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WHITBY
GOSPEL MUSIC CONVENTION
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AT
WHITBY PAVILION
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THE TENTH WHITBY GOSPEL MUSIC CONVENTION 2009 Friday 15th, Saturday 16th & Sunday 17th May THANK YOU ALL Here is a paragraph from the 2009 web page. "This year we have run into financial problems because there is now no direct flight from Faroe and we will have to bring the choir via Copenhagen. I am hoping to do some fund raising concerts and looking for other ways to cover an estimated shortfall of £10,000." My estimated shortfall was really a `guesstimate` and to be honest I booked all the artistes with my heart ruling me and not my head. I was carrying out Jill's wishes to have as many of our favourite artistes as possible on the bill, and when I did a true estimate two months before the event I found the shortfall was likely to be £18,000! I immediately applied the formula that we have established of working as if everything depends on us and praying as if everything depends on the Lord. (As indeed it does.) For two months I was on the go for twenty hours a day contacting hundreds of churches and radio stations, and many people brought the matter before the Lord in prayer. Your response has been wonderful with many of you buying the WGMC souvenir CD and the souvenir photo album that Lucy put together. You were also very generous in making so many donations. They ranged from the proverbial widow's mite to several three figure gifts and even a couple of four figure donations. We were blessed with record numbers attending and at the end of the day we were only £500 short of our target and there are sufficient CDs left to cover this when they are sold. To quote the well known line that Ray Winkler wrote in the Jim Reeves hit recording of `Welcome to My World`. "MIRACLES I GUESS STILL HAPPEN NOW AND THEN" The weekend was so special and the numbers of letters, cards, telephone calls and emails received about the event says it all. We pray that many lives will have been changed from this special tenth anniversary event.
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FROM THE ARCHIVES
A BIG THANK YOU FROM PAUL, JILL & THE TEAM TO ALL THOSE WHO TOOK PART IN OR ATTENDED THE 2007 EVENT - WE MOVED A LITTLE CLOSER TOWARDS THE EXTENDED THREE WEEK - LONG CONVENTION (THE KESWICK OF THE YORKSHIRE COAST) THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE W.G.M.C. EVENTUALLY BECOME
Paul, Jill & the team - June 2007
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JILL
CALLED TO GLORY
On
17th October as she listened to her beloved `Voices of Faroe` singing
"Nearer My God to Thee" Jill was called home by the
Lord.
She
never spoke as part of the Convention `Testimony Time` but her life was
indeed a living testimony to her unshakeable faith. During the 10 year
struggle with cardio myopathy and heart failure she never once
complained about the heavy load she had to carry and the terminal nature
of her condition. When ever we spoke of her illness, Jill's usual
comment was "God is Good! We have so many blessings"
There
have been so many good times during Jill's long illness, but probably
the happiest times of our lives were our two visits to the Faroe Islands
and the 2007 Convention, when for the first (and now the only) time all
five of us were present. The sight of David, Sarah and Lucy having
wonderful fellowship with so many of our singers and Christian friends
was something that Jill had longed for.
Jill
was a great planner and the Hymns, readings and subject of our Pastor's
address for her funeral were all arranged by Jill shortly before she
died. Her choice of "God be with You" to be sung at the
graveside will make the Convention Finale a difficult and emotional time
for future years.
All
the booking of artistes for the 2008 Convention and most of the planning
for the 10th Convention in 2009 has already been done by Jill, and we
pray that the event continues to grow in the years to come.
In
1999 the vision of a Whitby Gospel Music Convention was mine, but as
with every single aspect of my life, the one who set about turning my
dreams into reality was Jill. Many are probably unaware of the fact that
the lion's share of the work for the WGMC was done by Jill, so please
pray that we are able to fill the enormous gap that her passing
has left. During Jill's final days at the hospice she was cheered by
Lucy's announcement that she was moving home from Hull and would be
taking over the administrative work of the Convention. Her words to me
were "Good girl! I knew she had it in her"
On
a personal note, I have cancelled all my engagements up to the end of
the year and at the moment I feel as though my broken heart will never
mend. I hope to be singing a few songs in May and pray that the Lord
will give me back my musical ministry - if not then I shall work hard
behind the scenes.
The
whole family have been moved by the tidal wave of love and support, we
have had hundreds of cards, letters and emails over the last few weeks
and we thank you all.
God
Bless
Paul (November 2007) |