Nashville Gospel Singer To Appear In Girard

Singer/songwriter Renee Martin has spent many years touring as a featured background vocalist with Faith Hill, Tim McGraw, Patty Loveless, Pam Tillis, Billy Dean, Jessica Andrews and countless other artists in country, pop and Gospel music. She has appeared on most every major television network in the United States, as well as many broadcasts overseas.

Her career highlight came in 2000 during Tim and Faith's record breaking, sold out, Soul2Soul Tour, when she was featured on CBS during the 'Faith Hill Thanksgiving Special'.

Come and join them for an exciting "free" concert and hear Renee's personal testimony of God forgiveness and grace.

Renée, was born in Nashville and raised in country music. This singer/songwriter has spent many years touring as a featured background vocalist with Faith Hill, Tim McGraw, Patty Loveless, Pam Tillis, Billy Dean, Jessica Andrews and countless other artists in country, pop and Gospel music. She has appeared on most every major television network in the United States, as well as many broadcasts overseas. Her career highlight came in 2000 during Tim and Faith's record breaking, soled out, Soul2Soul Tour, when she was featured on CBS during the 'Faith Hill Thanksgiving Special'. When Faith personally asked Renée, "What does your family do for Thanksgiving?" she was able to share a very spiritual moment of how they express gratitude on their favorite holiday. That one event renewed a passion in Renée's soul for helping people build deeper relationships and experience more of God's Grace in their lives. She even received a confirmation from within the band to "Step out on Faith" (pun intended) into ministry, and as God would have it, Faith decided to take some much needed time off, to be with her children and not tour between Soul2Soul 2000 and Soul2Soul 2006-7.

Renée is now in full time ministry as a singer, songwriter, motivational speaker, and author. She also still makes much of her living in the recording industry doing vocals, jingles and voice-overs, as well as acting in television with a national commercial to her credit.

Her story of salvation begins with the unconditional love of an old, retired preacher. Renée met Brother Loy Cook in 1986, almost exactly one year after tragically losing her father in a car accident. They worked together for a sales organization and sometimes after work some of the co-workers would meet at Wendy's. Over a frosty, Loy would talk to Renée about Jesus and the conversation with, "You ought to come to church on Sunday." She had not grown up in church and had never experienced the kind of love that Jesus had to offer. Loy helped Renée understand that only God could fill the void from the loss of her earthly father and he showed her the unconditional love of her heavenly Father.

After 3 months, the investment Loy made in Renée paid off. She not only surrendered to Loy's invitation to come to church, she also surrendered the rest of her life to Jesus Christ. Since that day, 21 years ago, God has been preparing Renée for "The Call" of passing on this beloved gift of God's Grace. Renée refers to Loy as the first tangible evidence that made her believe how real Jesus is. He was "Jesus with skin on." The first Christian song she ever wrote was a tribute to him entitled "You've Been Jesus To Me." In Renée's own words she remembers, "God so lovingly brought Brother Loy Cook into my life after the sudden shock of losing my father in a car wreck 24 tears ago. (ooops...that was actually a typo (years), but I think I will leave it as is.) My dad was my hero. I was 20 years old and absolutely devastated. Okay, so now you know I am 44. Anyway, God sent Loy to help fill that void left in my heart. He became my mentor, loved me like a daughter and showed me the love of Jesus like no one I have ever known. He was Jesus to me for 13 years right up until the day he died. He never gave up on me.

I had carried a song around in my heart and head for 10 years without actually ever writing it down or recording it. No one had ever heard it but me. Loy became very ill and I knew I could not let him go until he heard how he had changed my life for eternity. I immediately recorded his song and he got to hear it before he died. They say he played it all the time for everybody who came to visit him. I loved him like a father."

When Renée sings Loy's song in her concerts, she poses the question: "Who has been Jesus to you?"

Renee can be seen at the Girard Alliance Church 229 Rice Ave. in Girard.

For more information call the church at 814-774-9714

Asbury Woods Maple Festival

Maple syrup making historical tours, arts and crafts, maple flavored foods, pancakes, music and more.

Experience the maple production tour from Native American times to the present. Maple trees are unique and grow only in the Great Lakes Region of the world. Trees are terrific. Learn about the value and significance of trees. Participate in a variety of activities, crafts, demonstrations, maple tours and meet Smokey the Bear at Asbury Woods.

Pancakes with real maple syrup

Guided tour of maple syrup production and thePA Department of Agriculture WoodMobile

Kids crafts & activities

Live animal shows

Sample and purchase maple products

Live music

Saturday, 10 April, 2010 10:00 AM - 04:00 PM

Cost:$5 members, $6 non-members

Location: Asbury Woods Nature Center, 4105 Asbury Road, Erie, PA
For more info call 814-835-5356

Erie Micro Brew Fest Coming Next Week

The Erie Micro Brew Festival presented by WQLN and the Brewerie at Union Station. This year's fest will once again feature 25 craft brewers and a new event called the Gears to Beers – a bicycle tour through the history of brewing in the Greater Erie area.

We've also dropped the price for a "designated driver's" ticket to only $5.00. Our friends at Sheetz have joined the party and will serve gourmet Coffeez - Latte, Mocha and Expresso – yummy! It wil be held at the Brewerie, Union Station in Erie on April 17th.

Two Sampling Sessions
Sampling Session 1 - Roll Out the Barrel - 1:00pm to 4:00pm
Sampling Session 2 - We'll Have a Barrel of Fun - 5:00pm to 8:00pm

New This Year
Pretzel Necklaces for everyone!

The Guinness Beer Garden - featuring sampling of Guinness stout, Harp lager, and Smithwicks ale. The GBG will also feature beer prize baskets to bid on and 12 malty beverages and wine coolers to sample. Anyone who attended the second sampling session in 2009 can now yell YEA! T

The Sheetz Gourmet Coffeez Bar – a place to try gourmet Coffeez, Latte, Mocha, Expresso, Hot Chocolate, and Steamerz.
The Sheetz Prize Wheel – round and round it goes some get gas, some get...?

Marnie Mead-Oberle's Cooking Demonstrations
Cheddar Beer Soup
Beer Biscuits
Brats simmered in beer served on buns
Ox Roast simmered in beer served on kimmelweck
Beer Cake

25 Craft Brewers

Micro Brewers are some of the finest people, who live on this small planet. They are first and foremost craftsmen and craftswomen, who make a product that we love. They struggle with a thousand variables. Some of the variables, like bacteria are microscopic and some, like the cost of hops in Belgium are global. Any one of these variables can spoil a batch of beer. They forge forward; they bet hearth and home, forgoing creature comforts to bring to market – not a product, but a dream.

Every brewer appearing at The Erie Micro Brew Festival supports it because they believe in the mission of Public Broadcasting. That is why we think that nothing goes better with Masterpiece Theatre, American Experience, or This Old House then a well crafted beer.
 

D'maris Carbaugh in Concert

First Alliance Church presents D'maris Carbaugh in Concert. D'maris has been a featured soloist with the Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir and can often be seen on the 'Day of Discovery' weekly TV program. She has devoted her life to sharing God's love & mercy with others. D'maris will be featured with our own FAC Worship Choir. Come and be inspired as you draw closer to the Lord through the music of D'maris Carbaugh. Admission: Free Refreshments will follow in the gym

The event will be held on April 10th at 7:00 PM. First Alliance Church is located at 2939 Zimmerly Rd in Milcreek Township. Cal 814-833-9862 or more info.