I have to admit that I have never been much of a party-goer!  But I learned last night that if you are going to attend a party, you can't go wrong when the event is organized by the most stellar team of professional event planners in the area!  Last evening, the DC Chapter for the International Special Events Society held its 14th Annual Gala, and the affair was nothing short of spectacular.  From the flaming ice scupltures and hanging chandeliers to the aerial acrobats, waitresses on roller skates and a culminating fireworks display (with Beethoven's "Ode to Joy" symphony playing!), this was quite an event. 

Professionally, this annual Gala is an opportunity for the event planners in our area to celebrate one another as the evening begins with an awards ceremony.  The finale of this ceremony featured stellar voices assembled by NEWorks especially for this occasion.  Singing Donald Lawrence's "The Best is Yet to Come," we literally ushered the crowd from the outdoor tent into the party pavilion.  Throughout the evening, we sang familiar popular songs with the Source Band, having loads of fun in the process.

I want to send a big shout out to Jason and Byron for all of their diligent work, along with the amazing voices who worked so hard to make this event a success:

Alison * Angela * Charles * Christine * Davina * Dodi * Ebony * James * Kala * Kelly * Leah * Mona * Shawna * Soiyete * Zula

Special thanks also to Josh of Elan, along with Gary, Eli, Greg, Jaared and all of the other singers/musicians with the Source Band.

 

The older I get, the more important it is to me to participate in events of real meaning and substance.  I can think of no greater example of this than the experience I had on Thursday, March 19, 2009, performing the Finale for the Vital Voices Global Leadership Awards Gala. 

To be honest, I had never heard of the Vital Voices organization prior to being contacted to do this.  Founded by then First Lady Hillary Clinton and Secretary of State Madeliene Albright, Vital Voices is an international women's rights advocacy organization.  Lest we forget, there are still many places throughout the globe where women are suffering unimaginable atrocities!  And, as actor Ben Affleck stated so poignantly last evening, improving the plight of women is not just a women's issue!  It's a cause we all must pursue with great urgency.

The program highlighted the work of women across the globe who are fighting courageously to make a difference in their communities.  These are women like: 

Temituokpe Esisi of Nigeria who has developed a fashion design enterprise that now empowers her workforce with an unprecedented share of the company's profits; OR,

Marceline Kongolo-Bice' and Chouchou Nabintu of the Democratic Republic of Congo, who have dared to speak out against the heinous ongoing genocide where teams of HIV+ men are dispatched to rape entire villages of women for the intentional purpose of infecting whole communities with the AIDS virus; OR,

Somaly Mam of Cambodia, who was -- from an early age -- kidnapped and forced into a life of prostitution, and who now has courageously dedicated her life to combatting human trafficking, risking life and limb to rescue young women and girls abducted and held captive as victims of this sexual slavery!

...and these stories of courage and determination are absolutely AMAZING!

How thrilled I am that the Voices of Inspiration, along with tenor Duawne Starling, could play a small role in celebrating these heroines! 

For more information, please take the time to visit the website www.vitalvoices.org. This is an organization worthy of our support! 

-NEWjr

This past Sunday, about twenty psalmists from the Metropolitan Music Ministry had the opportunity to share in worship with the Union United Church of Canada. Union United is the oldest Black church in Montreal, and once you are in its doors, one could easily compare this church and its people to churches we used to encounter down south when my dad would travel to preach! The one telling moment in worship was when I rose to declare, "God is good!" And the whole congregation shouted, "...ALL THE TIME!" It was in that moment that I realized the kinship of all believers!

How grateful I am to Bro. Dann Mulema, Sis. Julie Goodrich and the congregation of Union United for receiving us so warmly. I know I speak for the entirety of our entourage when I express how grateful we were to share in worship with you. We agree with the words of Bro. Mulema:

"I believe you were appointed to be with us on Sunday, and as the Lord would have it everything moved/fitted very well. I thank you for your free flowing spirit, as you allow God's work to be manifested through you. To God be the Glory. Amen."

Thanks also for receiving my project, "inSpiration!" No worries about the CD having sold out... a fresh shipment is literally on its way!!

