Just One of Many Characters

One of the best greetings was said to me by a Messianic Rabbi named Peter. He said how wonderful it was to meet another character in this beautiful story. And what a story it is:
It started with Judy, one of my GPDA dancers, who visited Rabbi Peter's Messianic Congregation.
No, it didn't. It started with meeting a Haitian missionary couple at a Convocation Service where I ministered in dance.
No it didn't. It actually started over a dozen years ago, when Davida Cotman-El entered my life. God Placed Ambassador Davida in my life as a dance ministry mentor, and the "Samuel" over God's calling in my life. Over the next 12 years, she would pop up at appointed moments in my life with a specific Divine purpose.
One of those times was after the historic earthquake in Haiti this past January. As a dance minister, NLDN Chapter Chair and leader of my own dance team, I kept sensing that God would have us do something in dance ministry to help Haiti in a tangible way. Using the Annual Gospel Dance Concert as a major fundraising event seemed the most practical way, but I wanted our donation to be personal and specific, not just a general donation to one of the 100's of "Help Haiti" campaigns out there. I had no connections to applicable organizations in Haiti, and as we had outgrown the church site for the previous Annual Gospel Dance Concerts, I didn't even have a location for GDC IV. Nevertheless, God had a plan. Out of the blue, Davida emailed me a video of a rabbi leading a prophetic and spirit-filled service for about 1000 Haitians. It was stirring and powerful, and at the end of the footage, the video showed a plot of land where this rabbi's congregation was investing in an orphanage building project. Davida did not know what was on my mind. She just sent me this video because it was so powerful and moving. But of course I wondered, is this where the funding from the concert should go? Before I could finish my inquiry of the Lord, Davida sent me another email telling me that she felt I should connect with some missionaries to Haiti that she knew personally. They had been in Haiti for several years but happened to be home for the next several months, so I could reach them. Within a few days I called them. Before the man could finish saying, "Oh yes, let me get my wife,Barbara," I realized that I already knew them! They were the missionary couple I had met at a convocation service I had ministered at earlier that year! We talked and talked and marvelled at God's awesome orchestration. Later, I realized, that was just the beginning!
My dance team member, Judy, had spoken so highly of this messianic congregation she had visited that I decided I just had to go. It was called Mishkahn D'avid and was out in the "boonies" of RI. When I finally found the location,I spent the next several hours praising, and dancing, and worshipping.... and within an hour of my arrival I almost fell out in amazement, as Travis and Barbara, the missionary couple I had just finished talking to a couple of days earlier, walked into the synogogue! This "typical" African American couple from RI, were not only missionaries in Haiti, they were members of Mishkahn D'avid Congregation!! And that Rabbi who had brought such a powerful prophecy and moving praise celebration to that congregation of 1000 Haitians? That was Peter, the Rabbi of Mishkahn D'avid!He had met the Fishers a couple of years ago and had felt compelled to honor and support their missionary work in Haiti ever since. And who was I? Just one of the many amazing characters in the midst of a beautifully unfolding story, written by the Hand of God!
This year, GDC IV = GIVING DANCE CONCERT will be donating 80% of the proceeds to the continued missionary work of Travis and Barbara Fisher, specifically, the building a new orphanage. I have sat in the Fisher's living room and looked at scores of pictures of their orphans, the orphanage facility, their school, the makeshift medical clinic. There is nothing fancy about what they do-- it is a sincere and humble labor of love by anointed servants of the Living God. They are not supported by any major corporations or foundations. They are supported by God's people. This years' Gospel Dance Concert will be honored to be part of that blessing to these faithful missionaries, their beautiful Haitian children, and all those they serve!
If you are not able to attend the GIVING DANCE CONCERT, June 27th, but would still like to donate to the Mishkahn D'avid Haiti Orphanage Project, please visit www.gpdapraise.com and click the DONATE button (on the "About Us" page), by or before June 27th. If you would like more information about The Fisher's missionary work in Haiti, they welcome your calls at 401.831-7256.
If you are in the area, we hope to see you at this amazing and anointed concert of Dance unto the Lord!

Ministry = Service!

In the dance ministry mentoring programs I've conducted, I always start off by asking, "What does the word ministry mean?" After several false starts, the participants finally come up with the idea of "helping" or "serving." The next question then becomes, "So how does a dance ministry help people?" Hmmmm.... now they're stumped. It blesses people. It's beautiful to watch. It can even deliver God's Word in a moving pictorial form, and that definitely helps people to know God and His Will for their lives. But can a dance ministry team minister in other ways? We've (finally) reached an era where the answer to that is a resounding "YES!" I don't know where we got the idea that dance ministers can or should only dance. This art form is one of the vehicles God uses to share His amazing creativity. But the serious minister of dance cannot spend hours upon hours in His Word and at His Feet (as He pours His anointed choreography in and out), without also sensing the Heart of God, which always involves service to others!
GPDA had the wonderful honor of rendering service to the homeless through the Providence Rescue Mission's 2nd Annual Walk-a-Faith. It was a glorious and chilly day here in Rhode Island -- glorious as we walked, chilly as we danced on the steps of City Hall (Brrrrrrr!), but a concrete reminder that the homeless of our city can't go inside and get warm anytime they want to. I love what Executive Director, Sean Carew said: "It's not for us to discuss the reasons why a person is in the condition they are in... it's simply our job to serve, as Jesus did." And so we walked,and walked,and walked --along with about 75 others from churches all over RI-- to raise money and awareness of their plight, but also to raise up PRAISE to Our Lord and Saviour, who tells us, "Whatever you do for the least of them, you have done it unto Me."(Mathew 25:40) We thank God for the Providence Rescue Mission who demonstrates this scripture everyday, 24/7, and we thank God for the small part we could play in serving others!

GDC III - Uniting the Body of Christ through Dance!

Spirit-led liturgical dance leaders across the country are sensing that it's time to unify and evangelize, in order to glorify the Lord! Rev. Eyesha Marable and others are sensing the call from God to bring together the seven or eight different national and regional dance organizations to "join forces," as it were, for the purposes of edifying one another and spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ. What a blessing and honor it is to share a small part in this world-wide vision, through the faithful continuation of the Annual Gospel Dance Concert, in "lil ol" Rhode Island! For going on 3 years, over a dozen churches in the New England area have taken part in this collaborative concert of Christian dance ministries.
If you are in the area SUNDAY, AUGUST 9th, please come and celebrate God's Word in Dance with us! If you are an anointed, Spirit-led dancer, there still may be time for you to take part. For questions or information, you may comment on this site or, for a more immediate response, email melodyarts@aol.com.
Come Join in the Dance!