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

Would you sit at a table with 21 other people and then have a crane hoist that table l65 feet in the air so you could enjoy a unique dining experience? Many people have done just that and paid over $10,000 for the chance. It's called Dinner in the Sky and it's available to rent in most countries.

If that's not your cup of tea, how much would you be willing to pay for a great meal on the ground? Some of you may say $1,000 while others would go even higher. Still some people wouldn't go beyond $20 for a decent meal.

Recently I was talking with a gentleman who told me he was one of the top chefs at one of the most elite restaurants in all of the United States and perhaps the world. I joked with him that maybe my wife and I would go there and drop a couple hundred bucks.
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A rendering of the three-story Covenant House Michigan, Grand Rapids campus. A first-of-its-kind faith-based residential program in Grand Rapids for at risk, runaway or homeless youth will soon be open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Covenant House Michigan, Grand Rapids campus (CHMGR) is in the final stages of constructing a $3.5 million three-story building at 26 Antoine St. SW, near the intersection of S. Division Avenue and Franklin Street. It is slated to open in late November, and will have a staff of 20 with an annual operating budget of just under $1 million.

It's the second Covenant House in Michigan; the first is in Detroit, established 20 years ago.

Zach Williams performs at the 2018 Dove Awards. The recent Gospel Music Association Dove Awards ceremonies in Nashville, Tenn. saw dozens of Christian music artists honored by their industry and artistic colleagues.

And many of them have ties to West Michigan or are coming to the area for concerts over the next several months.

The inspirational pop-rock band For King & Country, performing in Grand Rapids' Van Andel Arena Dec. 9 , won a Dove Award for its holiday album "Christmas: Live in Phoenix."

"We were kind of shocked by that," said singer-songwriter Luke Smallbone the day after the Oct. 16 award ceremonies. "(The album) really had the band guys' fingerprints all over it, and it was great playing those Christmas songs."

The lead character in his mosaic costume in the stage play "The Book of Job" Karen Larabel is charged with safe-keeping the most elaborate costumes in the Master Arts Theatre inventory.

"I'm hanging on to them," said Larabel of the highly-detailed mosaic garments used last fall in the faith-based theater group's production of "The Book of Job."

"They are fragile, and (Master Arts) is having me protect them."

From left: Tom Doane, Pastor Wilbert Merzilus and Mark Wybenga.Turning Point Missions fuses home renovations with job training in Grand Rapids so clean drinking water is possible for Haitians who otherwise may die from water borne diseases.

It's that simple. And that profound.

Kim Walker-Smith of Jesus CultureSinger-songwriter Kim Walker-Smith had a few minutes to spare for a phone interview. "I'm taking advantage of some respite time while my children are sleeping," said the mother of three from her Sacramento, Calif. home.

Walker-Smith is part of Jesus Culture, a worship band firmly connected to a church of the same name. The band members were about to embark on a new tour coinciding with the release of their latest album, "Living With A Fire." (The tour comes to West Michigan on Oct. 16....see details below).

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

West Michigan singer-songwriter and worship leader Jeremy Hoekstra has released a new song that provides commentary on his recent life experience.

"Learning the Hard Way," is actually a cover version of a song by the band Gin Blossoms. But the lyrics resonated with Hoekstra in light of his family's struggle with his wife Lindsay's persistent health issues.

The couple has walked a protracted trail of doctor visits, tests and insurance squabbles.

The keyboard and acoustic guitar-based anthem has fairly bouyant pop rhythms. Yet the words tell of an uncertain journey in which "we're just too close to quit."

A combined 33,000 people attended the Sept. 8-9 CityFest to Ah-Nab-Awen Park. The recent two-day CityFest West Michigan drew a collective 33,000 people to Ah-Nab-Awen Park in downtown Grand Rapids that resulted in more than 2,000 making commitments for Christ. But now that the evangelistic outreach is finished, the larger question remains: what happens next?

Cornerstone University president Joseph Stowell, who served as the CityFest's co-chair, said the evangelistic outreach, produced by Portland, Oregon-based Luis Palau Association, succeeded in crossing denominational lines by bringing 435 Grand Rapids-area churches and nonprofit ministry organizations to work in unison toward one goal.

Singer-songwriter Tiffany Coverly has issued the lead single/video from her forthcoming extended play (EP) recording. The song she selected to front the self-titled project is a version of the For King & Country song "Joy."

Initially the song was proposed by her vocal coach, Anthem Lights singer Spencer Kane. "The more I listened to the lyrics, the more I realized how much it resonates with us as Christians," she said. "It's about choosing joy above our feelings." (See and hear the rhythmic track online.)

Tiffany is the wife of Christian illusionist Tom Coverly. And she officially released her music video just before the end of August when the couple re-located from the Grand Rapids area to Gulf Shores, Ala.

"Unbroken: Path to Redemption" is a stirring film, which touches the emotions and offers hope at the same time. Based on the best-selling book by Laura Hillenbrand, and the true story of Louis Zamperini, the film powerfully tells the story of the former Olympian who lands back in America after he is freed from being a P.O.W. This sequel to "Unbroken" picks up where that film left off, with this one focusing on Zamperini's salvation, following his battle with alcohol and his bitterness toward the Japanese prison guard who beat him while he was incarcerated. This faith-based film definitely focuses on the spiritual life of Zamperini, much more so than the first film. And it features Billy Graham's grandson, Will Graham, as the world renowned evangelist, Billy. Zamperini's life changes when he attends an L.A. tent meeting held by Graham. His wife, Cynthia, a Christian, keeps at Zamperini to attend. His drinking is destroying his family life, including putting a damper on the birth of his first child. So, after Cynthia's unflagging perseverance in urging Louis to attend, he finally caves in and does. In a dramatic moment in the film Zamperini is literally walking out of the meeting when Dr. Graham himself tells him there is no running from God.

