(Friday, May 11, 2012 – ATLANTA, GA) The Gospel Tribune Atlanta Newspaper invites the public to listen in on an exclusive interview with gospel vocalist and Grammy-winning recording artist Israel Houghton on Friday, May 11at 5:20 p.m. E.D.T. Participants can dial in to 530.881.1300 and enter the participant code: 736810#. Participants may also email questions to info@gospeltribuneatlanta.com before the call. Or visit www.thegospeltribuneatlanta.com.

Four of the most successful performers in gospel music history, Kirk Franklin, Marvin Sapp, Donnie McClurkin and Israel Houghton, announced that they will share the same stage for the very first time when they embark on The King’s Men concert tour this fall.  The historic U.S. tour will hit major venues in 15 U.S. cities beginning on Sunday, September 16^th at Comerica Theatre in Phoenix, AZ, and culminating in Brooklyn, NY at Barclays Center on Sunday, October 14^th.

Produced by Live Nation Entertainment, tickets for The King’s Men concert tour will go on sale beginning today, Friday, May 11, 2012 at www.ticketmaster.com & www.livenation.com

“In the Gospel world, this is like Springsteen, McCartney, Prince and Elton hitting the road together,” said Kevin Morrow, Senior Vice President of Touring at Live Nation.  “It’s going to be a once in a lifetime event for music fans.”

Between these four gospel music giants, The King’s Men have taken home over a hundred GRAMMY®, Dove, Stellar, BET, Soul Train, NAACP and American Music Awards.  They have appeared on countless mainstream television shows and moved millions of fans at their sold-out live concerts nationally and internationally.  Now, for the first time ever, The King’s Men bring all of their incredible and inspirational talents together under the same roof for gospel, R&B and pop music fans across the country.

Kirk Franklin commented:   “The opportunity to partner with Live Nation is a GREAT honor and responsibility.  The genre of gospel music having this kind of massive marketing support is monumental, and the talent on this tour makes it a must-see event!  I’m very proud of this relationship and I expect it to be a new groundbreaking platform for inspirational entertainment.”

Exclusive artist meet & greet and VIP ticket packages are available. Please visit http://vipnation.com for details.

Space is limited for those wishing to participate in the Israel Houghton interview.  If conference lines are at capacity and individuals are not able to listen live, the interview will be archived on The Gospel Tribune Atlanta website www.thegospeltribuneatlanta.com and social networking outlets.

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For more information on the Kings Men Tour, visit www.livenation.com or www.ticketmaster.com

For more information on: The Gospel Tribune Atlanta Newspaper visit:

Visit: www.thegospeltribuneatlanta.com

Email: info@thegospeltribuneatlanta.com

Advertising Rates: advertising@thegospeltribuneatlanta.com

Call: (678) 278-9145

THE KING’S MEN TOUR

KIRK FRANKLIN

For nearly two decades, Kirk Franklin has been a multi-platinum-selling purveyor of majestic fusions of gospel and contemporary music.  Franklin is a pioneer in gap-bridging musicianship, uniting audiences across gospel, hip-hop, pop and R&B.  His irresistible rhythms and rhapsodies have resulted in albums that consistently top both Billboard’s Gospel and Christian charts, as well as ascend in to the Top 10 of the mainstream R&B/Hip Hop chart.  Franklin is also the host and executive producer of the gospel talent show “Sunday Best,” the highest-rated gospel program in BET network’s history now heading into its fifth season. To date, Franklin has garnered nine GRAMMY® Awards, an American Music Award, 39 Stellar Awards, 16 Dove Awards (CCM), eight NAACP Image Awards, two BET Awards, a Soul Train Award, and numerous others.

MARVIN SAPP

Since his debut release in 1996, Marvin Sapp has been thrilling Gospel audiences everywhere with his acrobatic vocals and deep-within-the-heart delivery.  He made history with his seventh album, Here I Am, which was the all-time highest charting gospel album in Billboard history, debuting at Number 2 on the Billboard 200 chart.  His latest release, his ninth solo effort, is entitled I Win.  He has won two BET awards, seven Dove Awards, multiple Stellar Awards and numerous others.

DONNIE MCCLURKIN

For a man who has declared that he may at any moment cease making music to concentrate fully on his passion for ministering, Donnie McClurkin has never stayed away from recording profoundly uplifting music for the soul for very long.  Born in 1959, McClurkin was encouraged at an early age by the legendary Andrae’ Crouch, after his aunt became a singer in the Gospel great’s choir.  Fighting through a rough home life and a battle with cancer, Donnie was eventually discovered and recorded a solo album.  After an appearance on Oprah Winfrey’s top-rated television show, Donnie’s solo debut was catapulted to the upper regions of the Gospel charts and his career was born.  Donnie has won three GRAMMY® Awards, as well as BET, Soul Train and Dove awards.

ISRAEL HOUGHTON

Israel Houghton is known by thousands for his day job as a worship leader at Joel Osteen’s Lakewood Church in Houston, Texas.  But since 1997 with the release of his debut album Whisper It Loud, Houghton has been recording and performing his music for Gospel fans all over the world.  Since then he’s performed with such pop icons as Alicia Keys, performed at the 50^th Annual GRAMMY® Awards, racking up two gold albums, six Dove Awards, two Stellar Awards, a Soul Train Award and four GRAMMY® Awards in the process.

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FOR MORE INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:

John Vlautin at SpinLab at 818-763-9800 or jv@spinlab.net or

Liz Morentin at Live Nation at 310-975-6860 or LizMorentin@livenation.com

About Live Nation Entertainment:

Live Nation Entertainment is the world’s leading live entertainment and ecommerce company, comprised of four market leaders: Ticketmaster.com, Live Nation Concerts, Front Line Management Group and Live Nation Network. Ticketmaster.com is the global event ticketing leader and one of the world’s top five ecommerce sites, with almost 27 million monthly unique visitors. Live Nation Concerts produces over 22,000 shows annually for more than 2,300 artists globally. Front Line is the world’s top artist management company, representing over 250 artists. These businesses power Live Nation Network, the leading provider of entertainment marketing solutions, enabling nearly 800 advertisers to tap into the 200 million consumers Live Nation delivers annually through its live event and digital platforms. For additional information, visit www.livenation.com/investors.

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Interviews “An Ordinary Man Doing Extraordinary Things”

KIRK WHALUM – ROMANCE LANGUAGE

Tuesday, May 1^, 2012 at 4:00PM E.S.T. The Gospel Tribune Atlanta Newspaper will interview Grammy-winning recording artist Kirk Whalum. 

Whalum anticipates spending this year on two concert tours. He will team with Kevin on dates to support Romance Language, and will share the bill with Jonathan Butler and CeCe Winans on The Apostles of Gospel tour this spring. Looking ahead to 2013, Whalum wants to add to his already well-rounded body of work by writing two books: a sax instruction book and a tome that explores the relationship between theology and music and the arts.

