Winfrey for defamation of character. In particular, comments the talk show host made following revelations that several students had been sexually abused on her watch. At the time, Winfrey said she’d lost confidence in the headmistress, and was cleaning house from top to bottom. The two settled the dispute after a face-to-face discussion. A joint statement from both women’s attorneys read: “The two parties met woman to woman without their lawyers and are happy that they could resolve this dispute peacefully to their mutual satisfaction.” “It is somewhat unusual to take the lawyers out of the question, but I think Oprah has sort of the star power to ultimately wrestle or cajole a deal with an opposing litigant,” Attorney Dana Cole said of the settlement. The former headmistress had claimed criticism from someone so well-know and well-respected had made it nearly impossible to find another job. “The stakes were somewhat high for Oprah, because jury trials take a lot of time, they exact a lot of emotion, the celebrity usually ends up losing to some degree because they have to commit so much time to the process,” Cole said. Thanks to the deal, that will not be the case for Winfrey. The terms of the settlement were not disclosed. Both sides simply said they were pleased with the outcome.

Gospel Pages Magazine | June 2010 | www.gospelpagesmag.com

hISTORY

TV preview: PBS’s American Masters show, ‘Sam Cooke:

Crossing Over’

It is 1959-ish and Dick Clark is asking the newly famous, chart-topping Sam Cooke why he left a career in gospel music behind to record pop songs -- the genre Cooke’s people taught him to regard as “the devil’s music.” “What caused you to turn to this kind of music?” Clark wonders. Cooke smirks and replies: “My economic situation.” Clark laughs and praises Cooke for his honesty. What seems to be a lighthearted moment in “Sam Cooke: Crossing Over,” in fact underscores the dilemma presented in this unsatisfying, one-hour rush through Cooke’s career: The guy just wanted to sing and become famous.

might have made a better story instead. According to an interview Antonelli recently gave the San Francisco Chronicle, he ran into repeated resistance from Allen Klein, Cooke’s obstinate manager and keeper of the estate, who died last year. The stonewalling, Antonelli said, stretched production for 12 years. Many of the interviewees seen here are now dead -- James Brown, Lou Rawls, Jerry Wexler -- which distracts the viewer into wondering when the interviews took place.

What results is less worthy of the “American Masters” series and plays more like an infomercial; one would almost anticipate commercial Yet, because he died young (and at the height of the civil rights breaks offering a five-CD collection of hits. We are escorted through movement) he must bear some other symbolism, as required by the law the key points in Cooke’s life (this hit, then that one; a marriage and of nostalgic, pop-cultural lore. And so filmmaker John Antonelli’s divorce and then another marriage; another hit song, then another, then documentary works too hard to make a case that without Cooke, the the founding of a record label; the loss of his infant son, who drowned) inevitable would somehow not have occurred: There would be no until, jarringly, a drunk and allegedly belligerent Cooke is shot and gospel-inspired movement toward Motown, Otis Redding, Aretha killed, at age 33, by a Los Angeles motel manager -- in what was ruled justifiable homicide. His eternally brokenhearted friends and family Franklin and so on. (including a sister, Agnes, who has also since died) didn’t buy that, and What’s best are the songs themselves, on their own. It starts with “You still don’t. Send Me” in 1957, and continues for seven years with such hits as “Cupid,” “Twistin’ the Night Away,” “Chain Gang” and “A Change Is What’s left is “You Send Me” and other memorable songs and . . . what Gonna Come,” until Cooke’s death in 1964. The glimpses of Cooke in else? “Sam Cooke: Crossing Over” wishes to infuse that legacy with his handsome, honey-voiced prime, seducing an American television more meaning and significance than Cooke’s oeuvre might in fact bear, and radio audience, are worth tuning in; 50 years on, Cooke’s by stating the obvious over and over. Sometimes a pop star is only a pop star, and a song is only a golden oldie. But still golden, and what a groundbreaking voice still resonates so sweetly. While it’s true that he was the first black recording artist to successfully thing to be. break free from the strict lines that divided the gospel, R&B and pop charts, “Crossing Over” (narrated by Danny Glover) struggles to do anything with that accomplishment other than place him on a timeline and surround his memory with segregation-era news footage and fond reminiscences. Cooke’s early years with the Soul Stirrers, a gospel group on the chitlin circuit, are most interesting -- and sadly brief. We get very little information about his Chicago boyhood or upbringing, and he emerges in the first few minutes as a young man of 20 who causes females in the congregation to swoon, “combing his hair as he sings ‘God is wonderfulll,’ “ Bobby Womack recalls. The behind-the-scenes story of Antonelli’s struggle to make this film Gospel Pages Magazine | June 2010 | www.gospelpagesmag.com

Business tribute

All the news

isn’t bad We see it on TV and in the newspaper on a daily basis: bad news. The media (and it’s consumers) are obsessed with crime, sex, war, and our plummeting economy. As the old addage goes, ‘if it bleeds, it leads’.

reaching far beyond our immediate area,” Margaret Burden said. “In the beginning we distributed the paper in Wayne, Duplin and Lenoir counties; before long we were distributing papers as far away as New York.” Mrs. Burden said people used the Good News Gazette as a forum to give their testimonials to the healing power of Jesus Christ.

“The concept we went with was simple: Our paper would not be about denouncement; it would be about Christ. We distributed the paper through churches and businesses. The paper was and is a non-profit project; we just tried to make enough money to While most outlets focus on the negative cover our expenses. aspetcs of our society for ratings, Rev. Glenwood Burden of St. Jospeh’s Free Will According to Mrs. Burden, the stories and Baptist Church and his wife Margaret decided testimonials delivered via the Good News to present an alternative view of the world in Gazette touch many people’s lives. 2001. This alternative view took the form of “We recieved messages from all over the the Good News Gazette. country,” Mrs. Burden said. “We recieved Reverend Burden passed away on April 9, many letters from prisoners who found hope 2009, but according to his wife Margaret his in our publication.” work will continue. “As of 2009, the Good News Gazette was 20

The paper is not currently in production, but Mrs. Burden says that she and her son Glen Burden, Jr. (who works for the Wayne County

Gospel Pages Magazine | June 2010 | www.gospelpagesmag.com

School System) will be working on the paper together. “My son and I were determined to keep the paper going after the death of my husband,” Mrs. Burden said. “I think we were trying to do too much too soon. I want everybody to know that we will be starting up the paper again; I don’t want to say too much about web sites or what we’re going to do with the paper, because if we end up not doing it exactly as I say people will wonder why it changed. All I can say right now is the Good News Gazette will be back soon.”