Okay, I had to share about the experience I had yesterday at the Casavant Organ Factory in Saint-Hyacinth, Canada. If you are not aware, my church is preparing to move from Washington, DC to Largo, MD. Two years ago, we contracted the Casavant Organ Company to build the new pipe organ (yes, PIPE ORGAN!) for our new church sanctuary. A coterie of the Metropolitan Music Ministry travelled to Montreal, Canada for the unveiling of this instrument.

The new organ has largely been completed and takes up two rather large rooms in the factory - the first is housing the actual organ and its four chambers - swell, great, choir and resonance. the encasement of these chambers is literally the size of a small house! The actual organ console is so beautifully laid out (in the French-terraced design); every stop is readily accessible and the actual console itself is an amazing piece of craftsmanship.

Of course, the craftmanship of the console is only eclipsed by the stunning magnificence of the organ facade, which consumes the full expanse of the second room. Bathed in the warmest and richest of wood tones, this facade features spirit waves that sweep upward from left to right, ascending at it's peak to a height of 38 feet, 4 inches! The keystone at the base of the facade is a marvelous wood carving of the Metropolitan Church logo! The only word to describe this is STAGGERING!!

Last, but not least, there is the SOUND of this organ! I'm really at a lost for words here. Playing and hearing this instrument yesterday was one of the most euphoric musical experiences of my life!!! I cannot express how truly sensational this organ is, and I am so elated that I was blessed to oversee the design and customize the specifications for what will certainly be one of the finest pipe organs in the Washington Metropolitan area! As I was sharing with Dr. Hicks (Senior Servant) and a few others yesterday, much like the hymnal project, I knew nothing about building a pipe organ!! But I prayed and God gave me a plan. Working cooperatively with Jay Rader, our outstanding organ consultant, The Metropolitan Organ, Opus 3870, has become a reality and will be a wonderful instrument of worship to the glory of God!

Appropriately, we inaugurated this instrument lifting that great hymn of our faith - the Thomas Chisholm/William Runyan classic interpretation of Lamentations 3 - "Great is Thy Faithfulness," as arranged by Evelyn Curenton!

...Chisholm's lyrics indeed say it all!

______

Praise God also for:

* A. Nathaniel Gumbs who joined us on this trip and assisted in inaugurating this instrument!

* James Conyers, Willis Mitchell and Teresa A. Scott who masterfully coordinated logistics!

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Washington, DC June 30, 2008 -- 

REV. NOLAN WILLIAMS. JR. has been named by The African American Pulpit Journal as one of the Twenty-To-Watch Emerging Leaders of the Black Church!  This honor places WIlliams amongst a distinguished peer group that includes: Emory University Associate Professor Michael Brown, Princeton Theological Seminary Assistant Professor Luke Powery, Union Theological Seminary Doctoral Candidate Eboni Marshall, and Senior Pastor of the historic Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta, Raphael Warnock.    

.The "Twenty-to-Watch" honor roll is published by The African American Pulpit approximately every four years. The list serves to identify outstanding preachers, biblical scholars and christian educators with each emerging generation. All of the designees are under the age of 40.

.As the preeminent periodical for Black preachers, The African American Pulpit [AAP] is uniquely poised to publish this kind of evaluative list.  Released quarterly, the AAP periodical provides critical insights regarding contemporary Black church issues, keys to effective church administration, along with publishing sermons and essays from some of the country's leading preachers and biblical scholars.

 

"Although not forty years of age, Nolan Williams, Jr. has unequivocally established himself as an authority on music and worship in the African American faith community.  His broad training and varied experience make him a resource for all communities of taith that are intersted in enlivening worship and uplifting persons.  Not since Thomas Dorsey and Moses Hogan has the church produced a musical genius such as Nolan Williams, Jr."

Two other ministers based in the Washington Metropolitan area were also designated: Delman Coates, Senior Pastor of the Mt. Ennon Baptist Church in Clinton, MD, and Sheleta Fomby, Minister to Women at Reid Temple AME in Glenn Dale, MD. 

..............

........ .. ........................