“We are evolving all the time. As I gain understanding, I’m becoming aware of time…that it is running out. I’m 53-years-old yet I feel like I’m just getting it now,” he reveals with a smile.

Grammy-winning recording artist. Mentor and educator. Devout minister. A romantic passionate about his wife and family. No one knows how much time any of us have left, but it is certain that Whalum will spend his using music, mentorship, ministry and language to communicate honestly in service to others.

In everything that he does, he strives to uplift, enlighten, inspire and empower. Kirk Whalum is on a mission. And that mission is love.

• This will be a Gospel Tribune Atlanta recorded interview. Tuesday, May 1^, 2012 at 4:00PM E.S.T.
• The Dial in number is: (503) 881-1300 the participant code is: 736810.
• We will blast this interview out to the world via face book, twitter and our website. Up to 1000 Individuals/listeners from around the world will be able to dial in and listen to the interview.
• All participants will be muted and will not be allowed to chime in just listen to the interview. We welcome your questions, send them to GTA by: Monday, April 30^th by 4pm E.S.T.
• The recorded interview will be available and placed on the Gospel Tribune Atlanta website within 24 hours after the call.

For more information on Kirk Whalum, visit www.kirkwhalum.com

For more information on The Gospel Tribune Atlanta:

visit www.thegospeltribuneatlanta.com

email: info@thegospeltribuneatlanta.com

advertising@thegospeltribuneatlanta.com

or call us at: (678) 278-9145

Juanita Stephens – juanitastephenspr@gmail.com

Kirk Whalum is in love. He’s in love with music. He’s in love with God. He’s in love with passing on his knowledge by educating and training our youth. He’s in love with languages. And he’s in love with his wife of over 30 years.

Romance Language is Whalum’s 19^th solo record—his 29^th album if you count collaborations and compilations. His artistic muse has accomplished the rare feat of achieving commercial success and critical acclaim in contemporary and straight-ahead jazz, as well as in secular and non-secular music. There is a French connection to the album title. “French is the language of romance,” says the trilingual Whalum, who is fluent in English, French and Spanish.

The essence of Romance Language is Whalum’s modern day recreation of a collection of duets recorded in 1963 by iconic jazz saxophonist John Coltrane and the then underappreciated vocalist Johnny Hartman. The pair recorded six standards composed by the likes of Irving Berlin, Sammy Cahn, Billy Strayhorn, Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart. A number of critics have called the original recording a classic, thus Whalum treated the material with reverence and respect. To bring the album to fruition, he followed Coltrane’s tact of selecting a singer whom he believed to be immensely gifted yet deserving of a far larger spotlight: his younger brother Kevin. “The timbre of Kevin’s voice is similar to Hartman’s,” Whalum states. “Not that I would ever liken myself to the genius of Coltrane but prior to his recording with Hartman, Coltrane was revered as a technical master yet he aspired to play more like Johnny Hodges, who was known for playing pretty.”

Whalum produced and arranged Romance Language with John Stoddart. Favoring a live sound with virtually no overdubs, the tracks were laid by Whalum’s touring band comprised of Stoddart (piano, keyboards, organ), Marcus Finnie (drums), Braylon Lacy (bass) and Kevin Turner (electric guitar) along with robust accompaniment courtesy of Michael “Nomad” Ripoll (acoustic guitar), Ralph Lofton (organ), George Tidwell (flugelhorn, trumpet), and percussionists Bashiri Johnson and Javier Solis.

Since the Coltrane/Hartman recording was barely over 30 minutes long, Whalum selected four newer R&B-pop songs to cover to complete the collection, candlelight ballads that seamlessly fit the album’s motif. “Juxtaposing timeless standards with new ‘standards’ is a risk, but the songs I selected touched and impacted me. I love them, which is why I elected to record them,” he explains.

The first six songs on Romance Language appear in the exact order as they appear on the Coltrane/Hartman collection; thus Berlin’s “They Say It’s Wonderful” opens the record, a mood-setter on which Kirk’s sax soloing embraces and accentuates the notes emoted by Kevin’s velvety voice. “It’s the song that hits you first. It sets the table and says ‘something special is about to happen.’ What you hear first is the sound of a needle being dropped onto a vinyl album. The opening notes were played on an upright piano that then melds into a Fender Rhodes. It was our way of giving respect sonically to the original record as we bring it into the present day with our offering,” Whalum shares.

Playing both tenor sax and flute on Cahn’s pledge of enduring love, “Dedicated To You,” Whalum’s commanding presence is heartfelt and intimate while avoiding overwrought emotion. “We boldly took initiative to implant the heart and soul of these original songs into another outfit. It was important to us that we paid tribute without duplicating,” says Whalum. “Every one of these songs is about horizontal love, and vertically…the whole thing. Love on a horizontal plane is between two broken people. We’re all broken—dysfunctional in one way or another.”

“My One and Only Love” is a sweet serenade exquisitely rendered with the added ambience of acoustic guitar flourishes sprinkled like a dusting of glitter. Whalum approached the song both secularly and non-secularly. He was 15 when he met his wife, Ruby, at Baptist camp. “To me, this song is about the concept of having one love. On a spiritual level, that one love is God.”

Kevin takes center stage on “Lush Life” and delivers an arresting showstopper. Kirk says, “The song was written by a lonely gay man [Strayhorn]. He was a genius who was misunderstood and mistreated. The lyrics are genius. Actually, it’s a gospel song and I’m really feeling him [Strayhorn]. The song is utterly and completely honest yet there is so little honesty in gospel songs.”

The musicians stretch out on “You Are Too Beautiful,” taking their time—8:32 to be exact—to allow the gorgeous melody to gently permeate a seductive mid-tempo R&B groove. Throughout the entire album, Kevin’s debonair vocal tone and sophisticated phrasing adds elegance and class.

Concluding the Coltrane/Hartman portion of Romance Language, flamenco-like acoustic guitar riffing and Whalum’s sultry soprano sax color “Autumn Serenade” with amour. “We took the most liberties with this track, giving it an Arabic, Latin feel with a hint of darkness to the scale,” states Whalum.

On “Almost Doesn’t Count,” it is Kirk and Kevin’s 83-year-old uncle, Hugh “Peanuts” Whalum, who steals the spotlight with his warm, sandpapery lead vocals. “In the studio, Peanuts struggled to understand the song. He kept saying it didn’t make sense. It was originally recorded by Brandy, hence there is a bit of an interesting contrast of having Peanuts sing a newer song that was first sung by a teenager,” says Kirk. The elder Whalum delivered a stirring and captivating performance by pouring all his years of experience into song.