Gospel Pages Magazine | June 2010 | www.gospelpagesmag.com

feature Pastor Flowers realized he needed help to lose the weight. To find that help he went to Gold’s Gym in Kinston. “I started working with them about a month an a half ago,” Flowers said. “When I started their training program I weighed 275 pounds.” Pastor Flowers said to date he has lost 14 pounds. “I’ve gone from a size 46 waist to a 44,” Flowers said. “My goal is to get down to 200 pounds.” The two biggest goals one faces when starting a training regimine are the physical work and carving out the time in a busy schedule to do the work. According to Pastor Flowers the Gold’s Gym staff made it tolerable.

Local pastor

trains for the Lord For the past four years, John Flowers Jr. has been the pastor at Greater Mt. Zion Church Missionary Baptist Church on 311 N. East St., Kinston. While 22

he spends most of his time attending to the needs of others, a few months back he decided to do something for himself: Lose weight.

Gospel Pages Magazine | June 2010 | www.gospelpagesmag.com

“The exercise itself is hard work, but my trainer Becky keeps me motivated, which makes me want to go,” Flowers said. “She’s a very good trainer.” An important tennant of the Christian faith is the idea of treating one’s body like a temple. Since Pastor Flowers has been working on his own personal temple, he said the message of selfimprovement has been featured in many of his recent sermons. “When you start to get yourself together, other people notice,” Flowers said. “When people see that I’m putting in the work, it makes it easier tell people how important it is that they do the same.”

feature

For the past four years, John Flowers Jr. has been the pastor at Greater Mt. Zion Church Missionary Baptist Church on 311 N. East St., Kinston. Being a preacher, Pastor Flowers is always going to be exposed to delicious food at various covered dish dinners and celebrations. Flowers said that he is still able to enjoy the food - just in moderation.

has more than doubled his energy level. “When I started the program, I’d say on a scale of 1 to 10 my engergy level was at about a 4; now its up to 10,” Flowers said. “I feel much better.”

“What the Gold’s Gym staff has taught me is to eat in portions; eating what I want is not a problem as long as I eat smaller portions,” Flowers said. “I’d have alot of upset cooks in my congregation if I didn’t sample their food.”

Flowers attended seminary at Baptist College of South Carolina, Shaw University, and Lenoir Community College. “The biggest challenge for the church right now is to continue to instill hope in people when times are so tough,” Flowers said. “We want people to know there is hope and that things will get better.” Over the past four years Flowers’ congregation has grown from 65 to 300. While times are tough, Pastor Flowers says the church is still doing what it needs to do, albeit on a tight budget.

“At times we have to get creative, but that just comes down to comparing prices and sticking to a budget,” Flowers said. Along with a smaller wasit, Pastor Flowers says the training “This is not a time for splurging.” Gospel Pages Magazine | June 2010 | www.gospelpagesmag.com

Gospel Pages Magazine | June 2010 | www.gospelpagesmag.com

artist spotlight

victor speight embarks on

‘the journey’

Kinston musician Victor Speight recently released his debut album, ‘The Journey’. “The album has 11 songs on it,” Speight said. “The album was produced by Terrance White of Whitehouse Productions. His group of musicians played on the album.” Speight - who is also still a member of the End Time Messengers gospel group - said ‘The Journey’ is a worship CD.

“My heart has been in praise and worship over the last few years,” Speight said. “I wanted to make an album that reflected where I was at spiritually.”

‘The Journey’ tells Speight’s life story. For Victor, life has been full of ups and downs, but God has always been there for him. He knows now his purpose is to lead people into God’s presence and The album was recored at White’s personal studio in Kinston and worship God in spirit and in truth. He promises all things will be at the River Vernon Chappel in Durham. added if we seek the kingdom of God. He feels his journey was like David’s in the Bible. Speight, 44, is a member of Covenant of Faith Church in Hookerton, and he also regularly performs at New Life Outreach “I spent three years making this album,” Speight said. “It’s in Snow Hill. available for sale locally at Tops, Bottoms & Soles and Ginos, both located on Queen Street in Kinston. The CD can be ordered Speight was born in Washington DC, but his grandmother moved online by visiting www.cdbaby.com/cd/victorspeight. him to the back country of North Carolina. Inspired by his grandfather, Speight began singing old school traditional gospel To connect with Victor on the internet, visit www.victorsp8.net. in a youth choir at Browns Chapel FWB in Snow Hill, NC. As a teenager, he ventured into R&B, Rap, Soul, and country music. He knew his passion was music but was uncertain about which genre to pursue. After singing with choirs, the high school chorus and band, Speight began singing in a quartet. After singing with many groups Speight formed The Endtime Messengers. In 1998, The Messengers recorded their first album, ‘Just God’, which was followed by ‘About Our Father’s Business’ in 2002. The group performed at The Gospel Classic and The National Quartet Convention in Alabama. Gospel Pages Magazine | June 2010 | www.gospelpagesmag.com

BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT

a jOYFULL

NOISE

Andrew Hargett, Jr., 37, wants religious people to know its okay to laugh.

I want people to know its alright to laugh; there’s Next month Hargett plans to no need to be a square; laughter is good for the bring a straight gospel music show to Kinston. soul.” Harget believes his shows are unique because they make inspire people while also making them laugh. His first gospel-themed comedy show took place at the Kinston Performing Arts Theatre on April 3. The threehour show featured performances from The Kinston native who now lives in Raleigh comedians Sister Cantelope, Shanita Morris spent several years promoting secular comedy (formerly known as ‘Chocolate’), Steven Shepherd,D.L. Henry, and gospel singer shows for colleges and universities Luther Barnes. in North Carolina.

Luther Barnes, Roger Whitehead gosple exress, Tim Davis, and more locals. “The folks in Kinston want national quality entertainment, but they want to pay local money,” Hargett said. “If somebody brings something unique people won’t show up because they’re not used to a show like this. Hopefully the word of mouth from the first one will help us promote the second one.”

For more information on Andrew Hargett’s “I spent several years promoting regular comedy “The turnout for the first show was so-so, but gospel shows, call 919-637-3505. shows,” Hargett said. “But God laid it upon my the folks that were there had a fantastic time,” Hargett said. “ heart to do something for his Kingdom.

Gospel Pages Magazine | June 2010 | www.gospelpagesmag.com

business update

“While some families are able to cover costs out of pocket, many rely on insurance, state funding, and various veterans administrations,” Peebles said. “The economy is in such a state that most government funding has ceased.”

