Twin Cities Community Gospel Choir presents 13th Annual Mother’s Day Concert
ROSEVILLE — The Twin Cities Community Gospel Choir, led by Robert Robinson, will present its 13th Annual Mother’s Day Concert on Friday, May 9 at Roseville Lutheran Church.

The 2008 event will feature young poets from around the Twin Cities sharing “their heart and soul about the special women in their lives and their unique interpretation of what Mother’s Day is all about,” according to a press release.

“My reason for doing the concert annually rests simply with the importance of recognizing family and friends in our lives, specifically the ‘special women in our lives’ who have been there to love us, support us, guide us, and listen to us when we need to rant and rave,” Robinson said. “It’s important to recognize these relationships and let people know how important their presence in our lives is and continues to be—even for those who have passed on.”

Robinson’s grandmother passed away in 1991.

“I will always remember the talks I had with my grandmother,” he said. “We plan on having a small segment of the program where the selections will be dedicated to the ‘special women in our lives.’”

The TCCGC features singers of various musical experience, ethnic backgrounds, and ages to “celebrate music and spirituality through the rich tradition of African American religious music.” The group performs songs in musical styles ranging from inspirational spirituals to contemporary gospel tunes.

The TCCGC Annual Mother’s Day Concert begins at 7:30 p.m., with doors opening at 7 p.m. Tickets are $20 for adults and $16.50 for seniors and youth 14 and under. Tickets may be purchased at the door or by calling (612) 521-0800 between 11 a.m. and 5 p.m.

To learn more about the TCCGC, visit www.tccgospel.org.


Minnesota Family Council and Minnesota Family Institute celebrate 25th anniversary
MINNEAPOLIS — The Minnesota Family Council and the Minnesota Family Institute will celebrate 25 years “of advancing biblical principles in the public arena” at their 2008 Annual Dinner on May 15. Dr. Del Tackett, president of the Focus on the Family Institute and senior vice president of Focus on the Family, will serve as the keynote speaker for the dinner.

Tackett is also the chief architect and spokesperson for Focus on the Family’s The Truth Project, “a nationwide initiative bringing the Christian worldview to the body of Christ.”

The MFC and MFI have adopted The Truth Project as the centerpiece of a long-range “strategy to build a grassroots base energized to engage culture with a biblical worldview.”

The May 15 Annual Dinner will take place at the Northland Inn beginning with a private reception for table sponsors. At press time, tickets were nearly sold out.


Walking events to benefit two pro-life groups in May
TWIN CITIES — Two local pro-life groups will hold “Walk for Life” fundraising events at several locations throughout the Twin Cities this month.

New Life Family Service’s annual Walk for Life will take place at 2 sites on May 17. The Metro Walk will begin at the NLFS office in Richfield, while the North Suburbs Walk will begin at the NLFS Anoka office.

Registration for both walks is at 8:30 a.m., with the 2-mile walks beginning at 9 a.m. The route is expected to take less than 90 minutes to complete.

Funds raised through the Walk for Life events will allow NLFS to continue offering services to women and  families facing unplanned pregnancies. Examples of NLFS services include: free pregnancy testing, adoption services, limited ultrasounds, maternity and infant clothing, abortion recovery groups, abstinence speakers and curriculum, and support groups for single mothers and birth mothers.

Prizes will be awarded to the top adult, child under age 12, and family who raises the most pledges. For more information, visit www.newlifefamilyservices.com.

The Women’s Life Care Center of Little Canada will co-host the 13th Annual Walk for Life around Lake Phalen in St. Paul on Saturday, May 31 from 10 a.m. to noon.

WLCC is a nonprofit crisis pregnancy and resource center that reaches out to women facing unplanned pregnancies. The organization offers lay counseling and “nurturing emotional and material support” to women in need. The Little Canada WLC location is one of 20 centers in Minnesota, and two in eastern Wisconsin, many of which are also co-hosting the May event.

Services offered by Life Care Centers include: a parenting group, educational groups for mothers, a crib and car seat voucher program, free pregnancy tests, professional counseling, and referrals to outside medical and social service agencies.