The AFRICAN AMERICAN PULPIT Twenty-to-Watch Designees  Summer 2008 Edition  Michael Brown * Andre Butler * Delman Coates * Christopher Davis * Sheleta Fomby * Charles Goodman * Christopher Jones *   R. Timothy Jones * Solomon Kinloch * Eboni Marshall * Terrance McKinley * Bartholomew Orr * Alan Patterson * Luke Powery * Kimberly Ridley *   E. Dewey Smith *  Josef Sorett * Raphael Warnock * John White II *    Nolan Williams Jr. __________   To order this LIMITED EDITION of THE AFRICAN AMERICAN PULPIT JOURNAL, call (877) 293-9734 or send email inquiries to: TwentyToWatch@aol.com

That's right, BET has just started running a 20+ minute infomercial promoting the new Time-Life/Warner gospel compilations and featuring NOLAN WILLIAMS along with an assembly of stellar vocalists (aka the VOICES OF INSPIRATION).

The infomercial includes interviews with NOLAN WILLIAMS (chief music editor of the AFRICAN AMERICAN HERITAGE HYMNAL and recording artist), publicist BIL CARPENTER, WHUR radio announcer JACQUIE GALES WEBB, and VOI singers, along with live footage of WILLIAMS and VOI at the Omega Recording Studio in Rockville, Maryland.

Check out the infomercial on BET, BET-J and BET-Gospel and share your thoughts with us!

Get inSpired!
The NEWorks Team

I had the great privilege of sharing in ministry with the TEMPLE REFUGE CHURCH OF GOD this past Sunday afternoon on the occasion of their Building Fund Finale Service, and what a wonderful experience of worship it was! Praise God for BISHOP JAMES HUNTLEY (anointed man of God) and his wife, LADY CHERYL; MIN. JAMES BLAKENEY (who coordinated logistics); EDWIN SPENCE (Minister of music and longtime friend/brother!); APOSTLE WILLIAM SMACK and his wife, EVANGELIST BRENDELL (of the AGAPE FELLOWSHIP, Seaford, Delaware); BROS. TRE and MAURICE (who held it down in the audio booth); EVANGELIST HUNT (kindred spirit!); SIS. RENEE (for her gracious welcome and worship leadership); the RTCOG PRAISE TEAM ("y'all ministered!"); the RTCOG MIMES IN CHRIST ("I'm taking it all back!"); SIS. DOTTIE ("...for letting the Lord lead you to be a blessing!!"); and the entire REFUGE TEMPLE and AGAPE FELLOWSHIP Church families!!

I have to send mad love to Pastor NAOMI TYLER-LLOYD, Rev. LISA WEAVER, Min. JAN WEBSTER, the TRINITY BC LEGACY CHOIR and the entire Trinity BC family! I had the privilege of sharing with them all of last week (the week of June 9th) in a music workshop that culminated this past Sunday with two worship services. The experience was so rich and meaningful! They received me and the NEWorks Consulting team so warmly; they made us feel like part of their family!

I want to also acknowledge my friend and li'l brother NATHANIEL GUMBS (so proud of you, sir!); the TBC music team: BROS. WILLIE (thanks for picking my moms up!), WAYNE (we definitely had a few moments!), CHARLES (the PK actor/drummer!) and KENNY (the Manhattan School of Music-trained musician!); along with SANDRA HUFF (mad worship leader!) and ERIC HUFF (gifted saxophonist!) from Rhema Fellowship!

Listen, if you are ever in the New York area on a Sunday morning, looking for a quality worship experience with down-home real people who love God, you definitely have to stop by Trinity! ...I'm already looking forward to sharing with them again next year!

I have to send this shout-out to Pastor James Jordan, Minister LeVonda Brown, Bro. Lance Pace and the Refreshing Spring COGIC family! Thank you so much for inviting and receiving me and the ministry of InSpiration this past Friday evening. It has been a while since I have been a part of an evening musical... that took me back! You all clearly put much thought and prayer into the music ministries you invited, and it was great to be a part of such a blessed experience. Let me also send love to those with whom I had the privilege of sharing in ministry (and charge it to my head if I omit anyone): Terrell Hunt; University of Maryland Gospel Choir; my good friend, Edwin Spence, and his church's praise/liturgical dance teams; Bro. Jake; Isabelle McClorin; Pat Jones; my sweetie, Michelle Carter Williams; the anointed Terrill Hall and the Refreshing Spring COGIC Praise Team; and, the JEJ Young Adult Choir and its directors: Courtney King, Felicia Martin & Lance Pace!

God indeed showed Godself MIGHTY and STRONG Friday night!

Looking forward to sharing with you all again!