Day break

Founded in 2001 by Executive Director Cora Mattocks, Day Break is a Kinston-based care provider that serves the needs of the physically, cognitively or socially impaired members of the community by providing a variety of socially, physically and mentally stimulating activities designed to encourage independence and to reinforce those skills needed to remain in an independent, at-home living environment. Day Break is committed to providing quality care to adults from ages 18 and up. “In many situations children end up being the primary caregiver for a parent, and the majority of those children still have to go to work,” said Day Break Program Director Shyrece Peebles. “Our services allow the caregiver to go to work safe in the knowledge that their loved ones are 28

be cared for in a safe environment.” According Pebbles, many families that benefit from Day Break’s services are feeling the pinch in this tough economy.

Gospel Pages Magazine | June 2010 | www.gospelpagesmag.com

In an attempt to close the gap left by the vanishing funds, the Day Break administrators have commissioned fund raising activities, such as a car raffle that took place on Mar. 1. The first place winner recieved a new 2010 BMW 328. The proceeds from the raffle will be used to sponsor 3 seniors currently attending Day Break Life Center, allowing these seniors to be able to attend the center daily for the entire month. The purpose of this and future fundraising events is to help seniors and their families be able to take advantage of the many benefits of adult day services without additional cost to the caregivers or their families. The state has been implementing many cuts that are adversely affecting the citizens that benefit from Day Break’s services. Day Break is located on 517 North Queen Street, Kinston. For more information on Day Break’s services call 252-527-6882 or send an email to info@ kinstondaybreak.org.

business update

Day Break Services • Full-time Director (who is a Registered Nurse) • Part-time Reagistered Nurse • Part-time Activities Director • Part-time Community Relations Coordinator • Trained Certified Nursing Assistants • Trained Volunteers • Health Care Monitoring - Weight - Blook Pressure - Food & Liquid Intake - Record of BM - Administration of Medication - Weekly Assessments • Supervision • Recreation • Socialization • Nutritious Lunch, Special Diets, • Morning and Afternoon Snacks • Physical Exercise • Transportation to and from Day Break • Preventive Health Education • Group & Individual Activities • Information & Referral for additional community services • Personal Care • Mental Stimulation • Assistance with Eating, Walking, Toileting

Day Break Hours 7:00 am - 4:30 pm Monday through Friday.* 8:00 am - 4:00 pm Saturday 8:00 am - 4:00 pm 1st and 3rd Sunday

Gospel Pages Magazine | June 2010 | www.gospelpagesmag.com

political

The Current State of Haiti International Group Gathers in New York

To Discuss Haiti’s Future: The International Donors’ Conference Towards a New Future for Haiti will be akin to a scripted international telethon (or webathon, since it will be webcast live). UN member states and international organizations will make pledges of new support for Haiti during the one day meeting. A “Preliminary Damage and Needs Assessment” (PDNA) by Haiti’s government and several major donors will be presented on March 31. A draft of the PDNA released March 24 has the following statistics on the earthquake’s destruction: More than 220,000 people killed and more than 300,000 others injured. Temporary shelters in the Port-au-Prince area house 1.3 million people and more than 500,000 have left to seek shelter elsewhere. Worst hit city: Léogâne, 80 per cent destroyed. Homes: 105,000 completely destroyed, more than 208,000 damaged. Educational institutions: more than 1,300 collapsed or unusable. Hospitals and health centres: more than 50 collapsed or unusable. Debris: 40 million cubic metres Total value of damage and losses: US$7.9 billion, equivalent to 120 percent of Haiti’s 2009 GDP (by that measure, the Jan. 12 quake was the worst disaster in the 35 years that methodology has been applied) Recovery cost: $11.5 billion over the next three years. While humanitarian aid remains critical, the conference marks the shifting of the focus from humanitarian response to rebuilding Haiti. So after outlining the damage, the PDNA outlines the goals of this process, in order to rebuild Haiti better. Rethinking governance A key goal is “to rebuild the state and economy for all Haitians.” The weakness of the Haitian state became clear through it near invisibility in the earthquake’s immediate aftermath. Outside governments and aid organizations had for years been putting resources into building parallel systems to the Haitian government. Even in 1990s, the Canadian International Development Agency conceded that this approach “undermined efforts to strengthen good governance” by “eroding legitimacy, capacity and will of the state to deliver key services.” Yet that approach continued.

(Lynne Sladky/AP) For Dr. Paul Farmer, the UN deputy special envoy to Haiti under president Bill Clinton, that past engagement with Haiti does create the responsibility. He says not only is there “no reason we cannot turn U.S.-French-Canadian policies around,” he believes “we will do that.” For Haitian-American Jacques-Philippe Piverger that history is “part of what makes it challenging,” for the U.S. especially, “to come in a few decades later, proposing that they are going to “help” those people when it is not clear they ever wanted to help those people.” Strengthening the Haitian state The international community now seems to accept the importance of building up state capacity through the rebuilding process, rather than continuing to overwhelmingly rely on NGOs and private contractors in Haiti. In an interview with CBC Radio’s Michael Enright, Dr. Farmer, the founder of the U.S. aid organisation, Partners in Health, spoke about the need to strengthen Haitian public institutions. “It is absurd that you have to underline that but over the past several years that has not been our policy.” “I was appalled to see that we’re bypassing Haitian public health and education, two areas that concern any doctor,” Farmer said. He has more than 30 years of experience in Haiti. “Otherwise we will end up with a state so weak it cannot meet the basic needs of its population.” What about Haitian civil society? The draft PDNA also discusses the importance of political consensus and support for civil society. Nevertheless, last week a press release from “more than 26 Haitian civil society organizations” condemned the process being followed to come up with the PDNA for the March 31 conference.

So the need for an international response to this latest crisis in Haiti is even greater now. But there is not only the need, many observers say there is also the responsibility. It would be an understatement to say that Haiti has not benefitted from foreign intervention in the past. First there was the enslavement and genocide of the native population by Spain, then France’s slave system exploiting Africans when they ruled the area that became Haiti. The U.S. also introduced a system of forced labour during their first occupation of Haiti from 1915-1934. Dr. Paul Farmer, right, the U.N. deputy special envoy for Haiti and Bill Clinton, the special envoy while touring the General Hospital in Port-au-Prince, Monday, Jan. 18, 2010, six days after the earthquake. Farmer is also the founder of the aid group, Partners in Health. Gospel Pages Magazine | June 2010 | www.gospelpagesmag.com

