(ABC 45 Web Extra: The gospel star talks about his career and family.)

Well, history was made in Gospel Music on April 22 as Gospel artists Fred Hammond and Marvin Sapp appeared on ABC. Hammond had an outstanding performance on The View while Sapp delivered a very moving performance on Good Morning America.

(ABC 45 Web Extra:’The gospel singer performs a song from his album, “Here I Am.”)

A copy of Hammond’s new CD “Love Unstoppable” was given to everyone in the audience. Hammond sung the hit single “They That Wait” as a big bonus to help celebrate co-host Sheri Shepherd’s birthday. After the performance the co-hosts brought out a beautiful birthday cake and champagne for Sherri. Shepherd, a lover of contemporary gospel music, invited The Clark Sisters to the program last year.

(Check out this interview Gerard Bonner of GospelFlava.com during the release of Hammond’s new CD “Love Unstoppable)

Marvin Sapp did a great job on Good Morning America! He brought the house down with a full band and background singers as they sang one of our favorite songs from his album “Fresh Wind”

Congratulations to two of our favorite gospel stars! The OC says Job well done!

On Wednesday, April 28 at 8:00 p.m. in Stern Auditorium some or favorite gospel legends took stage as Carnegie Hall presented “A Night of Inspiration.” The program celebrated the uplifting power of gospel music through vocal and spoken-word performances presented by a star studded lineup of artists.

(Soledad O’Brien)

Hosted by CNN journalist Soledad O’Brien and Brooklyn minister, Rev. A. R. Bernard, the program featured performances by celebrated gospel vocalists Pastor Shirley Caesar, Sheila E., Patty Griffin, Fred Hammond, Michael McDonald, Richard Smallwood, Hezekiah Walker, and BeBe & CeCe Winans with readings by special guests Phylicia Rashad and Pauletta Washington. Ray Chew, musical director BET’s “Sunday Best”, served as the concert’s Musical Director.

(Ray Chew, musical director BET’s “Sunday Best”)

“I believe in the transformative power of music, and anyone who has experienced spirituals and gospel music as performed by these amazing artists can attest to the excitement and joy that fills the room when they perform,” says Ray Chew.

(Featured Performers BeBe & CeCe)

Now in its 119th season, Carnegie Hall has a longstanding history of presenting performances of spirituals and gospel music, having had an open door policy for performers and audience alike since its opening in 1891. With a line up like this you know they turned the house out and moved every spectator to their feet!

(Then Priest Roger Vangheluwe serving Pope John Paul II in the 60’s)

Roger Vangheluwe, the longest serving Bishop in Belgium, resigned from his post Friday after admitting to sexually abusing “a young man in my close entourage” many years ago. In a statement issued by the Vatican on Friday, Vangheluwe, 73, the Bishop of Bruges since 1984, said that the abuse had occurred “when I was still a simple priest and for a while when I began as a bishop.”

On several occasions the Bishop said he asked the victim and his family to forgive him but the wound had not healed, “neither in me nor the victim, I am enormously sorry,” he said. Earlier this week, in a rare, direct comment on the issue, Pope Benedict XVI promised that the church would take action to deal with the crisis.

Bishop Vangheluwe is the first Belgian bishop to step down since the abuse scandal began to emerge months ago in several European countries, particularly Germany and Ireland.

A final good bye to a true icon Dr. Dorothy I. Height was held Wednesday April 29, 2010 at the Washington National Cathedral in Washington, DC.  President Obama who delivered a eulogy for this courageous woman remembered historical events and facts of her life.

Gospel phenomenon Bebe Winans, sung “Stand”, and moved crowd including our president to tears. World renowned poet Maya Angelou appeared reading a poem for Height; Camille Cosby also expressed words of sympathy.

In the President’s speech, President Obama referred to Dorothy Height as the “godmother of civil rights”, talking about the world she grew up with where slavery and heavy racial discrimination was acute and lynching was sadly something common.“It’s because of her that Michelle and I are here,” Obama said.

(Dr. Height (far right) with Dr. King)

Height was a quietly powerful figure in Washington, meeting with every president since Dwight D. Eisenhower. This pioneer led the National Council of Negro Women for decades and marched with the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. Her activism stretched from Obama’s election back to the New Deal. In recent years, she was cheered at events and easily recognizable in the colorful hats she often wore. Height was elected national president of the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc. and also received two of the nation’s highest honors: the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1994 and the Congressional Gold Medal in 2004.

Dr. Height devoted her life to those struggling for equality. She has left behind a legacy that will continue to impact people around the world. Dr. Height will truly be missed!

In a book, that will be published soon entitled “Living with Purpose,” Height left some advice. She writes that people should look at the world as it is becoming, rather than as it has been.

“We have to gain recognition not only that no one stands alone, but on a positive side, that we also need each other,” she wrote. “In the long run, it is how we relate to each other and how well we work together that will make the deciding difference.”Dorothy Irene Height (March 24, 1912 – April 20, 2010)

Israel Houghton has begun preparing for his annual worship conference. The fourth annual conference entitled “Deeper” created for everyone with a passion for a lifestyle of worship. The Deeper Conference 2010 Worship Academy will focus primarily on equipping leaders to transfer what they’ve learned from the conference in order to serve their pastor and local church.

Each class is designed to specifically introduce and develop leadership principles and techniques useful to the worship ministry. The conference returns to Grace Church in Houston, Texas in the later part of August. This year’s workshops include songwriting sessions, production and sound reinforcements.

Guest speakers and artists will include New Breed, Meleasa Houghton and Kevin Singleton. As always, this conference will be filled with plenty of praise and worship! For more information visit israelhoughton.net.