The first of three instrumentals, “I Wish I Wasn’t,” was penned by hit-makers Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis. In Whalum’s astute hands, his lyrical sax gracefully romances with eloquence in place of lyrics about a pained heart. He offers, “Again, the lyric is so honest. Honest lament. Pain is part of life. It’s honest. In the song, we need to hang with the woman in the lyrics, be there with her in the moment and feel her pain. It makes the song empowering.”

After a flute intro pays homage to Minnie Riperton’s classic “Loving You,” “I Wanna Know” assumes a breezy, reggae-light cadence. “The intro sets the stage for romance,” says Whalum. “I love the simplicity of the melody of the Joe tune. It’s innocent…kind of sing-song-y. The role of an artist recording covers is to be an interpreter of melodies.”

Closing with a version of Eric Benet’s “Spend My Life With You,” the first radio single from the album, Whalum loosens his grip on the reins to unleash the fire and intensity of his unadulterated passion. “It was an honor to co-produce and co-arrange this album in New York City and Memphis with John [Stoddart], my musical director. He is like my musical soul mate. His strengths are my weaknesses and vice versa. We took the liberty of going all the way gospel on this song. I took the song to be about spending eternity together with Jesus.” Whalum tapped the organ player from his father’s church to play on this track.

Whalum grew up in Memphis, the son of a pastor; thus he was enmeshed in regular sermons. He attended Texas Southern University in Houston where he was encouraged by a professor to apply for a scholarship to study abroad in Paris. He earned that scholarship and says the experience changed his life.

As a young musician, Whalum was mentored by seminal saxophone player Arnett Cobb, whose silver ring presently adorns Whalum’s finger, a gift from Cobb’s daughter upon his passing. “As an artist, you want to leave a legacy. Cobb certainly left one to be proud of and that is my goal as well. How you are perceived in the [music] industry changes over time. It goes up and it goes down. You really can’t control that and it is not smart to let it impact your psyche. What saves me is quite simple: practicing my instrument. There are so many variables and intangibles that you cannot control yet practicing is practice. It is proactive. You can say, ‘I improved today.’ Your emotional health is a direct reflection of how you perceive what you can control and what you cannot control.”

After Paris, Whalum and Ruby settled in Houston, married and had four kids: two boys and two girls who are now young adults. His soulfully expressive tenor sax voice is unique and has appeared on literally hundreds of recordings by Whitney Houston, Barbara Streisand, Quincy Jones, Luther Vandross, George Benson, Al Jarreau, Michael McDonald, Stanley Clarke, George Duke and Larry Carlton—as well as on collaborative albums with Bob James, Rick Braun and Norman Brown.

Whalum released his solo debut, Floppy Disk, in 1985. To date, he topped the Billboard contemporary jazz album charts twice (And You Know That! and Cache) and has amassed 11 Grammy nominations. Whalum finally took home a coveted Grammy last year for a duet with Lalah Hathaway that appeared on his The Gospel According to Jazz: Chapter III.

Formative stints playing with James and Carlton enabled him to travel extensively, including to such far-reaching locales as Bangkok and Osaka. “Those guys are artists on the fringe. They’re jazz and pop. They’re straight-ahead and contemporary jazz. They blurred the genre lines and that impacted my own music,” recalls Whalum, whose rich catalogue spans collections of various shades of jazz, R&B and gospel.

While auditioning a bass player for his band, Whalum found himself in an unusual situation. “I was auditioning Rickey Minor to play with me, but it turned out that he had just become Whitney’s [Houston] MD [musical director] and he was actually auditioning me.” Whalum booked the gig that he held for seven years. “It was my first tour ever with a pop singer and it was the first time that I ever got a consistent paycheck…a generous paycheck,” Whalum recalls with a chuckle. That period included recording the most listened to sax solo in history when he played on the international smash hit “I Will Always Love You” from The Bodyguard soundtrack.

His affection for Paris endured, hence after spending a decade in Houston followed by a decade in Pasadena, the Whalums moved back to the city of lights. “The kids were growing up and after flirting with the idea for so many years, Ruby and I figured the time was now or never. We sold everything we had and moved to Paris. I really wanted to fully immerse myself in the language and culture, and that’s the only way to do it,” he shares. They lived there for a year-and-a-half.

Returning to the States, they lived in Nashville for a short time before moving back home in Memphis. He attended seminary from 2007-2010 and earned a Master’s degree in the Art of Religion last year. “My father was a preacher, thus being involved as a minister is part of my core identity. The challenge is to find a way to [minister] with my music and from the stage,” reflects Whalum.

Having been mentored during his formative years, it is important to Whalum that he give back what was given to him. He says, “The role of a mentor is to lend an environment that is safe to nourish inspiration.”

A few years ago, Whalum found an extraordinary way to serve as a mentor and an educator: he took on the duties as president/CEO of the STAX Music Academy and the STAX Museum of American Soul Music. “STAX is comprised of three entities: the museum spans the history of soul music, blues and gospel. There’s the music academy, which has 65 high school-aged kids who audition to get in. And then there is the Soulsville Charter School that has about 450 underprivileged kids grades 6-12. STAX’s mission is to nurture the next generation of soul communicators,” he explains.

Kirk Whalum · Romance Language

Rendezvous Music · Release Date: February 14, 2012

For more information on Kirk Whalum, visit www.kirkwhalum.com

For more information on Tracey Harris & The Gospel Tribune Atlanta:

visit www.thegospeltribuneatlanta.com

email: info@thegospeltribuneatlanta.com

advertising@thegospeltribuneatlanta.com

or call us at: (678) 278-9145

For more information, please contact:

Karen E. Lee – KL364@aol.com

Juanita Stephens – juanitastephenspr@gmail.com

Pepper D. Russell – pepperdrussell@aol.com

For press materials on Kirk Whalum, Rendezvous Music artists or Mack Avenue Record labels in general

(including album covers, promotional photos and logos), please visit media.mackavenue.com

MACK AVENUE · the road to great music · mackavenue.com

Bishop: First of all we are grateful for the Full Gospel Baptist Church Fellowship   It was something God gave to me early in the 90’s.

What happened is in 1990, I began to transition our church from a traditional Baptist church to Full Gospel – when we talk about Full Gospel it’s more of a Pentecostal Baptist or a charismatic Baptist. But what we were endeavoring to do is bridge the gap between Baptist and Pentecostals because those were the two fighting groups basically.