Gospel Pages Magazine | June 2010 | www.gospelpagesmag.com

political A woman walks with a bag of rice on her head as others line up at a food distribution in Port-au-Prince, Wednesday, March 24, 2010. (Jorge Saenz/AP) According to the groups, “The process has been characterised by an almost total exclusion of Haitian social actors themselves and scant and disorganised participation of representatives from the Haitian state.” Piverger see rebuilding Haiti as a joint venture that requires the participation of international aid organisations, government, the Haitian Diaspora and civil society. “People on the ground there have to have a real seat at the table, be involved in the process, and when it’s done they need to understand and know how to keep it going,” he said in an interview with CBC News. “Otherwise it’s a failed process.” The important Haitian Diaspora Piverger is the Haitian-American founder of Global Syndicate and is on the board of Hope for Haiti Now, which organized the big January fund-raising concert and telethon in the U.S. So Piverger is part of that Haitian Diaspora, one of those groups he says must work “together in order to have something that will be sustainable for the long run.” Through remittances, the Diaspora accounts for twice the amount of money flowing into Haiti compared with both international aid (before the earthquake) and goods exported from Haiti. And about 80 per cent of trained and educated Haitians are living abroad. (Nevertheless, Haitians are among the poorest migrant communities in the Americas.) The Haiti government even has a Minister of Haitians Living Abroad. Rebuilding Haiti: before the quake The draft Preliminary Damage and Needs Assessment paints a portrait of a nation in desperate need before the Jan. 12 earthquake. Some numbers from the report: Health: Maternal and infant mortality: significantly higher rate than in other countries in the region. Access to formal health: less than half the population Access to drinking water: less than half the population Nutrition: 30 per cent of children were suffering from chronic malnutrition. 40 per cent of households were living in food insecurity. Education: 500,000 children, aged 6-12 years, not in school Illiteracy: 38 per cent, 15 years and older Unemployment: 30 per cent nationally, 45 per cent in Port-au-Prince Forests: less than 2 per cent of the country A three-day conference at the Organization of American States this week brought together about 500 members of the Diaspora. But past experience meant there was skepticism the government, and the international community, will listen to them this time. At the Diaspora conference a petition circulated that asks for more participation at the March 31 conference and the proposed Haiti redevelopment authority. Will they deliver? There is also skepticism about whether the international community will ever deliver on the aid promises they pledge on March 31. Paul Farmer remembers a UN donor conference in April 2009 following hurricanes that ravaged Haiti the previous summer. As of February this year, Farmer says, 85 per cent of pledges made at the conference had not been met. Hope for Haiti Still, there is hope for Haiti, given the unprecedented popular and prompt support around the world that followed the earthquake. The new ways Haiti received that support, both financial and through volunteering, especially through the web and social media, gives some people that hope. In the days leading up to the March 31 conference we will explore that side of the story. And after the conference, we may see social media used as a tool to pressure countries to honour their pledges this time.

Gospel Pages Magazine | June 2010 | www.gospelpagesmag.com

political

The Obama health care plan:

What does it mean for you?

Are you wondering what the health care overhaul means for you? The following information may answer some of your questions:

HOW MANY COVERED: 32 million uninsured. Major coverage expansion begins in 2014. When fully phased in, 94 percent of eligible Americans under 65 years of age will have coverage, compared with 83 percent now. COST: $938 billion over 10 years for the coverage expansion, according to the Congressional Budget Office. DEFICIT REDUCTION: CBO says the measure will reduce deficits by $143 billion over a decade. INSURANCE MANDATE: Almost everyone will be required to be insured or else pay a fine, which takes effect in 2014. There is an exemption for low-income people. INSURANCE MARKET REFORMS: Starting this year, insurers will be prohibited from placing lifetime dollar limits on policies, from denying coverage to children because of pre-existing conditions and from canceling policies because someone gets sick. Parents will be able to keep children on their coverage up to age 26. A new high-risk pool will offer coverage to uninsured people with medical problems until 2014, when the coverage expansion goes into high gear. Major consumer safeguards will also take effect in 2014. Insurers will be prohibited from denying coverage to people with medical problems or charging them more. Insurers will not be able to charge women more. MEDICAID: Expands the federal-state Medicaid insurance program for the poor to cover people with incomes up to 133 percent of the federal poverty level, $29,327 a year for a family of four. Childless adults will be covered for the first time, starting in 2014. The federal government will pay 100 percent of costs for covering newly eligible individuals through 2016. A special deal that would have given Nebraska 100 percent federal financing for newly eligible Medicaid recipients in perpetuity is eliminated. A different, one-time deal negotiated by Democratic Sen. Mary Landrieu for her state, Louisiana, worth as much as $300 million, remains. TAXES: The bill applies an increased Medicare payroll tax to investment income and wages of individuals making more than $200,000 a year, or married couples above $250,000. The tax on investment income is 3.8 percent. The legislation also imposes a 40 percent tax on high-cost insurance plans worth more than $10,200 for individuals and $27,500 for families. The tax would go into effect in 2018. PRESCRIPTION DRUGS: Gradually closes the “doughnut hole” coverage gap in the Medicare prescription drug benefit that seniors fall into once they have spent $2,830. Seniors who hit the gap this year would receive a $250 rebate. Beginning in 2011, seniors in the gap would receive a discount on brand name drugs, initially 50 percent off. When the gap is eliminated in 2020, seniors will still be responsible for 25 percent of the cost of their medications until Medicare’s catastrophic coverage kicks in. EMPLOYER RESPONSIBILITY: Employers are hit with a fee if Gospel Pages Magazine | June 2010 | www.gospelpagesmag.com

political the government subsidizes their workers’ coverage. The $2,000-per- HOW IT’S PAID FOR: The legislation cuts about $455 billion over employee fee would be assessed on the company’s entire work force, 10 years from projected payment increases to hospitals, insurance minus an allowance. Companies with 50 or fewer workers are exempt companies and others under Medicare and other government health from the requirement. programs. Revenue increases over 10 years include: $210 billion from increasing the Medicare payroll tax; $107 billion from fees on HELP FOR SMALL BUSINESSES: Businesses with 25 or fewer insurance companies, drug makers and medical device manufacturers; employees that offer health coverage to their work force will get tax $32 billion from the excise tax on high-value insurance plans; and $2.7 credits. The credits will start this year and rise in 2014 to a maximum of billion from a tax on indoor tanning services. 50 percent of the cost of premiums offered by the smallest businesses, those with 10 or fewer workers. GOVERNMENT-RUN PLAN: No government-run insurance plan. People purchasing coverage through the new insurance exchanges will SUBSIDIES FOR INDIVIDUALS: The aid is available on a sliding have the option of signing up for national plans overseen by the federal scale for households making up to four times the federal poverty level, office that manages the health plans available to members of Congress. $88,200 for a family of four. Premiums for a family of four making Those plans will be private, but one would have to be nonprofit. $44,000 will be capped at around 6 percent of income. ABORTION: The bill tries to maintain a strict separation between HOW YOU CHOOSE YOUR HEALTH INSURANCE: Small taxpayer dollars and private premiums that would pay for abortion businesses, the self-employed and the uninsured could pick a plan coverage. No health plan will be required to offer coverage for abortion. offered through new state-based purchasing pools called exchanges, In plans that do cover abortion, policyholders would have to pay for it opening for business in 2014. The exchanges will offer the same kind separately, and that money would have to be kept in a separate account of purchasing power that employees of big companies benefit from. from taxpayer money. States could ban abortion coverage in plans People working for medium-to-large firms will not see major changes. offered through the exchange. Exceptions would be made for cases of But if they lose their jobs or strike out on their own, they may be rape, incest and danger to the life of the mother. eligible for subsidized coverage through the exchange, and insurers could not deny them coverage.