Registration for the WLCC Walk for Life begins at 9 a.m. on May 31, and rolls and juice will be provided. For more information, visit www.womenslifecarecenter.org, call (651) 777-0350 or e-mail womenslifecare@usfamily.net.


Former NASA astronaut to speak at Grace Church
EDEN PRAIRIE — Grace Church in Eden Prairie will host the 9th Annual We Salute Our Veterans program on Saturday, May 17 at 10 a.m. The 2008 program will feature former NASA astronaut Jack Lousma (Colonel, USMC, Retired).

Lousma served in the Marine Corps for 25 years. While working as a pilot for NASA, he performed two spacewalks aboard America’s first space station, Skylab.

“The war in Iraq has elevated our awareness of the great sacrifice our veterans have made to preserve our freedom,” said Dean Morin, pastor to adults at Grace Church and organizer of the event. “This program will give everyone from the Twin Cities an opportunity to honor our brave military men and women who serve our country. And we are delighted to have Colonel Lousma as our featured speaker.”

The We Salute Our Veterans program will include veteran testimonies and recognition, as well as inspirational and patriotic music.

The event is free to attend. An optional lunch will be provided after the program for $8 with advance reservations by calling (952) 224-3032 before May 8.

For directions to Grace Church, visit www.atgrace.com/directions.


Citywide prayer event scheduled for Saints Stadium
ST. PAUL — Christians throughout the Twin Cities are being invited to gather to “worship God and seek him in prayer for revival and transformation” at the St. Paul Saints Stadium on Saturday, May 17 at 7 p.m.

“It is a daylong event that begins with a Spirit-filled call to a fellowship of ministry unto the Lord leading into the evening event at the Saint’s Stadium in the Midway,” said John Tolo, of Young Adult Koinonia, the event’s organizer.

A group will gather at 9 a.m. at Berean Church of God in Christ on the morning of the event to “seek God through prayer and worship,” according to a press release. At 11 a.m., teams will spread out across the Twin Cities to hand out postcards inviting people to the evening gathering.

Attendees are invited to gather at the stadium as early as 6 p.m. for a time of personal prayer, with the event officially beginning at 7 p.m. The Gather at the Saint’s Stadium event will feature musical worship, Scripture readings and individual “speaking out prayers of repentance for our region.”

“We recognize that our Father, through his son Jesus, by the Holy Spirit, desires to lead us into a time of revival,” Tolo said. “We are seeking to enter into a time of the repentance that God will provide to us and allow us to honor his covenant/promise for this generation and region.”

To learn more about the event, visit www.citc-tc.org.


Theater for the Thirsty’s ‘My Name is Daniel’ featured in Spirit in the House festival
MINNEAPOLIS — The Spirit in the House festival, hosted by Hennepin Avenue United Methodist Church, will run from May 23 to June 1. The 10-day festival brings together 30 different shows, for a total of 150 performances, exploring “a variety of ethical issues and celebrating a diverse cross-section of spiritual traditions.”

Theater for the Thirsty, a two-person theater company from the Twin Cities, will perform its 10th original work, the musical “My Name is Daniel,” during Spirit in the House on May 23, 25 and 31. All performances are at 8:30 p.m.

The husband and wife team behind Theater for the Thirsty, Jeremiah and Vanessa Gamble, specialize in creating and performing shows in which they each play multiple characters and rely on minimal prop use. Jeremiah Gamble said the team has been drawn to the story of Daniel for several years now.

“He is a very timely example of someone living out their faith in a hostile culture,” he explained.

The new show covers many biblical themes but focuses on humility and obedience. Portions of Scripture from Jeremiah and Isaiah are also woven into the show.

“Our show is one of the more ‘evangelical’ offerings in the festival,” Jeremiah Gamble said. “We are looking forward to the opportunity to perform for a diverse audience.”

In addition to Jeremiah and Vanessa Gamble (who also perform each winter as part of the Gamble Family Christmas), Michael Pearce Donley of Triple Espresso arranged the music for “My Name is Daniel” and Jeffrey S. Miller, former artistic director for another Christian theater company, directed the show.