I wanted to see it happen in my church first at Greater St. Stephen in New Orleans.  I taught on the Holy Ghost, being filled with the Holy Ghost, and how important the Holy Ghost was for two years to a traditional Baptist Church. I told them after the two years, “listen I’ve been teaching you and now it’s time to operate in it so those of you who want to be filled come to the altar.”  And I mean people were just everywhere.  So I watched the transition of a ministry change from traditional to really believing in the power of God and the fullness of the Holy Ghost.  More of Him and less of you. That’s what it’s really all about – you need more of Him to build you up that way.  So I thought it was over.  I said my God the Lord is blessing St. Stephen let me sit down and take my rest, we have arrived.  Because He definitely talked to me and said the church was going to split.  It was a large church and now you’re coming in with this Pentecostal flavor and that’s something they weren’t used to but the church actually quadrupled. So we knew that it was God so I thought that that was it and the Lord said do you think that I have blessed you like this for you to keep it to yourself? He said no, you’ve got to take this to the world.  So how do you begin? I didn’t know who to really go to. In fact, I felt that I was the only one that had transitioned a Baptist church to a Full Gospel Baptist Church.  I was on BET at that particular time and I told pastors through the television program if you want more and are believing like I’m believing, doing what I’m doing, traditional Baptist church, if you’re transitioning or have already transitioned, give me a call and I’ll fly in free of charge, preach, or just have a gathering there where I can talk to people. My phone started ringing, ringing, ringing and I mean literally I went across the country.  I actually waited a whole year before we had our first conference because there were so many people who had questions.  What is a Full Gospel Baptist Church?  I’d have prayer breakfasts, services.  So when it came together it was July 1994 and that was our first conference.  30,000 people in the Dome gathered because we had really proclaimed the message of what we were trying to convey.  I had never seen anything like it.  So that was the beginning for Full Gospel.  We paved the way.  I really believe not only in doing something but doing it right, so there has to be organization.  God said seek out 12 people who can really help you in this ministry like the disciples.  So in different cities and in different regions we made people overseers. God gave me the 12 that were going to help me put it together.  They helped me work it and that’s why we have Full Gospel today.  God gave it to me and I obeyed and walked out on heart.

GTA:  So Bishop, where is Full Gospel going?

Bishop: Again I believe we are still proclaiming the message as to what we’re all about.  I am showing people of course operating in excellence, balance and all of those things but now we’re at the level of really teaching people.  You know with schools we want to get across the country where pastors can go, ministers can go, people in ministry can really, really understand ministry.  One of my favorite scriptures is Isaiah 1:17 where it says, “Learn to do well.”  You don’t have to learn to do bad that’s automatic.  You have to learn to do well and that involves a lot of discipline. So we’re teaching people in this area how important it is through the discipline. And training pastors that’s why we believe our Pastors and Ministry workers conference is important in taking that to the next level.  Just giving them the training and the tools that they need.  And now of course the message is extended because you’re showing pastors how to deal with the recession. This is very hard because you are used to a budget and things being in place. Now people in your ministry are losing their jobs and pastors are about to give up.  It’s really a season of encouragement.  I always tell people don’t allow the recession to control you let the word of God control you.  You can either participate in the recession or participate in God’s word.  And His word says, “and my God shall supply all of my needs”,  and that’s what I stand on.

GTA:  Given the recession right now and all that people are going through, hurting, losing -  what is your message of hope, your message of love to all of our readers and viewers today?

Bishop:  My message of hope is just believe God’s word.  I just spoke it and I stand on that. There is nothing in there about a recession.  My God shall supply all of my needs.  And on the rock of His word builds the church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.  If it would have said,

“everything but a recession”, then hey I’d have said the gates are coming against us. But no gates of hell can come against us if we stand on the word.  What I am finding in this season and what we have to be careful of, is there is a spirit out there that is scaring people and it’s called the spirit of fear.  And I teach against that spirit of fear that stops people from their destiny, stops them from their goals.  Because with the spirit of fear, you can have the word right in front of you where God says give and it shall be given unto you.  But the spirit of fear has you so bound you won’t even trust God with your tithe, you won’t even trust God anymore with your offering, because you are going through. So we have to break that bondage of fear. That spirit of fear is so strong because of what people have experienced in their lives that they have to know God is greater than the spirit of fear.

GTA: Full Gospel – I hear you have a big event coming up next year?  6 in 1 conference?

Bishop: 6 in 1 you know we did it several years ago but the timing was off.  I guess I have always been a little ahead of my time.  But I knew how important it was to reach people in every area that we can.  We call it 6 in 1 that means  pastors from all over the world are going to come together so there’s going to be a pastors conference.  There’s going to be a separate track in the pastors conference for college ministerial alliance because these may be the wanna-be pastors in the future so you will have a chance to get training in that area.  Then we have the men, because I believe that when men see a whole lot of men coming together fired up they are able to go back to their ministry and say look because of Full Gospel the men’s conference we are excited.  Men have to know their rightful place, the head and not the tail.  So the men’s conference is going to be awesome.  And the women – they are already on fire.  You just say women come together and they do it.  My wife is the general overseer of Daughters of the Promise, so women are going to be coming together for this conference.  And then we are focusing in on our young adults, ages 18 – 35.  The overseer is Terrance Johnson – this is the group that helped get President Obama elected.  So if we helped President Obama, we can help the Lord in some areas. It’s about people meeting people that make the difference.  We already have a successful youth conference with several thousand young people that already come to the conference so they are solid in their area.  That’s five.  And the last one is our music conference.  Full Gospel is known for its Praise and Worship, entering into the presence of God.  We really want to show others how to do it.  So with Overseer William Murphy who is so anointed for this area. He’s going to be teaching choir directors, musicians how to flow with their pastors. Choirs that will be coming together.  Even our regional and state choirs.  It’s going to be exciting. We’ll all come together for a general conference for our night services and during the day the individual conferences will be going on.

GTA:  Given today’s music where is gospel music going from your perspective? Are we on track or are we a little bit off?

Bishop: I think in anything that we do our ultimate goal has to be to give God the glory.  I think that we take it to the level.  I am one that is open to different kinds of music.  Many times people get stuck. One of my favorite sayings is the future belongs to those who are open to positive change.  We must remember in the day right before my time and in my early days especially they said Amazing Grace was just a little too modern, too contemporary.  I know now it’s a relation to some of the music.  I believe with young people you express yourself the way that God is speaking through you. That’s why I have no problem with the hip hop – I feel as long as you’re singing about God, giving God the glory, its nothing dirty, nothing vulgar I think that we have to do that.  But I always talk to gospel artists, you have to be careful.  Don’t try to just get a hit  to cross over.  And so you take Jesus out and anything that has to do with God out just because you just want a hit on the other side and they can take it either way.  I still think that whatever we do God has to get the glory in what we do.  I am focused in on that – giving Him the praise.  When you look through the bible the Psalmist that’s what he talks about – we can talk about life,  we can talk about different things that is what is important, not just Jesus.  There are messages in some of the songs that we sing that you know that God is getting the glory out of it.  I love the music industry.  I think the gospel music industry has gone to a whole new level.  Finally we are respected. The world respects us, the Grammy’s now, too.  Years ago we weren’t a part of all of that.  People have learned  how to respect even if we take it to another level -  Black Gospel. Others try to sing like us many times because they see something in our music and so I think that if we cherish it and appreciate it then we can take it to the next level.  I do tell people if you are going to be in the gospel industry it does not mean you have to put out mom and pop junk.  I just believe in excellence.  Give God your best. That’s what I think is important.