Gospel Pages Magazine | June 2010 | www.gospelpagesmag.com

fashion

tODAYS fashioN

trends jimmy choo QUARTZ

BABY PHAT Ruffle Trimmed Tunic BABY PHAT Faran (Black)

jimmy choo QUARTZ

jimmy choo NEVIS

BABY PHAT Pants

RALPH LAUREN Judith Matte Jersey Dress

BABY PHAT Faran (Bronze)

jimmy choo MADDOX

RALPH LAUREN Classic-Fit Striped Oxford

RALPH LAUREN Black Dress RALPH LAUREN Bond Black Stripes Barrel

RALPH LAUREN Narrow Squares Tie

RALPH LAUREN English Repp Multi-Striped Tiel

RALPH LAUREN Satin Pre-Tied Bow Tie

BABY PHAT Parrot Green Belt 5 Pocket Skinny Capri

BABY PHAT Plaid Halter

Gospel Pages Magazine | June 2010 | www.gospelpagesmag.com

STYLE “We’ve had some new people come check us out because we were the new kids on the block,” Strickland said. “But most of our clients have been customers of mine for many years.” Strickland said Kutz Unlimited is open Monday through Saturday from 8-6 p.m. “We have six chairs total,” Strickland said. “There are a minimum of four barbers here at all times.” Like most barber shops, Kutz Unlimited has become more than just a ‘barber shop’. “We sell snacks and drinks here, and the customers enjoying telling stories and laughing,” Strickland said. “It’s a very joyful atmosphere.”

CUTTING HAIR IS A FAMILY AFFAIR Jessie Stickland, 41, began cutting hair at the age of 13. “My father used to cut hair; I picked it up from him,” Strickland said. Strickland later spent a year attending Motivations Barber School in Greenvile and began cutting hair professionally 10 years ago.

Starting any new business is a gamble, but Strickland - who is a member of New Birth Holiness Church on Banks School Road - sites his faith as giving him the strength to see the process through.

“I’ve been a member of New Birth Holiness Church for about 10 years,” Strickland said. “I credit God with helping me make the right decisions to get my business off the ground.”

If owning and operating his own business was enough to keep him “As soon as I graduated I began working at South Queen Street Barber busy, Strickland (who has been married for 20 years) also has three shop,” Strickland said. “In the back of my mind I always wanted to sons. have my own place, but I knew I’d have to establish a reputation as a good barber first.” “I’m showing all my sons how to cut hair,” Strickland said. “Maybe one day they can take over the family business.” After nine years at the South Street Barber Shop Strickland decided to open his own establishment. “I opened Kutz Unlimited in March of 2009,” Strickland said. “We’re located 117 E. Caswell Street, Kinston.” According to Strickland, Kutz Unlimited employs four people that are able to cut men and women’s hair of all ages. “We don’t do appointments,” Strickland said. “We operate on a first come, first served basis.” Strickland said a good portion of his customers followed him to Kutz Unlimited because he’d been doing a good job on their hair for years. Gospel Pages Magazine | June 2010 | www.gospelpagesmag.com

fitness

Gold’s Gym of kinston

The first Gold’s Gym opened in fall 1965 in Venice Beach, California. Nicknamed “the Mecca of bodybuilding”, it was frequented by Arnold Schwarzenegger and featured in the 1977 movie ‘Pumping Iron’. The movie brought attention not only to the gym itself, but also to the world of bodybuilding and physique in general. To this day, it is considered a landmark in the bodybuilding community.

is the official health club of the American Foster said Pator Flowers didn’t have a set Diabetes Association and the Blue Cross and amount of weight to lose. Blue Shield Association. “Pastor Flowers just wanted to get in shape Foster is currently working with Pastor John and improve his health,” Foster said. “He will Flowers of Kinston. be on this regiment until December, which Becky Foster is the manager of Gold’s Gym in consists of weight and resistance training. Kinston. Foster is also a personal trainer. Foster said she and the Gold’s Gym staff are counceling Flowers on nutrition. “I’ve been with Gold’s Gym since January of this year,” Foster said. Today, Gold’s Gym is the largest chain of co-ed gyms in the world, with more than 600 locations in 25 countries. It also licenses its name to products such as fitness equipment and clothing. The famous original Gold’s Gym logo, a bald-headed weightlifter holding a barbell, was designed in 1973 by Ric Drasin, who was Arnold Schwarzenegger’s training partner for four years. Gold’s is one of two official health clubs of the AARP, where it offers month-to-month memberships, and 40

“Pastor Flowers started working with us about 3 months ago,” Foster said. “He trains with me one hour each week, and he trains by himself for 3hrs each week.”

Gospel Pages Magazine | June 2010 | www.gospelpagesmag.com

The original selling point for Gold’s Gym was that it was a no-frills gym for serious

fitness weightlifters. However, over the years they have changed focus so they can appeal to a more broad class of consumers. The modern Gold’s Gym has a variety of classes that appeal to everyone. Classes that are offered range from group exercises, pilates, yoga, and spinning, and of course, it isn’t a Gold’s Gym without personal trainers and pure weightlifting.

- it was already big business in Europe - Gold opened his first gym in New Orleans just before the war, having developed an attachment to the city during his time in the Merchant Marine. After Pearl Harbor he joined the Navy and was seriously injured when his ship was crippled by a torpedo in the Philippines. He spent six months in hospital and never fully

Since the creation of the Gym in 1965 the company has changed hands several times. Joe Gold sold the company for $50,000 in 1970. The company has just changed hands to the TRT Holdings company in 2004 for about $160 million dollars.

he was a skilled machinist whose experiments produced some of the first exercise machines. In a gym culture that was accustomed to little more than free weights, barbells and punchbags, these seemed strange at first. John Balik, publisher of Iron Man magazine, said that it was these tinkerings that made Gold such an important figure in the history of the fitness culture. “Joe loved to fiddle and create until he got things that felt right,” he said. “The gym became a laboratory for his ideas on how to make pieces of equipment better.”

