Love Collide (Brooke and Lauren DeLeary)Thousands of area Christian music fans are familiar with the annual Unity Christian Music Festival where early each August, you can see top artists such as Matthew West, Third Day and David Crowder. Those three and many more will be performing this year during the festival’s Aug. 5-8 schedule (see www.unitymusicfestival.com for more information).

     But there’s a unique artist spot this year on Unity’s lesser known A (Alternative) Stage, located under the big tent out near the point at Muskegon’s Heritage Landing.

West Michigan Christian web writer Terry DeBoer surveys the landscape for the area’s faith-based arts and entertainment events over the coming month. Here are three highlights for August:

Ryan VerWys said he plans to do much learning and listening his first 90 days as ICCF’s president.Starting Sept. 4, Ryan VerWys assumes the leadership helm of Inner City Christian Federation, Michigan's oldest nonprofit affordable housing provider. He succeeds longtime president/CEO Jonathan Bradford, who will retire after serving 34 years in the position.

VerWys said he intends to be quick to listen and slow to speak during his first 90 days in his new job.

A mom sits on the couch while her three-month-old nuzzles her neck and squirms uncomfortably trying to find the right spot to sleep. Her two-year-old daughter has just bounded out of her baby brother's room wearing a pair of his pants which of course look like shorts on her. She is wearing nothing else. Her five-year-old, normally very independent, is whining to her dad about not being able to peel her orange, while he's trying to clean up the dinner dishes.

Puppet EdGar Sinclaire with puppeteer Justin Haveman and Kevin Kammeraad get the kids laughing and clapping with the song, “Chocolate.”Despite an overcast sky that threatens a sudden downpour, the chatter among the adults and children at Fuller Avenue Christian Reformed Church's parking lot is lively and buoyant. Soon, they have more to enjoy than the chicken dinner and watermelon that's been served to them free-of-charge, courtesy of the Southeast Grand Rapids church's annual summer Tuesday Family Fun Nights.

Before long, all eyes are on puppeteer Justin Haveman's puppet EdGar Sinclaire. With his bushy eyebrows, bright red fur and ears that stick out to there, EdGar's presence alone tickles children's funny bone, but the laughing swells when the fuzzy puppet starts with a comical song, "Chocolate" that has the kids and adults laughing for joy.

Master Arts Theatre, the local faith-based community group which offers a full schedule of annual stage productions, hopes to have a new executive director by this fall.

"We've been actively interview candidates for the last number of weeks," said John Miedema, chairman of the non-profit organization's board of directors. "We've been pleased with the response and the caliber of candidates we've been getting."

Pastor Robert Dean said his plans for Grand Rapids if elected mayor includes reducing the city’s $1 billion debt, pave and maintain its city streets and ensure public safety in all neighborhoods.The Rev. Robert Dean, founding pastor of New Life Church of God in Christ in Southeast Grand Rapids, has served as a school board president, city commissioner and state representative. Now he's hoping to add mayor of Michigan's second largest city.

Dean is a mayoral candidate for the City of Grand Rapids. Contenders started to emerge when Grand Rapids voters passed a term limit measure for its mayor and city commissioners. Incumbent Mayor George Heartwell's third and final term ends this year.

Dean has three opponents seeking the same seat: incumbent Second Ward city commissioner Rosalyn Bliss, John George and Willard Lee. If any of the four Grand Rapids candidates gets more than 50 percent of the vote in the Aug. 4 primary election, that candidate will be elected. If not, the top two vote-getters would advance to the November election.

West Michigan Christian News writer Terry DeBoer surveys the landscape for the area's faith-based arts and entertainment and events over the coming month. Here are three highlights for July:

Global Gifts sells handmade merchandise from around 30 countries.Global Gifts is a retail shop of a different sort.

Step inside its 1,300-square foot store at Grand Central Plaza, 2055 28th St. SE in Grand Rapids, and customers can feast on an array of Fair Trade-certified merchandise made from around the world — around 30 nations total.

Such handmade products are lifting people who live in developing countries out of abject poverty by paying them livable wages for the products they craft.

The bleachers were full for the Mark Schultz performance June 28This summer's Worship on the Waterfront (WOW) series at Grand Haven's Waterfront Stadium began Sunday June 28 with a grand success.

"The bleachers were packed and we estimated more than 3,500 in attendance," said Carolyn Manting, music director at WOW's sponsoring church, First Reformed of Grand Haven.

The Sunday evening crowd had assembled to hear singer-songwriter Mark Schultz who has numerous Christian radio hits in his song catalog.

Exodus Place president/executive director Robb Munger (wearing blue shirt) have been helping men like John Eaton receive a new lease in life through Christ since 2009.Life has been harsh for John Eaton.

His arms are covered with self-harm scars made by razor cuts. He's lived for a time on the streets, suffered from alcoholism, and has served time in prison. On top of all this, Eaton suffers from Schizoaffective Disorder, a mental illness with psychotic symptoms of schizophrenia such as severe changes in mood, delusions and disorganized thinking.

He's entertained thoughts of suicide. But no more.

His life is on the right track now since his parole officer connected him to the Exodus Place, 322 Front Ave. SW in Grand Rapids, a Christian transitional living center Robb Munger founded in 2009. The nonprofit's 38,000-square foot building previously was a correctional facility.

The multi-talented choir and other music artists from Resurrection Life Church in Grandville have done it again with another compelling release of lively praise music titled "ResLife Worship: Higher."

Church choir leaders Ken Reynolds and Jonathan Cordero (both associate pastors for worship) have assembled a wonderful collection of songs recorded live that will be profitable for wide church use.

Guiding Light recently dedicated its new transitional housing facility at 530 Andover St. SE in Kentwood, which is part of its Iron House program.Guiding Light Mission intensified its quest to help homeless and addicted men regain their footing in the community with the recent opening of its third transitional housing facility.