For more information about the Spirit in the House festival, visit www.spiritinthehouse.org. To learn more about Theater for the Thirsty, visit www.theaterforthethirsty.com.


GMCC Paint-A-Thon applications available
MINNEAPOLIS — The Greater Minneapolis Council of Churches is accepting registrations for the 2008 Paint-A-Thon. The annual painting event will take place Aug. 2-3. Last year, 135 homes were painted by program volunteers.

The Paint-A-Thon draws volunteer teams from corporations, congregations, and other civic groups, together to paint homes for low-income elderly and disabled homeowners in the seven-county metro area. Volunteers scrape, prime and paint the homes at no cost to the owners, allowing them to continue living independently in their own homes.

Teams range in size from 10 to 40 members, and Paint-A-Thon provides all the paint, most painting supplies, and “all the technical advice a team needs to have a fantastic volunteer experience.”

Team registrations for the 2008 Paint-A-Thon are due June 4 and are available by contacting Diedre Pope, Paint-A-Thon director, by phone at (612) 721-8687, or by e-mail at dpope@gmcc.org.

For more information, visit www.gmcc.org/paint-a-thon.


The MOST Amazing Race to benefit The Salvation Army’s Bed and Bread Club
MINNEAPOLIS — The Salvation Army’s 3rd Annual The MOST Amazing Race, an official event of the Minneapolis Aquatennial, will take place on June 16. Proceeds from the race raise funds for The Salvation Army’s Bed and Bread Club.

Patterned after the CBS show “The Amazing Race,” the scavenger-hunt style race leads teams on a large-scale journey around the Twin Cities using only Metro Transit for transportation. A qualifying event on the morning of the race narrows the field to 20 teams of two people. Up to five teams can automatically qualify for the final race by raising over $1,500.

The final teams will receive a clue leading them to a checkpoint somewhere in the Twin Cities.

Upon arriving at checkpoints, teams will be required to complete a task—including physical and mental challenges—in order to receive the next clue. The first team to reach the finish line will win a grand prize of $5,000, courtesy of Wells Fargo.

The MOST Amazing Race has raised over $86,000 for the Bed and Bread Club since the event debuted in 2006. For more information, visit www.thesalarmy.org.


Crossroads Chapel seeking 2008 State Fair performers
ST. PAUL — The Crossroads Chapel is currently accepting applications for performers at the 2008 Minnesota State Fair, which runs Aug. 21 to Sept. 1. The deadline for 2008 applications is June 6.

“Performing at the Chapel is an opportunity to influence others for Christ and exalt him. It allows performers to showcase their ministries and have their products sold in our bookstore,” said Betty Swanson, Chapel Director. “The Chapel is a unique place to share the Gospel with fairgoers.”

The Chapel provides daily programming from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. (10 p.m. on Friday and Saturday evenings), as well as three worship services each Sunday of the fair.

The mission of the Crossroads Chapel is to provide a welcoming environment, point people to Christ and exalt him through music and message, using a variety of media, performers and resources.

Individuals and groups who perform at the Chapel come from a wide variety of backgrounds and musical styles.

To obtain a Chapel performance application, visit www.crossroadsmn.org or call (651) 481-0480.

All groups or individual performers must furnish a CD, DVD or tape of their work.

Applicants are instructed to send the application and a demo CD to the office at 2691 White Bear Ave., Maplewood, MN 55109. Applications are due by June 6.

Send your Chapel testimonies to crossroadsministries@usfamily.net.

Crossroads Ministries, which operates the Crossroads Chapel, is also looking for volunteers at the fair, and those willing to pray for Chapel operations for 2008.


Pawlenty appoints pro-life judge
ST. PAUL, Minn. — Gov. Tim Pawlenty has appointed a pro-life advocate to serve as the state’s next chief justice for the Supreme Court.

According to LifeNews.com, Eric Magnuson is noted for writing an amicus brief for Minnesota Citizens Concerned for Life in a case involving taxpayer-funded abortions.

The case was settled in 1995, when the high court ordered the state to use tax dollars for abortions.

Scott Fischbach, the head of Minnesota Citizens Concerned for Life, told Life News he was delighted with Pawlenty’s decision of Magnuson for the high court.