The reason Gold’s first gym is considered the icon for bodybuilding gyms is because of the migration of the bodybuilders from “Muscle Beach” to the Venice location. The reason many bodybuilders love Gold’s Gym in Venice, California is because Gold himself had designed and built all the equipment himself and it was some of the best equipment in the world. Gold’s Gym founder Joe Gold passed away in 2004. The following is an exceprt from his obituary:

It was there that Gold met Schwarzenegger in 1968, just arrived from Austria and determined to take the Mr Universe title. Gold let him sleep on his sofa when times were particularly tough, and became, according to Schwarzenegger, “a trusted friend and father figure”. Recently the California Governor added: “Joe Gold was a bodybuilding legend, a pioneer, but above all, deep in his heart, he was a bodybuilding fan.” When Schwarzenegger was making ends meet with bricklaying jobs, Gold advised him to invest in property. With money borrowed from fellow gym pioneer Joe Weider, Schwarzeneger bought an apartment block.

JOE GOLD was one of the trailblazers of the American bodybuilding movement, famous in equal measure for Gold’s Gym on Venice Beach, for his friendship with Arnold Schwarzenegger and for his later, far greater World Gym franchise.

Gold’s Gym, and bodybuilding, became massive in 1977 when Schwarzenegger and Lou Ferrigno starred in the docudrama Pumping Iron. By then, Gold had sold up and the name had become a franchise (Schwarzenegger is seen working out in the Brooklyn branch).

The son of a junk and scrap dealer, Gold was born in East Los Angeles in 1922. A vibrant community had sprung up at Muscle Beach, where the local authority had built some simple gymnastic equipment. The beach was named originally after the crustaceans that grew on the piles of an old pier, but the meaning, and the spelling, changed as acrobats, stuntmen, circus folk and bodybuilders began to gather by the sand to demonstrate acts of daring and machismo. For the he-men of the time, it was the place to find girls and impress them. Entranced, Gold became a regular and recovered, though retaining his passion would go there to work out and play beach for body building remained as strong. volleyball. Gold set up his eponymous gym in Venice Although California was the first part of Beach in 1965, when he was in his forties. America to gain an awareness of bodybuilding Accustomed to working metal with his father,

Gold had returned to the Merchant Marine, and served there while, all over America, the gym that bore his name became the mecca to a new cult. While Pumping Iron was still playing in cinemas, he returned with fresh determination and set up World Gym in Santa Monica, which quickly grew into a franchise. In 1991, when Gold became ill, Schwarzenegger took over the running of the franchise for him. The Gold’s franchise changed hands again this month for $160 million. Gold’s final days were spent confined to a wheelchair, debilitated from his wartime injury. Joe Gold, bodybuilder, was born on March 10, 1922. He died on July 11, 2004, aged 82.

Gospel Pages Magazine | June 2010 | www.gospelpagesmag.com

Food

how to cook

Shrimp over cheese grits

how to MAKE A pineapple smoothie If you are looking for a refreshing, sweet, cool drink that would be great for anytime of the year, then try a pineapple smoothie. They are delicious, nutritious and very inexpensive. Grab a glass, a straw and put in a fancy looking umbrella and you will feel like it is summer all year-round.

Shrimp over cheese grits is a traditional Southern recipe that is easy to make and yummy to eat. You can make shrimp over cheese grits that are restaurant quality right in your own kitchen. Ingredients 4 1/2 cups water 1/2 cup cream 1 3/4 cups hominy grits 6 ounces processed cheese, cubed 1 tablespoon olive oil 1/2 green bell pepper, sliced 1/2 red bell pepper, sliced 1 Vidalia onions, thinly sliced 1 clove garlic, minced 1 1/2 pounds fresh shrimp, peeled and deveined salt and ground black pepper to taste 1 dash hot pepper sauce (optional)

Directions 1.

Combine the water and cream in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil, and stir in the grits. When the grits start to thicken, stir in the processed cheese, and simmer, stirring occasionally until grits are thick and ready to eat, about 10 minutes.

While you are waiting on the grits, heat the olive oil in a large skillet overcmedium-high heat. Saute the greencand red peppers with the onion and garlic. When the grits are almost done, add the shrimp to the saute mixture, and cook for about 5 more minutes, or just until the shrimp is cooked through. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Serve the cheese grits with a generous helping of the shrimp saute over them. Add a dash of hot pepper sauce for heat if you like.

Ingredients 1 1/2 cups unsweetened pineapple juice 1 cup 1% buttermilk 2 cups ice cubes 2 (8 ounce) cans unsweetened crushed pineapple 1/4 cup sugar

Directions 1.

Combine all ingredients in a blender or food processor; cover and process until smooth. Pour into glasses; serve immediately.

Makes 6 servings

Gospel Pages Magazine | June 2010 | www.gospelpagesmag.com

food

how to make a Rum cake

An awesome cake for family or friends. Suitable for entertaining or just for everyday family dessert.

Prep Time: 25 minutes

Ingredients

---Cake--1 cup chopped, toasted pecans or walnuts 1 18-1/2 ounce yellow cake mix 1 1-3/4 ounce (4-serving size) instant vanilla pudding mix 4 eggs 1/2 cup cold milk*

1/2 cup vegetable oil 1/2 cup Bacardi dark rum ---Glaze--1/2 cup butter 1/4 cup water 1 cup sugar 1/2 cup Bacardi dark rum

Preparation Cake: Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Grease and flour 12-cup Bundt pan. Sprinkle nuts on bottom of pan. Combine all cake ingredients. Beat for 2 minutes on high with electric mixer. Pour into prepared pan. Bake for 1 hour. Cool in pan. Invert on serving plate. Prick top with fork. Drizzle glaze over top of cake. Use brush or spoon to put extra dripping back on cake. Glaze: Melt butter in saucepan. Stir in water and sugar. Boil 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and stir in rum. Note: The rum will cause steam. Be careful not to burn yourself. Notes in the Margin: I have made this cake many, many times. It not only is the perfect dessert, but Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve had house guests who wanted it for breakfast. My husband keeps threatening to use it for French toast. I personally think that itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll never get dry enough as it stays moist a long time. The longer this cakes sits, the better the taste. This cake freezes beautifully. Also, many of these cakes have been shipped to soldiers overseas. They got there just fine. *Milk can be added nutritional value. Water may be used instead. Gospel Pages Magazine | June 2010 | www.gospelpagesmag.com

DVD Review “Precious: Based on the novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire” will challenge you, but it will also move you as it rocks between the horrific realities and escapist fantasies of 16-yearold Claireece Precious Jones with a life so besieged that a mother’s rage and a father’s rapes are what passes for love. At first glance there is little that seems precious about Precious, whose 330 pounds and constant scowl is crossthe-street intimidating. But then filmmaker Lee Daniels, who is known for producing tough films on tough subjects -- “Monster’s Ball” and “The Woodsman” among them -- is not about to go soft on this story. “Push,” poet/performance artist Sapphire’s first novel, was a sensation when it landed in 1996 for its graphically told story of the verbal, physical and particularly the sexual abuse experienced by Precious, who narrates in such fractured English that at first it’s like another language. Working with screenwriter Geoffrey Fletcher, Daniels has lightened the story a few shades by creating many fantasy sequences not found in the book, which is not to say they’ve made “Precious” easy to watch, just easier.

