SGN Scoops Digital

Melissa Ladd (The Ladd Family) Suffers Severe Fall

ROCK HILL, S.C. – (September 26, 2011) – Emerging Southern Gospel duo The Ladd Family request the prayers and thoughts of Southern Gospel fans and industry alike. Group vocalist Melissa Ladd suffered a severe fall recently, causing the group to come off the road through the end of the year.
 
Paul Ladd, Melissa’s husband, said, “On August 31, Melissa passed out and fell on the baby we are expecting. She was in the hospital for a few days, and we found out that she had an undiagnosed heart condition in which doctors believe caused the initial episode. Melissa and the baby are doing better, but due to the potential for another passing-out episode and premature birth, doctors have ordered that Melissa remain on bed rest until she delivers.”
 
The Ladd Family will resume traveling again on December 31, 2011 in Carroll, Ohio at River of Life Church.
 
“We truly apologize for any inconvenience that this might have caused, and we covet your prayers,” continued Paul. “God has shown us His faithfulness time and time again, and we know that this situation will be no different. We look forward to the forth-coming birth of our child and cannot wait to get back to ministering again.”
 
Get well wishes can be sent to melissa@laddfamilyministries.com or on The Ladd Family’s Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/The-Ladd-Family/127922370615314
 
For more information about The Ladd Family, visit the group’s website: www.laddfamilyministries.com . You can also keep up with the group on social network sites like Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Ladd-Family/127922370615314) and MySpace (www.myspace.com/theladdfamily).
 
About The Ladd Family
The Ladd Family is an anointed family ministry with strong Christian roots. They began more than 35 years ago when John and Violet Ladd felt the call of God on their lives and began to travel singing and preaching the gospel with their children. Today the family tradition carries on with Paul and his wife Melissa. God has brought this dynamic husband and wife team through the fire and back in order to truly minister from the heart. They have earned three Diamond Award nominations and scored a #1 hit on the SouthernGospelTimes.com Top 40 Fan Chart with their single “Let Go.”

Prayer Needed For Ernie Dawson of Heirline

Nashville, TN- Homeland Inspiration Group is asking for everyone to remember to pray for Ernie Dawson of Heirline.

Due to recent struggles with diabetes, Ernie recently underwent surgery on one of his feet. Complications set in after completion of the surgery and the doctors have had Ernie hospitalized this week with staph infection. The physicians have stated that Ernie may be released today, but will be following up under physicians care early next week.

Ernie will not be present for this weekend’s concerts in Westmoreland TN, Palmer TN and Tullahoma, TN. Heirline will however proceed with keeping all of their commitments for this weekend with Ernie’s 13 year old son Landon filling in at lead vocals for Ernie. Ernie wants to thank all of the fans and Southern Gospel Music Industry personnel for their prayers during this difficult time.

Homeland Inspiration Group will announce more information about Ernie’s condition in the coming days. If you would like to send Ernie a note, card, or donation to assist with costly medical expenses, the mailing address is Heirline, P.O. Box 2176, Jasper, TN 37347.

Rob Estep From Beyond The Ashes Talks to Scoops about Bus Fire

“Often times our fans, friends and loved ones think life on the road is a glamorous lifestyle, and that it is all perfect and such.  Of course there are so many blessings daily of being able to go out on the road and share the good news with the powerful tool of music, so the good always outweighs the bad.  This last weekend was one of those “growing and maturing” weekends and a time where we saw and experienced the hand of God mightily in spite of what is a disastrous time. 

On Friday July 29th, Beyond The Ashes started out on another normal weekend of traveling and ministering.  This weekend would be a little more fun because we were headed to the Tri Lakes Center in Branson, MO to be with our friends the Martins. After a great concert and all of us saying our goodbyes we left Branson around 10:30pm.  Anthony started driving our seven and half hour trek towards Owensboro, KY for our concert on Saturday night.  After driving for a little over two hours, he decided to pull over at the closest Walmart. We were in the small town of Marshfield, MO for the night, just down the road from Springfield.  He parked the bus and he, our dear ministry friend Dusty Wells, and I sat in the front lounge discussing ideas and sharing our hearts in regards to the ministry of Beyond The Ashes.  Kellan and Casey had already headed to bed for the evening. Around 1:15 AM Dusty and Anthony decided to call it a night, and so Anthony went to his bunk and Dusty went to the back of the bus to lay down on the back bed,  and I went into
WalMart to grab a few groceries. I finally laid down and remembered looking at my phone for the last time at 1:58AM.  I quickly drifted off to sleep.

