NEWS
By MARY JOHNSON and MARY JOHNSON,SPECIAL TO THE SUN | August 18, 2006
Four years after a Millersville couple founded a nonprofit company to present their son's original plays, Spirited Productions is playing to hundreds of people at Anne Arundel Community College. This summer's offering was The Appeal, a musical dramatization exploring Lucifer's appealing his exile from heaven before a court of archangels. Judging by audience enthusiasm on Saturday, the company is filling a void for Christian audiences. Tony and Debbie Martelli formed Spirited Productions in 2002 to present their son Matthew's first play - a musical called Last Rights that he directed in 2003 at St. John the Evangelist Church in Severna Park.
NEWS
April 3, 2005
`Rappin' Reverend' set to speak at St. John Baptist St. John Baptist Church, 8910 Old Annapolis Road, Columbia, will hold its Spring Revival 2005 at 7 p.m. Monday through Wednesday. The speaker will be the Rev. C. Dexter Wise III of Faith Ministries Interdenominational Church in Columbus, Ohio. Known as the "Rappin' Reverend" for his recording albums (I Ain't Into That! and Crack Attack), Wise grew up in Baltimore and earned degrees from the University of Pennsylvania, Harvard University and the United Theological Seminary in Dayton, Ohio.
NEWS
By Sandy Alexander and Sandy Alexander,SUN STAFF | August 26, 2004
Tomorrow night, South Columbia Baptist Church will be filled with thumping hip-hop beats, young men rapping and praise for the Lord. Performers KJ-52, Pigeon John and GRITS will show local listeners that hip-hop and holiness can go together when they appear at the church's annual Summer Breeze Concert. "Our music is hip-hop music, rap music. It's more conscious though," said Stacy Jones, whose stage name is Coffee. "We're both believers, and our music is faith-based." Teron "Bonafide" Carter is the other half of the Nashville-based group GRITS, which stands for Grammatical Revolution In The Spirit and also reflects the group's Southern roots.
NEWS
By Christina Bittner and Christina Bittner,SPECIAL TO THE SUN | April 1, 2001
THE BROOKLYN Bridge Christian Coffeehouse has found a new home, at the rear of 5517-C Ritchie Highway, in the Arundel Village Shopping Center. Founded in 1999 by Brooklyn native Russ Tenhoff at Maryland's Church on the Rock, Brooklyn Bridge has become one of Baltimore's leading venues for Christian music. "It just spread like wildfire," Tenhoff said. "A lot of it was by word of mouth and by distributing fliers. We are also a member of the Christian Music Connection, which is a national association and a great resource for artists and managers to locate places to play.
NEWS
By Diane Reynolds and Diane Reynolds,SPECIAL TO THE SUN | September 29, 2000
When Grammy Award-winning gospel singer Larnelle Harris performs at Chapelgate Presbyterian Church in Marriottsville a week from Sunday, he will be joined by the Chapelgate choir for three of his songs. The event might symbolize the shared vision of Harris and Chapelgate, a vision that believes the right music can transform lives. Harris uses his talent to make a point. "I wouldn't even cross the street to sing a song just for its own sake. I want to sing songs that change people's lives," Harris says.
NEWS
By Peg Adamarczyk and Peg Adamarczyk,SPECIAL TO THE SUN | August 4, 2000
WITH THE HELP of the community and local churches, one man's idea to bring wholesome family entertainment to the area has blossomed into a one-day event that will fill Riviera Beach community park with joyful noise Aug. 19. Bill Williamson, a Linthicum resident and longtime member of Jenkins Memorial Church in Riviera Beach, is the idea man. "I've been involved with music, to some extent, all of my life," Williamson said. Williamson brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the volunteer position of the concert's coordinator.