Nothing quite prepares you for the roughcut diamond that is “Precious.” A rare blend of pure entertainment and dark social commentary, this shockingly raw, surprisingly irreverent and absolutely unforgettable story of an obese, illiterate, pregnant black Harlem teen circa 1987 is one that you hope will not be dismissed as too difficult, because it should not be missed. 46

Gospel Pages Magazine | June 2010 | www.gospelpagesmag.com

In a no-child-left-behind world, Precious was lost long before she could be left. No self-esteem to speak of, she tries for invisibility. At school it’s easier, no one is really interested. At home, she’s got a souldestroying nightmare of a mother who has made Precious her project. Played to fearless and godless perfection by Mo’Nique, Mary spends her days in front of the TV while hurling a steady stream of invective -- along with the occasional frying pan -- in her daughter’s direction. Hope should not exist in all that despair, but Precious turns out to be an odds-defying storm that batters the emotions, shakes the soul and still manages to put a silver lining on the blackest of clouds in ways you might not have thought possible. When the school counselor discovers Precious is pregnant, the story begins its painful descent into the world of America’s underclass. There is no safety net for Precious -- her family, social services and the educational system have all failed her. Like the book, the dialogue is graphic and politically incorrect.

DVD rEVIEW Precious’ first child, a daughter, is called Little Mongo, because of her Down syndrome. When the teenager finds one of her teachers is a “straight-up lesbian,” she says so before going on to list all the things homosexuals haven’t done to her. With Mary, meanwhile, it’s not so much the words themselves that shock, though it sometimes seems her vocabulary doesn’t extend beyond four-letter words, but the molten lava underneath them. Fortunately for us, Precious has a very rich and playful imagination. When bad things happen, and they so often do, the images dissolve into music video moments, or in one case a Sophia Loren film, where Precious is loved, respected and always in the spotlight. While reality is Harlem gritty, her fantasies are mostly glam and glitz and, like dreams, vanish all too soon.

when it comes, a potent spareness. That the director trusts us to find the emotional peaks and valleys on our own is one of the film’s grace notes. The power on the screen, and it is substantial, is shared by Mo’Nique and Sidibe, with the director leading them to the brink in scene after scene. Sidibe does well moving between the mumbling wall of insecurity that is Precious and the polished, preening celebrity of her dreams.

But it is the boldness of Mo’Nique’s performance that sweeps you away. Her final moments are so emotionally wrenching, their cruelty so unnerving, that it should be experienced firsthand. There is an earlier scene, though, that hints at the character’s wicked soul. Mary is standing alone in the living room watching a game show on TV, a cigarette This second pregnancy turns dangling from her mouth. She’s out to be her salvation, with stuffed herself into a delicatePrecious transferred to an looking tank top and leggings, alternative learning program. Her teacher, Blu Rain (Paula Patton), begins to change her life by their tiny blue flowers in contrast to the monster inside. She does getting Precious and the other rainbow coalition of failures in the a slow bump and grind, carefully smoothing back her hair. Lust class to write about their lives.(Xosha Roquemore as the sassy, and menace hang so heavy in the air, the devil himself would be afraid. gum-smacking Joann is a total kick). Most of the characters are a study in restraint. Mariah Carey, sans makeup and minis, is almost unrecognizable and a pleasant surprise as the tough New York social worker who eventually gets Precious’ case. Patton, who could have gone overly teary as Precious’ past emerges, instead keeps pushing her to succeed, giving the sentiment

There was a risk in keeping “Precious” raw and unvarnished, in going in close on so many ugly truths, but it was worth it for the powerful social drama that emerged. For some there will be the worry that those truths are too difficult to see. They are not. Yes there is darkness, but there is also light.

Gospel Pages Magazine | June 2010 | www.gospelpagesmag.com

CD Reviews

BeBe & CeCe Winans Still When blockbuster gospel/R&B duo BeBe & CeCe Winans decided to hang it up in 1994 to concentrate on solo careers, they literally split themselves in half. Without flinching, BeBe Winans went the route of contemporary R&B, releasing a handful of soulful projects spread across a litany of record labels — a streak that was prolific and mainstreamfriendly, but too erratic in light of his and his sister’s past glories. CeCe Winans, by contrast, became a superstar: by remaining true to the Winans’ gospel heritage, she went on to sell millions of records, collected multiple Grammys, and even founded a boutique gospel label of her own.

As disparate as the siblings’ night-and-day fortunes were, nothing quite compared to the magic the two could create together, a spell that’s in full force on Still, BeBe & CeCe’s long-in-the-making return. As far as comebacks of the decade go, Still ranks right up there with Whitney Houston’s I Look to You, except Clive’s protégé sounds weathered and worn, while the Winans sound as if they never left. Aware of how high-profile their return is, the twosome pulls out all the stops and calls every shot, going to great lengths to ensure “things” are as slick, accessible, and feel-good as nearly their entire, early-’90s run was. With every return there’s a certain appeal to nostalgia, a fact that’s not lost on the quirky, autobiographical title track where the duo proffers, “It’s been a long time since we’ve been together,” only to later wax reflective and name-check a laundry list of their previous hits in the chorus. A cutesy, calculated move on BeBe’s part, sure — he remains the chief songwriter — but think of it as a prologue of sorts. From there, the pair gets right back to business on the knockout first single, “Close to You,” a smooth throwback that, aside from a misplaced Auto-Tuned bridge, would make Babyface and old-school fans smile. The track, like the majority of Still, is an ode of love and devotion to God, but the duo is intentional in keeping the sentiments broad and ambiguous — maximum exposure is the goal here. Even CeCe, who never shied away from gospel or the Gospel as a solo artist, only limits herself to third-person allusions to the divine, as when she calls God “G.O.D.” in the reggaefied “He Can Handle It.” These pleasantries are sure to miff gospel purists, but they’re pure BeBe & CeCe. Much like big brothers the Winans, their vision is to inspire and uplift regardless of persuasion, which explains why the grand “Grace,” with its sweeping orchestral flourishes and choral parts, doesn’t quite spell it all out for the wayward listener, but gives enough hints to suggest a universal need for God’s gift. Not everything on Still is this dense, thankfully: BeBe & CeCe are too good at the pop thing to not evoke the cheerful vibe of their heyday, which they deliver in spades here, whether they’re channeling early Mariah (“Things”), Off the Wall (“Reason to Dance”), Motown (“Never Thought”), or more modern fare (the Ne-Yo-esque “Change My World”). Classic and current all at once, Still is a widely varied set, more so than any other the siblings ever recorded before. It may seem like they’re trying to be all things to all people and see what sticks, but BeBe & CeCe are beyond crowdpleasing just for the sake of it. Chalk it up instead to two relatives who haven’t seen each other in a while and just want to have the time of their lives — exchanging notes, sharing lessons learned, and reminiscing about the past while looking expectantly to what lies ahead. Gospel Pages Magazine | June 2010 | www.gospelpagesmag.com

