Sounds of Inspiration

By Effie Rolfe

It’s a Christmas Glory and Christmas Joy weekend! Bishop Arthur Monroe Brazier and the Apostolic Church of God will be in their annual Christmas program entitled “Christmas Joy” on tonight at 7:30pm. Special guests for the evening will be EMI recording artist Smokie Norful along with Elizabeth Norman, DeWayne Lee and Sharon Pulliam will be featured with the Apostolic Church of God Sanctuary Choir. Doors open at 6pm and the event are free to the public. For more information call (773) 667-1500. Also, hats off to Sharon Pulliam who was a guest on my show along with Secretary of State, Jesse White who spoke on organ and tissue donation. Pulliam recently donated her kidney to her younger sister earlier this year.

Valerie Norman Gammon of Amethyst Productions is gearing up for her annual affair Christmas Glory. Gammon, the Executive producer is presenting the must attend event at the House of House, 752 E 114th Street in Chicago on Saturday evening at 8pm. Special guests will include The Winans, Darius Brooks, Brian McKnight, JoAnn Rosario, DeWayne Lee, Santita Jackson, Al Jarreau, The Apostolic Brotherhood Chorale (Male Chorus), The Christmas Glory Chorus which consists of 300 members from ten Chicagoland churches. A special tribute will be presented to The Winans in honor of their brother, the late Ron Winans who recorded the gospel classic “Stand.” The special, which is being taped for television, will be hosted by Robin Robinson and aired on Christmas morning on WFLD Fox 32 and UPN. For more information call (312) 988-7300.

Professor L Stanley Davis of Northwestern University will be performing “Sounds of Christmas” at the Progressive Community Church—The People’s Church, 48th and Wabash this Sunday. Davis who is a music consultant and producer of Kellogg Gospel Sing Off as well as the African American Church Music Representative for Gregorian Institute of America (GIA) for which he serves as associate editor of the popular African American Heritage Hymnal. Davis will be singing Christmas music for the 11am worship service. Rev B Herbert Martin is the senior pastor. All are invited to attend.

Kudos to gospel diva, Leanne Faine who will be having her pre-cd release reception this weekend. Faine is a member of Bobby Jones and the Nashville Super Choir and is a former lead singer of the late Rev Milton Brunson’s Thompson Community Singers. Leanne Faine and Favor’s cd will be released in early January.

Speaking of the Thompson Community Singers, Mrs. Joe Ann Brunson is pleased to announce the rebirth of the Grammy Award winning choir. Auditions are being held each Thursday evening at 7:30pm at 4315 S. State Street, 2nd floor. For more information call

773-548-7889.

Prayers for Chicago Mass, Bridgette Campbell and Ann Campbell left this week for Europe. Chicago Mass who was nominated for a Stellar will be performing for two weeks in Switzerland. Also, Bridgette Campbell will be touring Switzerland, Italy and Germany and her mother, Ann will be featured during the tour. Our prayers that they sing well and return home safely.

Congratulations to the Evangel Assembly of God Youth Choir who won the 2005 Kellogg Gospel Sing-Off National Youth Choir Competition. The grand prize was $10,000 and an all expense paid trip to Disney World in Orlando where they performed with Donnie McClurkin, CeCe Winans and spokesperson Kierra ‘Kiki’ Sheard during Disney’s annual “Nights of Joy.” Evangel’s Youth was later invited to launch the gospel dinner concert series at the Davis’s Restaurant and Banquet Hall in Gary, Indiana. Ray Berryhill is the Pastor.

Condolences and prayers to the ‘minister of music’ and Verity recording artist, Richard Smallwood, whose mother passed away this week.

Happy belated to Vernon Oliver Price (Dec 1), Rev Willie Taplin Barrows, Dr. Charles G. Hayes, Bishop Horace E. Smith, M.D. and C. Allan Cathey.

“Remember you are blessed by the Best!”

 Effie Rolfe is the religion entertainment columnist for the Chicago Defender. She is also midday host (Monday-Friday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.) on WGRB-AM/1390 and Host of "Music of Love and Inspiration" Sunday Mornings on WGCI-FM/107.5 from 6 a.m. to 11 a.m. Email Effie Rolfe at: effrolfe@aol.com