GTA:  God has kept you over the years, how do you maintain balance?

Bishop:  It took me awhile.  I think it was a generational curse I had to break.  My dad was a workaholic and my wife would probably say I still somewhat a workaholic.  But I’ve learned how to balance it out because we do vacations I think that’s important.  We do two major vacations every year.  A summer vacation we take one week with the whole family then another week by ourselves.  And, then in December we take a couple weeks because we got married in December. We take little mini vacations sometimes on the 5^th Sunday or a few days after the 5^th Sunday and then come right back. Because you must to rest your mind.  That’s what I teach pastors sometimes you burn out and you don’t even know that your burn out. Just so tired and you minister and you think something is wrong and nothing is wrong you are just tired.  You need to get away.  I believe that sometime God will let you go through some things to even bring your body into order. In 2006, I was diagnosed with colon cancer but I thank God, God brought me through.  But when I came through I listened to the doctor some things that I had to change about exercise.  I had to change my diet.  I was a red meat everyday consumer.  My wife would talk about me because I was a Wendy’s person.  I just loved their burger with ketchup, pickles, onions and mustard – I was in good shape.  The people who went to get it for me knew it had to be just that way.  I loved it just that much.  But when I found out it was hurting me I stopped because I’m not going to let anything destroy what God has given me.  It’s amazing how we can teach people the devil is busy so you’re on drugs; you can get off those drugs but there are people that can get hooked on ice cream.  They have to have ice cream before they go to sleep.  You can get hooked on anything. But you can’t cast a demon out of somebody else until you cast a demon out of yourself. So, I jog 5 miles a day.  I do it in about an hour.  That helps me.  I got off of the red meat.   I went extreme when the doctor said no red meat.  I got totally off of it.  The doctor said please eat some because it’s good for you but it is very little.  Believe me, I don’t go to Wendy’s everyday anymore.  So just eating right – I stay off of the fried foods. Just balance.  That’s really what it’s all about.  Even in our diets we go to the extreme which is why we get off of those diets.  But if we really just learn how to balance everything out and you’re eating and you’re exercising that maintains balance.   That’s why I tell people if you can’t spend one hour a day on your body out of 24 hours in a day, I mean do you really love your body?  I am 61 years old and God has been good to me and I want to be able to make sure that I’ve given my people the best as it relates to presenting my body, my mind. To make sure I am doing the things that I need to do.  I don’t want to come in and not know where I am, too tired,  gotta sit down to preach.  Not that there is anything wrong with sitting down and preaching but… as long as you know you are doing your best, that’s what I do with my balancing.  Taking time off is key, exercising, eating right, spending time with my family.  As a pastor I spend a lot of time counseling people and that is a major problem, putting your kids in the background.  No, they have got to be a part of your life and even your church has to understand that your family is priority to you.

GTA:  Pastor’s Kids (PK’s) – what would be your message to all PK’s?

Bishop:  First of all appreciate and understand that your parent or whoever that pastor is has to be shared.  I know that is sometime difficult for PK’s because they want the full attention.  But then as parents we have to make sure you are participating in their dreams and they will participate in what you are doing.  I think what has to happen is you have to let them be what they want to be.  I know I want my children preaching and following in my footsteps and inheritance and even my son wanted to go a different way.  I wanted to say, “you’re going to preach boy.”  But no, you have to let them be who they are.  I think that’s important.  We try to mold them so and make them bitter as it relates to what church is all about but there is balance.  Of course, my children had to go to church, no if ands or buts about that. But we could not allow them to be there 7 days a week. They have to have a life too and so again that is where that word balance comes in. So I thank God for 3 great children.  They all love the Lord.  They all love ministry.  There is no hate in them about the church.  And so my prayer is for pastors that you know how to really, really  talk to your children, spend time with them and let them know that you love them.

GTA:  First Lady Morton, what is she into? What’s going on?

Bishop: You know I thank God for her! That’s the love of my life. I know God gave her to me!  Because, of course, even in the raising of our children she is  just the best of the best.  And even in the beginning of our ministry she was first lady and did that part well.  When I married her she was in the choir and she stayed in the choir for a while, taught Sunday school and then I saw leadership ability in her.  She began to organize the women in our ministry.  So there was definitely a gift of leadership inside of her. Now the level of her preaching is awesome.  She is just one of the greatest preachers that I know.  She studies, she prepares herself.  A great preacher and that’s something that I had to deal with because after Hurricane Katrina you know when you’ve been with people for 30 years and then God is telling you to then expand your territory and go to Atlanta you know how some folks felt.  We were there for you and now you then left us.  I was trying to do all the running back and forth.  I told God, “Lord I just wish there were two of me.  I know my assignment here in Atlanta but I know you still have purpose for us in New Orleans.  People needed us there.”  I thought If I was just two people it could work.  And the Lord said you are two people.  You and your wife are one. And so with both of you being one with the same kind of vision, the same kind of goals, then she can work New Orleans as Senior Pastor.  I work with her as her Co-Pastor. She works here as Co-Pastor with me.  And it works out well. I do our Lord’s Supper in New Orleans on the First Sunday night so they see me every First Sunday night and then we switch pulpits every second Sunday my wife and I. She comes to Atlanta and I am there.  So they get a taste of both of us and so everybody is happy now.  We are listening to God and we call it one church in two states to instill it in within their minds.  People want both of us here in Atlanta at the same time and both together in New Orleans at the same time so our theme became changing the way we do church.  Get that in your mind.  Changing the way we do church because it’s a new season.  So she has been a great, great, great blessing.  New Orleans is just growing. People are still moving back after 6 years it’s amazing. And so the church is growing there and of course in Atlanta.  We started our second location on the East side of town and God has just been good to us.

 GTA:  How have you seen the business side of ministry change over the years and how do you stay on the forefront?

Bishop:  We have to be focused even when you talk about business.  I think, again, for pastors in churches there needs to be more teaching in this particular area.  You have your 501c3 – it’s amazing how many pastors in churches don’t have that as yet, because there has to be a business side of you.  You have to have a good CPA – all those things as it relates to business. And so what happens is God will expand your territory.  I appreciate the faith based programs and things that we work with.  I know because we’ve been here a few years but it’s what we’ve done in New Orleans with the senior citizens home.  We bought a Naval base in New Orleans and it’s a home for families, a gated community.  Those kinds of things business wise that we have done.  It’s important to do that. To let people know that you don’t just sing and shout. If you want people to invest into the kingdom then you’ve got to put something into the kingdom.   And so that’s why God is blessed.  And that’s why we didn’t want to have a raggedy place here in Atlanta.  We have a school here.  There is just so much that is going on. God’s been good!

