Southern Gospel News SGNScoops Digital

Unopened Gifts

By Scott Rhoades

It was a cold, January night in the valley of coal. A fresh coating of snow covered the hills and glistened brightly in the light of the full moon, as tiny plumes of smoke wafted skyward from the chimneys in the valley below. For a moment, time stood still, as if the entire universe wanted me to know I was a part of something larger. The silence would have been deafening had it not been for the crunching and squeaking coming from beneath my partner’s boots. “Nice night, but it’s cold, and we have work to do,” he said, as he grasped my shoulder. I nodded, turned, and opened the door of the ambulance to retrieve a rescue bag and a bottle of oxygen.

Now there were numerous ways one could contribute to the needs of our small community. We had our share of non-profit organizations, religious charities, ethnic and social clubs, and the volunteer fire department or ambulance service. My father was a volunteer firefighter, but since my idea of adventure did not include imitating a roasted hot dog, I opted to invest my efforts as part of the local emergency medical squad.

Three o’clock A.M. calls weren’t uncommon, especially during the extremes of weather, and so here we were again. My partner and I made our way up the unshoveled walk and onto the front porch of a tiny home; an old company row house left over from the big mining era that swept through the valley decades earlier. We knocked at the door and let ourselves in, because everyone made themselves at home with Miss Annie Krinksy.

Annie Krinsky was an elderly lady, a retired elementary school teacher who never married and she was without a family. Her parents, John and Beulah, had immigrated to the United States in the 1920s and came to our town in search of what everyone else had come for – work! Her father was a coal miner, and her two brothers, John and Jack, soon joined him in the mines after completing the eighth grade. While they labored to survive the Great Depression, they soon succumbed to the dangers of the earth below. Annie quit school and took a job at the local company store in order to keep the house where she and her mother would live out their days. After a long day at work, Annie would visit Sister Maria Theresa Coppelo, a local teacher who would tutor her for the purposes of obtaining a teaching certificate. Annie soon became a teacher.

Annie met us at the door and offered us the usual coffee and cookies. She was a frail woman, bent at the shoulders and joints. I looked at her hands in amazement and wondered how she could care for herself. The years of hard labor and coping had left a mark and while 3:00 A.M. calls weren’t uncommon, 3:00 A.M. calls to Annie Krinsky’s house usually meant one thing – she was lonely.

This wasn’t my first visit to Annie’s house. In fact, everyone on the rescue squad knew her by name and she knew them. Responding to an emergency call at Annie Krinsky’s was like visiting an old friend. She never had a real complaint. We would simply check her vital signs, call the doctor at the emergency room with report to get signed off, and then radio the dispatch of our availability while we stayed a few moments to chat. Her house was amazing considering her condition; it was spotless and smelled of Pine-sol and Lemon Pledge. But there was one thing I will never forget about Annie’s home – someone had given her an artificial Christmas tree, and she never put it away. In fact, she would turn on the lights at any given time (even in July), and you could always see unopened packages underneath the tree.

I remember the last call to Annie Krinsky’s house. A neighbor had reported that she would not answer the door and called for help. Albert, the town police chief arrived and led us inside where we found her in her favorite rocking chair facing the Christmas tree. She was covered with a puffy, homemade quilt, but it could not keep her from the chilling arms that enveloped her body. Annie Krinsky had died.

It’s Christmas Eve, and as I look at our tree and the wrapped gifts underneath, I am reminded of Annie and her oddities. I’m not sure what happened to her home, her possessions, or to her tree. I am curious as to what and for whom those unopened packages were intended. I never asked, but I am saddened to think she had gifts to share that will never be known.

Perhaps you and I have unopened gifts under our Tree of Life; talents, abilities, and spiritual fruits all waiting to be consumed by a world in need. Perhaps we hold back because of fear, guilt, unforgiveness, or other circumstances that make the joy of giving seem like an impossible feat. During this Christmas, I hope you will resolve to empty your tree of unopened packages as I will. The world is waiting for us!

*My life and experiences are real, but I have used artistic license in the telling of this story. Names, persons, and situations have been changed or combined with other personalities or events to offer you some perspectives of my life and community while protecting the identities of those involved.

About The Author

               Scott Rhoades is an Inspirational Writer, Speaker & Storyteller. For more information on Scott, please visit www.scottrhoades.net

December 2014 SGNScoops Magazine

December 2014 SGNScoops Magazine

Merry Christmas from SGNScoops! We hope you are enjoying this special time of year. Take a moment to relax and share this gift we are giving to you this Christmas.