“Blessed are” – The expressive painting is an ArtPrize entry displayed at First (Park) Congregational Church Sally Lundquist is happy to see this year's ArtPrize entries going up on display at her First (Park) Congregational Church in downtown Grand Rapids.

A year ago, the congregation wasn't sure it would be a venue for the 2018 art competition.

"We were all concerned about our sanctuary repair project, and weren't sure it would be completed," said Lundquist, Art Prize committee chair for the historic downtown church at 10 E. Park Pl. NE.

The church's large social hall, usually filled with temporary gallery walls for ArtPrize displays, was still being used for worship during the first part of September as sanctuary repairs were completed.

Sara Webb’s 13-year-old son, Malachi, was not a Capernaum camper but served as a volunteer, nevertheless and made friends. “They’re fun people,” said Malachi. "What might the church look like if people with profound and complex intellectual disabilities were conceived of as disciples with a distinct vocation—a calling given them by Jesus?" author John Swinton.

While the summer camp season is in the rearview mirror of history, Sara Webb is filled with the conviction that hope springs eternal.

The reason for Webb's optimism is because of what she experienced with a group of young adults with cognitive disabilities at a four-day discipleship camp at Timber Wolf Lake camp in Lake City.

West Michigan Christian News writer Terry DeBoer monthly surveys the landscape for the area's faith-related entertainment-enrichment events that might otherwise be overlooked. Here are three highlights for September:

Luis Palau has spoken to more than 30 million people in 75 countries.The Sept. 8-9 CityFest West Michigan promises to be an inspirational blend of liveliness.

Think of the two-day faith-based gala at Ah-Nab-Awen Park in downtown Grand Rapids as part heart-pounding concert, part sports derring-do, part kid-friendly amusement, with a healthy dose of a ageless human essential: the Gospel of hope.

In other words, CityFest is more of an emphasis on making it a festival than the crusades previous generations have known.

Admission is free and the start time is 3 p.m. for both days.

Heidi VanderWal: “God has spoken supernaturally through this whole journey.” Heidi VanderWal purposely keeps a journal next to her bed.

The direct sales entrepreneur keeps pen and paper at hand because she never knows when a concept will unexpectedly sprout in her mind that she can use for her custom fashion business named Crowned Free that her and a friend founded.

The ideas VanderWal says she receives from God are vital because they are fused to Crowned Free's mission of helping survivors of sex trafficking.

Matthew West comes to West Michigan October 11 This fall brings a good selection of Christian music concerts to West Michigan - in churches and other venues of all types and sizes.

Take September, for example.

*One of the hottest new worship songs these days is “Reckless Love.” The anthem just scored a 2018 Dove Award nomination as overall Song of the Year. The songwriter, worship leader Cory Asbury of Bethel Music, comes to Grand Rapids for a 7:30pm Thur. Sept. 20 concert in Christ Chapel at Cornerstone University. Also performing is fellow Bethel artist Kalley Heiligenthal. Tickets range from $35 to $18; available online or by phone at 800-965-9324.

"We'd been talking about doing some kind of reunion for some time," said Ken Reynolds of his former gospel music group His Image.
And after 17 years the West Michigan-based, urban contemporary ensemble is finally coming together again for a concert on Sun. Aug. 26.

The artists individually are involved in various Christian ministries in the area but worked out a time on a Sunday morning when all of them could get together. The performance is part of the New Hope Baptist Church's "Summer Breeze" series.

Dan Seaborn Parents, here’s a phrase you’re definitely going to hear your kids say somewhere along life’s road. They’re going to say, “I don’t want to do that because I’m not any good at it.”

I have had this experience at one time or another with all my children but I remember when it happened with my youngest child. She wasn’t sure if she wanted to play a certain sport at school because she didn’t think that she would be any good.

Isn’t the same true for many of us? Don’t we only want to take part in events where we know for sure we are going to excel or be the best? Kids need to be reassured that they aren’t alone in these feelings and that it’s okay not to always be the top dog. It is some of the best preparation we can give them for life.

With the help of Eric Bartkus, Christa Wetzel holds the exterior sign that will be displayed at Alpha Family Center of Lowell’s new location. The Alpha Family Center of Lowell's (AFCL) pro-life mission remains firmly intact, but a tapestry of enhancements enable this pregnancy and family nonprofit to stand against the headwind of abortion more effectively.

Recent changes include switching its name in 2016 from Alpha Women's Center to its more inclusive moniker that does a better job of reflecting the services it provides to both women and men; the purchase of an ultrasound machine that affords sharp images of unborn babies at its earliest months of development; adding a volunteer medical staff; and as of July 12 of this year a new, larger location, complete with a remolded interior that conveys an open, bright and welcoming vibe.

The crowd at last year’s Unity Festival in Muskegon The 18th annual Unity Christian Music Festival in Muskegon has assembled one of its top headlining artist groups ever.

With the Aug. 8-11 line-up of David Crowder, MercyMe, Casting Crowns and For King & County, the Unity gathering has arguably the strongest top-of-the-bill offering of any Christian festival in the Midwest.

"We work on it quite far in advance, and this year fell together especially well and the response has been tremendous," said festival director Kevin Newton.