 GTA:  You just celebrated 25 years in music and great gospel music I must add.  Who are some of your favorite gospel artists?

Bishop: Well I know Pastor Marvin Winans and that man is just awesome.  It’s amazing his gift, his unique talent and so I appreciate him so very much.  And of course if I mention him, cause if it’s in writing  I gotta mention Be Be because I’ll hear it.  That’s the only reason I mention you Be Be because I know you’ll talk about it.    I love the whole Winans family though, Ce Ce, I mean they are an awesome, awesome family.  And of course Pastor Marvin Sapp, I think God in ministry has taken him and his singing gift – great preacher too, using his singing gift.  So these kinds of people are making a serious impact. I think in this day and time if you want to know the mentors of the past that I have appreciated are like the James Clevelands, the Mattie Moss Clarks, those are the people that I grew up under and watched them motivate me  to do what I did.

GTA:  What can we expect?  Any new releases coming out from you?

Bishop: There is one coming out real soon. I am doing another solo project on our label.  I am excited because two of the greatest producers are coming together to produce it – Donald Lawrence and my son PJ.  So I am going to kind of get a mixture – it’s going to be unique, it’s going to be special.  It’s going to be out probably the Summer of 2012.

GTA: So Bishop I notice you have an I-pad with you, how do you use this tool in your ministry?

Bishop:  Listen I focus in on my I-pad. Of course it’s so important to me.  I use it on the plane to prepare my sermons.  I get my notes off of it and get emails.  And also I Tweet.  I believe that there are messages to be shared and I want to speak to people and followers who appreciate my ministry. It’s about communicating with people. I know some pastors say they don’t have time for it but if you don’t have time for people then what are you doing in ministry?  And so yes I like to be involved.  And what I love about it is that I’m encouraged so by the Tweeters.  They are always encouraging me.  I try to give them a word but they’re always coming back saying I bless them.  It is just remarkable, this is 21^st century and I refuse to get stuck in the 20^th century.  I am not going to do it! I don’t care if I’m 61 or if I’m 70. I am not going to get stuck in the 20^th century.  So this is the way we have to go. In fact I encourage every pastor to Tweet.  I think that that’s important. Start with the people in your church and let them know how important it is so they can follow you.  And I appreciate all of our Tweeters.  Social media is the key it really is.  It’s amazing, I go to a city and let them know I’m coming and they say thank you for Tweeting and then they show up!

GTA:  So if someone wants to get involved in your ministry how can they contact you?

Bishop:  You can Tweet @BishopPMorton or you can go to our website www.changingagenerationministries.org.  You can call our offices.  We are available for people because whatever we can do to help, we will. We are a full time ministry and we are serious about ministry – that is what we do!

GTA:  Any parting words that you would like to leave with our readership?

Bishop:  I think we have a good example in you and how you operate in excellence.  I think that that’s important. So you are what people need to see.  That’s why I am glad and honored to be a part of this great newspaper. I see what God is doing in and through you.  And this has to happen as we take our gifts together. We cannot be jealous of one another.  We must appreciate each other’s gifts, encourage one another.  We’re all in this together.  If we bring our forces together I tell you we can really change a generation.  And that’s what we are endeavoring to do.  So that is what I ask you to do.  Continue to strive for excellence and trust God and you will be blessed!

Before I was myself you made me, me
With love and patience, discipline and tears,
Then bit by bit stepped back to set me free,

Allowing me to sail upon my sea,
Though well within the headlands of your fears.
Before I was myself you made me, me

With dreams enough of what I was to be
And hopes that would be sculpted by the years,
Then bit by bit stepped back to set me free,

Relinquishing your powers gradually
To let me shape myself among my peers.
Before I was myself you made me, me,

And being good and wise, you gracefully
As dancers when the last sweet cadence nears
Bit by bit stepped back to set me free.

For love inspires learning naturally:
The mind assents to what the heart reveres.
And so it was through love you made me, me
By slowly stepping back to set me free.

Copyright by
Nicholas Gordon

http://www.poemsforfree.com/mothersdaypoems.html

I Never Had a Real Mom

I never had a real mom, but
I’ve had a mom that’s real
In all the things that moms should do,
And all the things moms feel.

I never had a mother, but
I’ve had a mother’s love.
I’ve had the kisses and the hugs
That therapists speak of.

I guess I should be crazy with
The things that I’ve been through.
But I’ve had all a kid could need
Because I have had you.

Copyright by
Nicholas Gordon

http://www.poemsforfree.com/mothersdaypoems.html

Super Mom

Mom, you’re a wonderful mother,
So gentle, yet so strong.
The many ways you show you care
Always make me feel I belong.

You’re patient when I’m foolish;
You give guidance when I ask;
It seems you can do most anything;
You’re the master of every task.

You’re a dependable source of comfort;
You’re my cushion when I fall.
You help in times of trouble;
You support me whenever I call.

I love you more than you know;
You have my total respect.
If I had my choice of mothers,
You’d be the one I’d select!

By Joanna Fuchs

http://www.poemsource.com/mother-poems.html

Although a Daughter, I Write This as a Mother

Although a daughter, I write this as a mother.
We’re both mothers now, of child-daughters:
You, a grandmother forced to be a mother,
And I, a widow, alone with my fatherless daughter.
Death has thus shaped both our lives in ways
We would not have chosen. Yet life is still the bright,
Painfully lovely thing it was always:
Our children like dancers on a dark, splendid night,
Needing our loves as I needed yours; your love
The same song as ever, a lullaby I remember
So well from my time in your arms. We move
In slow spirals towards the stars. September
Has weeks like June, yet is closer to the fall.
Love has no answers, yet its beauty answers all.

Copyright by
Nicholas Gordon

http://www.poemsforfree.com/mothersdaypoems.html

Question: When did you know you wanted to become a Chef?

Response: I knew I wanted to be a chef in high school. There was something that developed later on. I grew up watching my grandmother and my mother cook so much and in high school , my senior year I wanted to attend Johnson & Wales in Providence, Rhode Island. My mother said no, I needed to pursuse something else. I guess she didn’t think I was that serious about it so I put that on hold for a while. I started culinary school in 2003 at the Art Institute of Atlanta.

Question: Why are you so passionate about cooking?

Response: Its really important to me to educate pallets of the masses. That’s something I’m very passionate about. I love every aspect of food. I love the sound of food. I love the smell of food. It’s just something that’s in my blood.

Chef Dori - Photo by Jason Towns

Question: Who inspired you the most?

Response: My mother and my grandmother. My mother still to this day, she is about to be 70, still cooks and caters. I just remember the many times that I had to help her with barbecues, fish frys and different things. My grandmother, she was definitely the one to cook every Sunday and she just made it seem so easy.