At about 2:20AM I was abruptly awakened to see Dusty run to the front of the bus in a panic saying that he smelled a funny burning smell.  Then Anthony came flying out of his bunk and ran to the front of the bus and looked out the doors and that funny smell was smoke billowing out of our bus around the battery bay.  Anthony quickly yelled “fire” and everyone was out of their bunks in a split second. I don’t remember much but thinking to grab my phone, wallet, and t-shirt. We all had safely made it off the bus and were standing about 20 feet away from the bus on the opposite side of where the smoke was coming from.  Then I remembered  looking under the bus and seeing a bright orange glow! As we all ran to other side of the bus we saw the flames coming out of the battery bay.  The next instinct for all of us was to call 911, and to notify the people that were in the surrounding vehicles and get them moved away from the bus in thoughts that the bus may explode. Casey took off across the parking, shirtless and barefoot, and went into WalMart in hopes they could make an announcement. I was on the phone with the 911 operator at 2:35AM. The fire department arrived minutes later as we watched our home on the road going up in flames. To say each of us were in shock is a understatement.  The feeling of hopelessness and so many thoughts in each of our heads, especially Anthony who has worked so diligently and faithfully to guard and protect the ministry of Beyond The Ashes. 

The firemen quickly put the fire out on the side of the bus where it apparently had begun.  So strange to see that only fiberglass separated that fire and the bunk area where Kellan and I’s bunks were! One of the firemen went on the bus and gathered shoes for us to put on. After a little bit of time to make sure there was no danger for us, we were then allowed to go into a  very smoke filled bus and grab our and computers.  Each of us were so quiet and filled with a wide range of emotions as we began to survey the damage.  

We all finally got to bed around six am on Saturday morning and we got a little sleep or at least tried to!   The fire department, police and WalMart staff were so helpful and called a Holiday Inn a few blocks away to make sure we could get a room.  They even took us over there with our smoke filled luggage and salvageable belongings.

Later that morning we all woke up to a tremendous out pouring of texts, emails, and phone calls.  While this very scary experience we learned several things. I think the two greatest things that I learned is that our God is more faithful to protect His children than I could ever realize! The other thing I learned is that we have some wonderful friends, who all just started doing what they could to help any way they could! We did have to cancel our Saturday evening concert but with encourage words from many we felt very strongly that God wanted us to go on to our two services for Sunday. We were able to rent a vehicle one way after several hours and then a 11 hour drive to Eastern Kentucky, we did make the dates.

 While we are so thankful and extremely grateful that we made it out  of this very scary situation,  we now start the process of seeing what is salvageable if anything!  The insurance claims, the ruined product, the damaged sound system and then to find another means of transportation so we can continue to press on in the ministry with what we KNOW AND BELIEVE God has entrusted us with.  We simply ask that you keep Beyond the Ashes in your prayers and thoughts. Again, thank you…thank you… all for the tremendous love, care, concern, encouragement and support that you have shown and are still showing to us! We love you!   We cannot do this without you!”

From Gerald Wolfe

From Gerald Wolfe If it comes to your mind, please remember to pray for us as we travel this weekend. After our Sunday Morning Worship Service, the bus will roll toward Tennessee, and I will fly from Dallas to Atlanta to prepare for my surgery on Monday. Right now, I’m scheduled to go “under the knife” at 11am (Eastern), so your prayers around that time would be very much appreciated.

WORDS OF COMFORT FROM NATIONAL RECORDING ARTIST AND BIRMINGHAM-BASED RUSH OF FOOLS ON THE DESTRUCTION OF LAST WEEK’S ALABAMA TORNADOES

(Birmingham, AL) April 28, 2011 —– Yesterday we have experienced a great and horrific tragedy as a community, as a city, and as a state. The death tolls for the greater Birmingham area are still unknown, but are rising by the hour. Families are left with nothing but each other, if even that. What do we, as a band, say to this?

Whether we see our days as good or bad, our lives and things as gain or loss, our God is sovereign. He is sovereign over ALL things, not just happy things. Throughout the story of Scripture, we see God causing and calming storms, destruction, chaos. This is where theology is difficult to swallow. God is NOT the Red Cross. He’s GOD. We are praying that our city would be comforted this day by the words found in Psalm 148:7-8…

“Praise the Lord from the earth, you great sea creature and all deeps, fire and hail, snow and mist, stormy wind fulfilling HIS word!”

As a band, which calls the beautiful city of Birmingham home, we mourn today with and for the many who have suffered tremendous loss. Our prayers go out to those who are looking at what used to be their home or local business, which is now just pile of debris. Our sadness sits with those who have talked to a loved one for the last time. Our peace, which surpasses our own understanding, rests in a Holy God that loves and cares for His children.