November 2014 SGNScoops Magazine

November 2014 SGNScoops Magazine

It’s November and we are thrilled to present the latest edition of SGNScoops for you to read and enjoy. Creekside Gospel Music Convention was a blast and we have lots of pictorial coverage in these pages, as well as on the fabulous front cover. Inside we have an update on the event with a list of the Diamond Award winners and so much more. We say an extra thank you to all of those who went above and beyond to help make Creekside the best ever. If we were to make a list, we might leave someone out, so to each and every one of you: we are so grateful to have you as part of our team.

June 2014 SGNScoops Magazine

Pilgrims & Prodigals: Annie Moses Band

Perspectives on Roaming, Redemption, and the Next Generation from the Annie Moses Band

By Scott Rhoades

Published December 2012

SGNScoops Magazine

 As the blazing sun cast its blistering glow across the dry and dusty plantation fields of Texas, a young woman arched upwards to a kneeling position, rested on her knees, and lifted an arm to wipe away the beading drops of sweat streaming down her bronzed and tarnished face. The Great Depression was a difficult time for most and survival was the priority of the day. Work, when found, was cruel and ruthless. Life, if survived, was a tale of hardship and adversity. For Annie Moses, there was no exception. A hired field hand, she shaded her eyes with her arm and squinted as she stared across the vast cotton fields and watched as other workers moved wearily under the weight of the exhausting, afternoon heat. She bent her head down and coughed to clear her throat of the heavy, granular air, struggling to catch her next breath. Then she closed her eyes to rest. How could she go on like this? There was no progress. Life as a sharecropper was difficult and burdensome and the work nearly unbearable. But then her thoughts turned towards her children back in the old clapboard shack, especially her daughter Jane’s musical gift, in which she would sacrificially invest. Perhaps there was reason to go on. A flicker of hope kindled deep within her spirit and she opened her eyes, knelt over the next plant, and began to quietly hum the tune of a poor wayfaring pilgrim.

Decades later, on a black, rainy night in New York City, Annie Wolaver found herself sitting in a cab for the trip home. She wasn’t paying attention to the bustling busyness along the avenues or the stream of traffic that could make the journey longer than it should. Her mind was in a million places and she had a real dilemma on her hands. The proposition was risky at best. Should she continue pursuing a solo career in classical music or would she squander the years of dedication, hard work, and the musical legacy left to her through her parents, her grandmother Jane, and her great-grandmother and namesake, Annie Moses for a chance at something she had viewed as a “sideline gig” or something she and her family did “just for fun”? Annie reminisced about her past; the long hours she and her brothers and sisters had spent practicing and honing their skills and talents with their parents, at the Blair School of Music at Vanderbilt University, the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music, and Julliard. She thought about the times she and her family would perform together for family reunions or small events. Could they do something more? Could they successfully travel outside the boundaries of traditional classical music? Would it work? Could it work? Would they remain pilgrims or become prodigals? Read more »

November 2012 Edition Of SGNScoops Magazine

Tis this season to be thankful,and we have a lot to be thankful for at SGNScoops Magazine. Be sure to read the highlights of the Creekside Gospel Music Convention! Rhonda gives the details of Lou Hildreth’s Celebration as well as details about this year’s Diamond Awards Show. Congratulations to all the winners. We are grateful to all those who participated in this year’s event and look forward to Creekside Gospel Music Convention 2013. We are very excited to present Canton Junction as the cover story and also highlight the ministries of Mercy’s Well, Tyler Hudson, Wes Combs, The Breakfast Club and the Littles. Celebrate 50 years in Gospel Music with the Singing Cookes and the retirement of the Melody Boys Quartet in this issue too! Don’t miss Ms. Lou’s memories, a Mathis moment with John Mathis or inspiration from Scott Rhoades. And a “must read story” is in this issue written by special guest writer, Kenna West regarding faith sharing. Check out who is releasing new music this month and see who is topping the charts! All of this and more written by a staff with more than 100 years experience in the Gospel Music Industry thus making us a trusted and reliable source of news and information. Don’t forget, our magazine is absolutely free! Please share with your friends! From the staff of SGNScoops Magazine, Happy Thanksgiving!