Question: What’s the best thing you’ve ever cooked?

Response: I would have to say lamb. That is something that is really anchoring for me because my grandmother introduced lamb to me when I was very, very young. That was something that we would have, not every Sunday, but would have often. I really loved the taste of that so whenever I prepare lamb or cook lamb, I feel connected to her.

Question: What’s the best thing you’ve ever eaten?

Response: I love Mexican food. Anything, but nachos are my favorite, hands down. Guacamole and chips, salsa and chips, enchiladas, seafood, lamb fajitas. I love mexican food.

Chef Dori - Photo by Jason Towns

Question: What is the hardest dish you’ve ever made?

Response: The hardest dish that I’ve had to make was foie gras. It’s the technique of it because if the pan isn’t angry enough, it has to be hot. If it’s not angry enough then you don’t have the right amount of fat and it will deflate after you cook it. I’ve never cooked it again.

Question: What is your style of cooking?

Response: I would say my style of cooking would be mediterranean with a little southern flair, a little southern twist to it. I love to use fresh herbs and olives and preserved lemons. I love to incorporate lamb. It’s one of my favorite items to prepare. So I would have to say mediterranean with a southern flair.

Question: What’s your advise for those hesitant of cooking:

Response: For that person whose hesitant about cooking, I would say follow your gut and follow your instincts. If you feel you need to follow a recipe, that’s ok but take ownership of it. If you want to try to add a different herb or a different oil to it or a different protein to it, don’t be afraid to do that. Don’t be afraid to experiment. If you mess up, you can always save it.

Question: What would you bring to the culinary world?

Reponse: What I think I would bring to the culinary world is I love cooking and I also love baking and pastry. Usually, there’s a fine line, either you love pastry or you hate it. So not only can I cook, I can bake too!

Chef Dori: I would like to thank the Gospel Tribune Atlanta readers and viewers for your support! Visit my website at: www.chefdori.com as well.

He is a man appointed by the President of the United States to serve as the United States Ambassador to the United Nations, and a man who continues to remain active in community matters.

Born to a school teacher and a dentist in New Orleans, Louisiana, on March 12, 1932, Andrew Jackson Young was destined for a life of greatness and purpose. He was brought up to believe that “from those to whom much has been given, much will be required.” Ambassador Young accepted and embraced that responsibility at a young age.

Photo by Tameka Pero

After beginning his higher education at Dillard University, Young transferred to Howard University in Washington, DC in 1947, and received his Bachelor of Science degree in pre-dentistry in 1951.

He originally planned to follow his father’s footsteps into dentistry, but he felt a religious calling and entered the Turner-Boatright Christian Ministry School and earned a Bachelor of Divinity degree from Hartford Seminary in Hartford, Connecticut, in 1955.

Young was appointed to serve as pastor of a church in Marion, Alabama. While in Marion, Young began to study the writings of Mohandas Gandhi and became interested in Gandhi’s concept of non-violent resistance as a tactic for social change.
He encouraged African-Americans to register to vote in Alabama and experienced more than his share of death threats. It was also during this time that he became a friend and ally of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Photo by Tameka Pero

As the Civil Rights Movement gained momentum, Young and his wife Jean moved to Atlanta and again worked on drives to register black voters. In 1960, he joined the Southern Christian Leadership Conference and was jailed for his participation in civil rights demonstrations, both in Selma, Alabama, and in St. Augustine, Florida.

Young played a key role in the events in Birmingham, Alabama, serving as a mediator between the white and black communities. In 1964, Young was named executive director of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC), becoming one of Dr. King’s principal lieutenants.

As a colleague and friend to Martin Luther King, Jr. he was a strategist and negotiator during the Civil Rights Campaigns in Birmingham (1963), St. Augustine (1964), Selma (1965), and Atlanta (1966), and was with King in Memphis, Tennessee, when Dr. King was assassinated in 1968.

Ambassador Andrew Young’s humanitarian efforts and influence have spanned the globe. From his beginnings as an ordained minister and top aide to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. during the civil rights movement to his current position as founding principal and chair of GoodWorks International, an organization that embraces his long-held mission of facilitating economic development in the Caribbean and Africa, Ambassador Young has dedicated himself to improving the lives of all people, particularly those in Africa and the Diaspora.

His “good works” have taken him to more than 150 countries, including 48 of 53 countries in Africa. Through his leadership, countries throughout the world have created a successful model that combines religion, education, democracy and free enterprise in ways that support the public good.

Photo by Tameka Pero

Ambassador Young has received honorary degrees from more than 60 institutions, including his alma mater, Howard University, Swarthmore College, Duke University, Emory University, Clark Atlanta University, the University of Georgia and Morehouse College, which named its Center for International Affairs in his honor.

He has also received honorary degrees from international educational institutions, including the University of Pretoria, South Africa and the University of Maiduguri, Nigeria. Georgia State University’s School of Policy Studies, which carries his name, is one of the best policy schools in the United States.

Ambassador Young served in the United States Congress and as United States Ambassador to the United Nations during the Carter Administration. In 1996, he was awarded the Olympic Order, the highest award of the Olympic Movement, for his work as International Vice President for Law Engineering and Chair of the Centennial Olympic Games hosted in Atlanta.

Ambassador Young, a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., has served on numerous corporate boards of directors and advisory boards, including the Southern African Enterprise Development Fund, the Leon H. Sullivan Foundation, The Martin Luther King, Jr. Center for Nonviolent Social Change, Diversapack, Barrick Gold, United Nations, AMC and Atlanta Falcons.

While mayor of the City of Atlanta for two terms, Young helped attract 1,100 new businesses and 70 billion dollars in private investments, and created one million new jobs. His leadership helped the City to earn the international reputation it holds today.

The author of two books, A Way Out of No Way and An Easy Burden, and co-author of, Walk in My Shoes, Ambassador Young recently received the Emmy for Lifetime Achievement. Young continues to live in Atlanta with his wife, Carolyn McClain Young. He is the father of three daughters and one son and the proud grandfather of eight.

The Gospel Tribune Atlanta wishes Ambassador Andrew Young a happy 80th birthday. Our prayer is for to God continue to foster a light of excellence in his endeavors for many years to come.