CD Reviews

James Fortune Encore

James Fortune understands that if you’re going to preach redemption in the 21st century, you’re going to have to make a production of it, and his albums are a bit like urban gospel hiphop soul revues all done up in show-biz style on Broadway, complete with Fortune’s spoken, sung, and shouted encouragement. Encore follows suit, with guest spots from the likes of Kierra “KiKi” Sheard, J. Drew Sheard, Isaac Caree, Canton Jones, and Erica Cumbo, and the energy and passion never ebb. It’s all big, bold, and positive, and tracks like “It Was You” and the undeniably funky “Holy Ghost Holiday” have the rhythmic punch of urban dancefloor hits. Fortune understands what he’s doing. If you start dancing and singing, then maybe you’ll start listening to the message, too. Call it 21st century gospel — Fortune does it as well as anyone.

Fred Hammond

Love Unstoppable Few figures on the contemporary gospel scene have commanded as much respect and admiration as Fred Hammond. The producer, vocalist, songwriter, multiinstrumentalist, and minister parlayed time as a member of the Winans and Commissioned into a successful solo career and gospel entertainment empire, along the way perfecting an energetic, spiritually charged, cutting-edge style that drew from funk, rock, disco, jazz fusion, and smooth R&B. The 2009 album Love Unstoppable delivers a mix of studio and live tracks which find Hammond refining his unique brand of urban praise & worship with uncommon variety and passionate faith. The raucous “Awesome God” and “They That Wait” are straight-up churchin’ music featuring furiously foot-stomping grooves, while other tracks explore a variety of genres; the moody “Lost in You Again” veers into Seal/Peter Gabriel territory, while “Thoughts of Love” rides on a silky Latin groove reminiscent of Sade. Regardless of the musical setting, however, Hammond’s anointed lyrics take center stage, summoning the faithful with music that is as joyous as it is sophisticated. 50

Gospel Pages Magazine | June 2010 | www.gospelpagesmag.com

BOOK Reviews

redeeming love by Francis Chan Many years ago I picked up the Mark of the Lion series by Francine Rivers, a set of historical fiction books based on an obscure Bible character. Instantly, Rivers became a favorite author of mine and I’ve read many of her books, including Redeeming Love. This work of fiction has to be one of the most skillful and powerful depictions of our Savior’s incredible love, retold through the Bible story of Hosea and Gomer. It’s a romance you won’t be able to put down about a lover you won’t be able to forget. His name is Savior, Redeemer. If you have not yet met him, this book will change your life forever Multnomah; Hardcover/Paperback; 480 Pages.

cRAZY lOVE: OVER-

THE MISSING (sEASONS

WHELMED BY A RENTLESS GOD

OF GRACE SERIES #2)

by Francine Rivers

by Beverly Lewis

Francis Chan is a pastor and the president of Eternity Bible College in California. He’s written Crazy Love as a challenge to make believers really think about God’s love for us and how the Creator of the Universe demonstrated crazy, passionate love through the sacrifice of his Son, Jesus Christ. Each chapter asks a thoughtprovoking, self-examining question to help you carefully consider your beliefs and actions toward God and about the Christian faith.

Fans of Beverly Lewis won’t be disappointed with her most recent tale about Amish life. In book two of the continuing story of Grace Byler and her mother Lettie, Grace doesn’t know what to think of her mother’s disappearance, but is determined to uncover the secret that drove her to abandon the family. Grace is also set on finding her mother and receives just the right support from a new friend, Heather. Complicating things, a young Amishman takes a sudden liking to Grace, but he’s the same man who she thought had been interested in her best friend.

David C Cook; Paperback; 186 Pages.

Bethany House; Paperback; 332 Pages. Gospel Pages Magazine | June 2010 | www.gospelpagesmag.com

Gospel Pages Magazine | June 2010 | www.gospelpagesmag.com

BOOK Reviews

The shack by William P. Young This book has stirred a great deal of interest, both positive and negative. As a literary work, I don’t think it compares to The Pilgrim’s Progress, as some have said. It did challenge me spiritually and caused me to draw closer to God. Dealing with the question, Where is God? in the midst of tragedy, it presents the path to healing in a beautiful way. It made me think deeply about my false perceptions of God. It didn’t revolutionize my life or change my course in a dramatic way. I questioned some of the theological concepts it conveys, but I took into account it is a work of fiction. In the end, I couldn’t see what all the fuss was about. My conclusion: it’s a good book, worth reading. Windblown Media; Paperback; 256 Pages.

FeARLESS: IMAGINE

YOUR LIFE WITHOUT FEAR by Max Lucado

Is fear holding you prisoner? As always, the bestselling author and pastor of Oak Hills Church in Texas, Max Lucado, has a timely message for people facing a real problem in today’s unsettling economy, overwhelming atmosphere of anxiety, growing violence, and media-driven fear. Turning our doubts and fears into hope and faith in Jesus is the answer, and Lucado illustrates how to do this with lessons from the life of Jesus, as well as his own personal experiences in beating fear. Thomas Nelson; Hardback (Also in Paperback); 221 Pages. Gospel Pages Magazine | June 2010 | www.gospelpagesmag.com

Couples in christ

Mary Mary (Erica Campbell) and her husband

couples

Tye Tribett an his wife, and child

in christ

Kirk Franklin and his wife

Marvin and Malinda Sapp 54

Gospel Pages Magazine | June 2010 | www.gospelpagesmag.com

Kenny Lattimore and Chante Moore

Fred Hammond at Celebration of Gospel

Gospel Pages Magazine | June 2010 | www.gospelpagesmag.com