Download This Months Magazine Here

October 2012 Edition Of SGNScoops Magazine

We are pleased to celebrate 75 years in Gospel Music with Ms. Lou Wills Hildreth in this edition of SGNScoops Magazine. Sandi Duncan Clark captured many of this living legend’s memories in this month’s cover story. Also in this edition enjoy ministry updates from Larnelle Harris, Voices Won, Freedom, Wilburn & Wilburn, the Hinshaws and Jim Mahalick. Get a peek inside the SGNScoops booth at the 2012 NQC as well as follow Charlie Sexton around as he talks to fans who attended this year’s event. Laura speaks with Gospel Music Historian, Dean Adkins, Sandi shares a conversation with Greg Bentley regarding “talent competitions” and Rhonda Frye speaks with Gloria Gaither about the new Gaither Homecoming Bible. See who released new music and find out who is topping charts! Enjoy several inspirational articles including one from guest writer, Janene Dubbeld and keep up with Jeff Hawes as he travels the world with Karen Peck and New River! Don’t miss the latest update on the Creekside Gospel Music Convention too! We excited to share about this year’s outreach project! This month is packed with the latest news in the world of gospel music delivered by a dedicated staff with many years experience in the Industry. Please share with friends and remember- Always digital, always free…… always good!

Please Click Here

April 2012 SGNScoops Magazine

We are excited to present a PACKED April Edition of Scoops Magazine!  Thanks to Lorraine Walker for a fabulous cover story featuring, Legacy Five. We have stories on your favorite artists to include: Doug Anderson, Declaration Trio, Dailey & Vincent, Harold Reed, Jordan Wilburn, Gene McDonald and Morgan Easter. Rob Estep gives us a “behind the scenes” look with promoter, Rhonda Thompson and Lou Wills Hildreth tells us about the very first Dove Awards! Jennifer Campbell shares a very special conversation with living legend, Bill Gaither as he tells the story behind “Because He Lives!” Angela tells us what songs are topping the charts and Jonathan Edwards talks with Rich Crist of the Crist Family. Sandi Duncan Clark reviews brand new music and Rhonda Frye reviews a concert featuring The Greesons, McKameys, Michael Combs and the Singing Cookes.Scott Rhoades and Jennifer Campbell share their thoughts regarding Easter, John Mathis Jr encourages with words of wisdom and Laurette reminds us of the benefits of exercise. We were saddened at the news of the death of southern gospel promoter and friend to many, Jim Arneson. Rob Patz and several friends share the thoughts of Jim. We appreciate you reading our magazine and sharing the link with your friends, family and friends!

Read the Magazine Here

March 2012 SGNScoops Magazine

The March Issue of Scoops Magazine is HERE! We’re excited to present Wes Hampton as our cover story. We have many interesting features this month including The Martins, Josh and Ashley Franks, Kevin and Beverly McManus,Southern Brothers, Kellan Monroe and songwriter, Joel Hemphill. We are also featuring Alisa Asbury for our new artist spotlight and Jonathan Edwards shares an audio interview with Phil Cross of Poet Voices. Sandi Duncan Clark reviews new music from the Crabb Family, Dailey & Vincent and more while Rhonda Frye and Jeff Hawes share their thoughts about new book releases. As always, there is plenty of inspiration and encouragement found throughout the pages of the magazine. Thank you, Scoops Staff for a job well done! Please share with friends, family and fans- AND DON’T forget to participate with Diamond Awards Voting. The first round ends on March 28th!

Check Out The Magazine Here

February 2012 SGNScoops Magazine

Presenting… The February Edition of SGNScoops Magazine! Jim and Melissa Brady share their sweet love story and their ministry! This month we are also featuring part two of Brian Free and Assurance, The Goldens, Anna Grace Kimbrough and The Lefevre Quartet. Special thanks to our features writers, Lorraine Walker, Laura Kennedy, Sandi Duncan Clark, Victoria Shirey and Angela Griffin!  And….Rob Estep gives a look behind the scenes with Wayne Haun!

We are excited about two special interest stories this month: Karen Peck and Joyful Noise as well as 2nd Generation’s Brenda Denney’s experience on The Price Is Right. Be encouraged by Lou Wills Hildreth, John Mathis Jr, Jennifer Cambpell and from our newest staff writer, Scott Rhoades.  We’ve kicked off a series of foreign mission stories too!  This month Angela Griffin shares “Love A Child!”

Don’t miss Sandi Duncan Clark’s DVD reviews as well as Rhonda Frye’s Crabb Family Concert Review. Enjoy a full and exciting issue of SGNScoops Magazine- Home of THE DIAMOND AWARDS!

Download the magazine here