(Interview completed: 3/12/12)
Save the date: Sunday, May 20, 2012 (6PM-9PM)
80th birthday celebration for
Ambassador Andrew Young
Contact: The Andrew Young Foundation (404) 685-2786

Launching a successful social media plan isn’t as difficult or overwhelming as you might think. Here are the steps to get you started and well on your way to utilizing social media to change the way you do church and reach the world:

1.  Set up Google.  Google is the #1 search engine. It offers an array of products that will help you market your ministry. Once you launch your account, here are some of the services you should take advantage of:
a. Profile: establish a Google Profile if your brand is promoting a person
b. Places: establish a Google Place if your brand is a business or church
c. Alerts: establish this feature to receive an update via email any time your “keywords” are utilized online.
d. Analytics: establish analytics to track the traffic that comes to your website. It also registers your domain on Google.
e. Voice: set up Google voice to route calls from an office number to another number that you have pre-programmed to “find” you, so that you don’t miss important office calls.
f. Google Google+ is Google’s product that challenges Facebook. Google+ allows you to place your friends in “circles” or groups. You can then post a message and it instantly goes to just this circle. It also challenges Skype and successfully allows a group of people to communicate within this circle or group via video and all see each other at the same time. This can literally transform the way committee meetings are held.
g. Docs: All I can say about Google Docs, is it is probably one of the best systems that a group can use when working on a project together. It’s a major productivity tool!

2. Set up a Facebook. Facebook is the 2nd most visited website. It allows you to reach and communicate with the other 600 million users. Facebook offers so many options for FREE but here are a few to get started:
a. Set up a Personal Page for the leader: Establish a PERSONAL page to communicate with family and friends. The personal page should not be used for marketing purposes.
b. Set up a Facebook LIKE page: previously known as a Fan page, establish a LIKE Page to promote a business, service or product to the world.
c. Set up a Facebook Group: Establish a group to share and promote like- minded causes and interests.
d. Set up a Facebook Event: Create an event to promote a special event or occasion.
e. Set up a Facebook Ad: Once you create your event, link your Facebook Ad to it for only pennies per ad.

3. Set up a Twitter account: Twitter is a micro-blog that allows you to meet and connect with people you probably in life would have never had the chance .

4. Set up a SlideShare,net account: This great site allows you to download PowerPoint, PDF’s or Videos and compress them into email able size files to promote your latest event or services.

5. Set up YouTube: YouTube is the 2nd most used search engine. Launch your own channel and post videos that are unique to you that convey your message, brand and services.

6. Set up Flickr.com: Flickr is an online photo hosting website. Post photos from your services and events that can be shared all over the world.

7. Set up an Email Database system: use a service like Constant Contact or MailChimp to easily create newsletters or quick updates. It also allows you to collect email addresses so you can share your content with everyone.

8. Use an Aggregator site: Utilizing all of these social media sites can be overwhelming so I recommend you use an “aggregator” site like Hootsuite , SocialUmph or TweetDeck to manage all of them from one website.

In closing, to be successful in reaching the world, you must be committed to actively participating on these networks. Make sure that you identify a team that can help you if you already know that you aren’t going to be able to remain consistent. Your social media accounts will grow once you show your commitment level of engaging followers, friends and fans on a regular basis.

I am sure parents and other adults don’t think us kids think about much else. But the most important thing to me is what my parents and church has taught me.

Easter symbolizes the resurrection of Jesus and that means eternal life to all those that believe in Him.

That is the best gift! So even though I will enjoy the candy and getting dressed up, I will remember the true meaning of the season and what it means to be a Christian. Happy Easter everyone!

We’d love to hear from you! Please email us at thegospeltribuneatlanta@gmail.com to tell us what Easter means to you.

Love & Peace – Micah Harris

Henry County District 5 Commissioner

Bruce Holmes has had a life long commitment to helping others and giving back to his community. His recent election to the Henry County Board of Commissioners is a continuation of this service to others.

Born in El Paso, Texas and raised in Detroit, Michigan, Bruce earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Minnesota in 1987. He went on to earn his Masters in Business Management from the University of Minnesota St. Mary’s. After college, he had a successful professional pro football career that ended in 1993 with the Minnesota Vikings.

Always believing that “to whom much is given, much is expected,” Bruce always devoted much of his time volunteering at food banks, senior centers and in youth programs. Recognizing the lack of opportunity among youth in the inner cities of Minneapolis/St. Paul, Bruce started coaching football and basketball, which led him to create his first non-profit youth organization.

This program provided both coaching and mentoring to young people and was recognized as “an organization that makes a difference,” as described by Coach Dennis Green of the Minnesota Vikings.

Commissioner Holmes has established the Commissioner Bruce Holmes Youth Athletic Foundation. Working in conjunction with the Henry County Parks and Recreation Department, this new program has attracted nearly 500 youth in baseball and basketball. This fall, a football and cheerleading component will be added. Like earlier programs, there will be a mentoring component as well.

As District 5 Commissioner, Bruce has had an even greater opportunity to serve and support his community in areas of public safety, quality of life, transportation infrastructure and business development.

In the area of public safety, he has worked to support the move of the Fairview Police precinct to the Publix Plaza in order to reduce crime on businesses and residents.

In the areas of quality of life, he has promoted the development of bike trails at Kelleytown Park and the addition of sidewalks and bike lanes on a redesigned Fairview Road.

He has also championed the realigning of West Panola Road to alleviate the traffic congestion at Fairview Rd and East Atlanta Rd.

Commissioner Holmes has also been a promoter of Henry County, attempting to attract businesses to this community and to make it easier to do business in Henry County.

Bruce is currently the Director of National Accounts for a hematology/oncology biotech company. He is the father of three children and two grandchildren. He is also a member of Shiloh Baptist Church in McDonough.

The sun and Vitamin D work together synergistically. The sun is the source and activation of Vitamin D production in humans. It is virtually impossible to get enough Vitamin D in the diet naturally, which is the major difference between Vitamin D and all other vitamins. The sun provides it instead. According to the article “The Power of D” in Science News, the ultraviolet rays of the sun trigger the synthesis of vitamin D in the skin producing the vitamin’s seemingly broad benefits — ranging from maintaining bone strength to sharpening mental acuity. Despite the fact that most people don’t get enough sun exposure, the sun is a natural way to optimum health by supporting the proper functioning of the immune system, heart, brain, and the bones. Due to limited sun exposure, most people today suffer from a Vitamin D deficiency. The amount of Vitamin D produced is heavily dependent upon factors such as age, where people live and skin pigment. African Americans, other dark-skinned people, and those living in the northern hemisphere are particularly vulnerable to Vitamin D deficiency because they do not produce enough. In fact, according to the Washington Post Article, “Vitamin D Deficiency Called Major Health Risk,” a nationwide federal study found that nearly one half of African American women of childbearing age may be Vitamin D deficient.

It is unclear if Vitamin D deficiencies are a long-standing problem or if it is indicative of life-style changes, people shunning the sun, the overuse of sunblock, and the smog covering the sun. Whatever the case, it is clear that the amount of Vitamin D people produce naturally is very low. As you enjoy the final days of summer, remember to do your body some good by enjoying plenty of outdoor activities in fresh air, basking in the sun to produce and boost Vitamin D levels, naturally!