In the coming days, we will be working diligently with our own faith family (www.christcitychurch.org) to be just a small part of all that God will do in the coming weeks to draw men unto Himself in and around Birmingham. With great suffering, we always see great Kingdom impact. As one of the elders of our church, please know that email chains have already been started to figure out how we can best serve our city for the glory of God. Please remember, our God is sovereign. It will help you shut your eyes tonight, knowing that if He wills it, your heart will continue beating without you even knowing it. We love you Birmingham.

-Kevin Huguley and Rush Of Fools

Father of Lamp Music Group’s Mike Pillow in Need of Prayers

Apreil 13, 2011

We found out yesterday that dad, Richard Pillow, 72,  has some major blockages.

They will do open heart surgery today on him.

He’s at Piedmont in ATL.

thanks in advance for your prayers

Mike Pillow
Lamp Music Group
THE FRESH SOUND OF TODAY’S GOSPEL MUSIC
Www.lampmusic.com

Liz McMillan Injured in Traffic Accident

Smyrna TN -  Liz McMillan of McMillan & Life was involved in a four-car accident on Tuesday, April 12, at approximately 2:30 pm. She was taken to Stonecrest Medical Center in Smyrna TN, where she was treated for a fractured knee cap and released. She will be undergoing further testing to determine the extent of the interior damage to her leg.

Miraculously, no serious injuries were reported, and only one other person was transported for treatment.

“I just thank God for His protection,” says Jimmy McMillan, Li’s husband and owner of McMillan & Life. “Somehow I know this is all part of His plan. Not sure how, but I’m sure it is.”

The group would like to thank everyone for their continued prayers.

For more about McMillan and Life, visit www.mcmillanandlife.com

Urgent Prayer Request for Randy Woodrome of Appointed By Grace.

Franklin, TN (Mansion Entertainment) January 20, 2011 – On Wednesday January 19^th, while preparing the motor home to travel to a future singing date in Alabama, Randy Woodrome of Appointed By Grace fell from the roof of motor home suffering severe head trauma. He was immediately life-flighted to Hermann Memorial Hospital in Houston, Texas where extensive measures are being taken to treat Randy’s injuries. He’s currently in the Neuroscience Intensive Care Unit where his state is currently being evaluated hourly. The next 3-5 days are critical for Randy, the family and group members have requested prayers on his behalf. Updates regarding Randy’s status are being posted on the group’s facebook page.

Susan Unthank, Founder of AbsolutelyGospel.com, Passes Away

SGN Scoops offers our prayers up for the entire Unthank family. Susan’s legacy has always been an inspiration to us and her friendship was treasured.

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. – (January 5, 2011) – Susan Unthank, founder and Editor-In-Chief of AbsolutelyGospel.com (formerly SoGospelNews.com) and husband of Deon Unthank (Sunday Edition), passed peacefully into the arms of her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ this morning, January 5, 2011 at approximately 6:30 a.m. CST.

Deon Unthank said, “Our hearts are breaking now more than any other time in our lives. Susan was my wife, confidant, mother of our children, and my best-friend for the last 33 years. She was the back-bone of our family and the site. Susan put more time and energy over the course of the last 15 years in SGN than most people put in in their life. She lived and breathed Southern Gospel for the past 15 years. While our family grieves the loss of this very important member of our family, surely the industry must mourn the loss of one of its most prized possessions.”

Susan was born on November 23, 1955 in Belleville, IL. She and her husband, Deon, founded SoGospelNews.com (now known as AbsolutelyGospel.com) in the mid-90s, and the site quickly became the most read e-zine on the web devoted to Southern Gospel music, its artists, and its fans. The family currently resides in Murfreesboro, TN where they have ran the site for the last 10 years.

Susan is survived by her husband of 33 years Charles Deon Unthank whom she started and raised a blended family with. Their family included three sons, Aaron (Tia) Unthank of Jacksonville, FL, Scott Bandy and Christopher Unthank of Murfreesboro, TN and two daughters, Leslie Hill of Branson, MO and Amy Marie Unthank of Murfreesboro, TN. Susan had five grandchildren, Eli and Anna Cate Unthank and Donovan, Ashlee, and Emma Hill.

There will be no funeral or visitation for Susan. Rather, the family will host a Memorial Service in her honor. Details of the Memorial Service will be announced later.

In lieu of flowers, the family has requested that donations be made to help with medical and burial costs via SoGospelNews.com (AbsolutelyGospel.com). Donations may be mailed to the following:

Unthank Family
SoGospelNews.com
220 Indian Park Dr #3702
Murfreesboro, TN 37128

Or, you can visit the following link to make a donation online:

http://absolutelygospel.com/index/community/support/

Pray for Talley Family in Passing of Cornie Talley