Guiding Light executive director Stuart Ray, the rescue mission’s board of director members and the Rev. Nancy Claus, chaplain for Porter Hills retirement home, took part in a house blessing ceremony of the building on June 16.

Its name is Iron House

The four-unit apartment complex at 530 Andover St. SE in Kentwood is the third building the rescue mission purchased since starting the transitional living program in 2013 Guiding Light calls Iron House, so named after Proverbs 27:17, “As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.” The other two properties, 520 Andover and 540 Andover, flank the two-story 530 Andover facility.

The outside of 3 Mile Project still resembles the manufacturing building it once was. Inside, the fun begins.Stan Kiste, executive director of the community youth center, 3 Mile Project, says there are a growing number of young people who are disenchanted with Christianity.

"There are barriers they have toward church," Kiste said. "It is perceived as weird, hypocritical or irrelevant. Families have been hurt by the church. And the perception with some churches is it's OK to wait for people to come to see them."

Sandy Baird looked over her church's food booth Sunday afternoon while also keeping an eye on the weather above the Festival of the Arts in downtown Grand Rapids.

"Saturday was very busy," she noted of the bright and sunny skies the day before. "Today is looking more like (last) Friday," she added of breezy, overcast skies that already had shed a bit of rain.

The first week of June was quite a week for Diet Eman.

The Grand Rapids resident – noted for her part in the Dutch Resistance movement against the Nazis during World War II – was honored by King Willem–Alexander and Queen Maxima of The Netherlands on June 2 during the couple's royal visit to West Michigan.

At Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park the 95 year-old Eman was honored with a performance of a ballet called "It Is Well" performed by Turning Point School of Dance.
The dance was based on Eman's book about her Resistance experiences titled "Things We Couldn't Say."

Mel Trotter Ministries executive director/CEO Dennis VanKampen reads a copy of the Bible believed to have been owned by Melvin Ernest Trotter.Dennis VanKampen recently was appointed executive director and CEO of Mel Trotter Ministries (MTM), a multifaceted outreach to the homeless based in the Heartside district of Grand Rapids. It’s not a job he initially sought. He is grateful the Lord saw otherwise.

As a result, VanKampen’s perspective has since changed since he landed the top job at the nonprofit founded by redeemed alcoholic Melvin Ernest Trotter 115 years ago when it was known as the City Rescue Mission. Also changed is how it will help the homeless and mentally and physically ill find Christ’s hope and healing.

West Michigan Christian web writer Terry DeBoer surveys the landscape for the area’s faith-based arts and entertainment events over the coming month. Here are three highlights for June:

*Soul’d Out – The Southern gospel quartet performs at 7 p.m. June 5 at Grace Fellowship Church, 735 Buth Dr. NE in Comstock Park. The Ohio-based group, founded by baritone singer Matt Rankin, features a mixture of hymn arrangements and gospel melodies. Soul’d Out performs throughout the U.S. and southern Ontario. The quartet’s most recent CD is “Re-Soul’d, Vol. 3” featuring several medleys and the uptempo tune, “God’s Perfect Plan.” Tickets are $15 and are available online or by phone at 800-965-9324. For more information contact the church online or  616.785.4047.

 Jordan Koller performs at Festival at 12:30 p.m. Friday  The 46^th annual Festival of the Arts comes to downtown Grand Rapids the weekend of June 5-7. And church music ensembles and other faith-based artists will again be on stage amidst the all-encompassing variety of musical expression.

     “We loved playing at Festival last year,” said Steve Bacinski, guitarist with the Christian modern rock band Thirsty Ground.

     Thirsty Ground is back again in 2015, performing at 3:45 p.m. Fri. June 5 on the City Stage on Monroe Center at Ottawa Ave.

     Thousands of persons milling around the Festival grounds grow into hundreds of thousands over the three-day event. A music performer trying to attract passers-by and then holding an audience isn’t easily accomplished.

WAR International founder and president Becky McDonald stands near jewelry “Monique” made. Monique previously worked in a red light district of Grand Rapids. She had no resume to list her employable skills. WAR International hired her through its pilot program that gives Monique the opportunity to repair and design jewelry.When customers make a purchase online, at a home party or at one of three Women At Risk (WAR) International’s boutiques, they’re not just buying handcrafted products. They’re enabling at-risk women and children to find freedom from human trafficking. And with their freedom, they gain what previously was not within their grasp: hope and a future.

Human trafficking is a euphemism that illustrates the underbelly of one of the world’s most heinous of sins. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security defines it as a modern-day form of slavery involving the illegal trade of people that forces them into labor or commercial sexual exploitation.

WAR International’s founder and president, Rebecca “Becky” McDonald has another term for it: a heart problem entrenched in avarice.

Bishop John Williams holds a page of his handwritten memoir.Tucked inside a worn leather briefcase is the handwritten autobiography Bishop John H. Williams started when he was 35 years old with the uncomplicated title, "My Life." He turns 81 June 2.

A key reason his memoirs remain a work in progress is because Williams keeps chugging along fulfilling pastoral duties.

"I'm going to be faithful to the command God has given me," Williams said, who is the father of eight children, grandfather to 15 grandchildren and most recently a great-grandfather. His wife of 31 years, Catherine, died a year ago.

Destiny calling

Williams said he was 10 years old living his hometown of Coahoma, Miss., when he received the call to ministry.

A little known fact about singer-songwriter Laura Story: She once was a student at Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

“I was there for one semester and got homesick and went home,” recalled Story, 36, from her home near Atlanta. Ga. “But I loved it up there…. it was beautiful.”
(Story returns to Grand Rapids on May 16 – details below).

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