True Professionals

I met a group of true professionals Sunday afternoon. 

A couple in our church, David and Kathy Ferguson, are adopting a little boy and girl from China.  Both are special needs children.  They have a daughter and son who are in college and a five year old they brought home from China two years ago (also a special needs child).  After the China adoption was already underway, a blue eyed blonde baby girl came into their home.  Definitely starting over in a big way.

They held an aluminum can drive (still going) to help raise funds for the adoption.  The local news station heard about it and did a segment on them.  A group of people, who regularly do fund raisers, saw it and contacted them about having a benefit concert for them.  There were seven artists who gave their time to come to the church and put on this concert.  Some from as far away as Dallas.

It was a Southern Gospel concert.  We sing contemporary at church and I rarely hear Southern Gospel anymore.  There’s just something about the sound of strings bending on a flattop or the draw of a fiddle.  Of course, that they had a little boogie-woogie thrown in didn’t hurt either.  

For whatever reason, there were only a few people that came.  I know it was hard on the Fergusons.  It was hard on me and I was just supposed to punch buttons on the computer to run the overheads.  I didn’t have a stake in this but I was very disappointed.  I wanted to see the place packed.

I have to confess I wasn’t planning on staying.  It takes me 40 minutes to get to the church and I have developed the habit of not leaving the house on Sundays once I get home.  I was there to lend a hand in the setup because they brought all their own equipment but I was planning on going home as soon as the setup was done.  Then David asked me if I would stay and help so he could sit with his family.  I am so glad I did.

I thoroughly enjoyed meeting these artists and hearing stories about other venues they have played and how God moved.  Made me wish I could make a few trips with them.  I know I would have a ball.

When it was time for the concert to start, David came into the sound booth and said, ‘Well, we’re having a concert”.  Each artist sang like there were a thousand people there.  We laughed, cried, clapped and worshiped. Even though the crowd was small, we received the full two hour concert. 

They are planning another benefit concert for the Fergusons in a bigger venue.  Will I be there?  If it is at all possible.

ARTISTS:  

Casey Rivers:  2006 2nd place Nashville Star:  Casey Rivers: Facebook

Grant Cook:  Grant Cook: Facebook

Kallee Rhodes:  Kallee Rhodes: Facebook

Melinda McFarlin:  Mcfarlin & Mabry: Facebook

Richard Mabry

Mike Huff 
Jamie Lynn Flanakin

Kudos to every one of them.