HOPPERS: New Award Honors & Global Embrace

(Nashville, Tennessee) - October 2011 - Freshly back from sold-out European concerts throughout Ireland, Scotland and Holland, The Hoppers repacked their bags for Pigeon Forge, Tennessee - the home of both Dollywood and the Southern Gospel Music Association Hall of Fame.

With excitement still fresh in the wake of Connie Hopper’s induction last year into the SGMA Hall of Fame, this year’s trip to the 2011 Singing News Fan Awards in Pigeon Forge produced a stunning triple crown win for the family.

The Hoppers’ awards of 2011 included:

• Favorite Mixed Group - an honor The Hoppers have now garnered as a 12th time recipient.
• Favorite Female Vocalist - Kim's 8th acceptance of this top honor.
• Favorite Soprano Female Vocalist - Kim's 14th repeat honor in this category.


The Hoppers pose at Dollywood with their Singing News Fan Awards
Claude and Connie Hopper were also this year honored in Louisville during the National Quartet Convention with the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Honor by the Southern Gospel Music Guild. SGMG President Clarke Beasley noted at a reception of industry VIP and friends, "Claude and Connie Hopper are the ultimate examples of class and dignity. The impact they've had in Gospel Music and in the lives of countless numbers of people is immeasurable.”


SGMG Lifetime Achievement Honor recipients Connie & Claude Hopper and Charles Burke pose with SGMG President and NQC Exec. VP Clarke Beasley
Equally exciting as Singing News Fan Awards and new honors for the group was their encounter of the throngs of Southern Gospel fans throughout Europe who eagerly packed The Hoppers' overseas concert schedules. Many were seeing them in person for the first time after years of following their legendary family history and music. The special blessing of their time with friends new and old who live an ocean away was not lost on group matriarch Connie: "It is amazing that whether we are singing to an audience of Irish, Scottish, or Dutch, the presence of the Lord unites us all. Though we were nearly 4,000 miles from home, we were made to feel 'at home' as these wonderful people throughout the Europe tour opened their hearts to us as if we were family."

Added Dean: "There were so many spiritually overwhelming moments for us. We were touched by the warmth of the people and the love they have for God and the music we were raised on back home.”


The Hoppers on stage while on tour in Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Netherlands
Capping the thoughts on their European successes, Claude Hopper - known for his homespun stories and Southern gentleman dialect - might have summed it up ideally: "It's a big feat for a farm boy to make his way across the ocean! It's an even bigger feat for that same farm boy to tell his jokes and get such great laughs out of those gracious folks in Europe who might have some trouble deciphering this Carolina dialect. After 54 years and many miles, I got to experience time with people who once seemed eons away - and now have become familiar faces that we love and appreciate."

The Hoppers are already planning return concerts in Europe, including adding appearances in Norway and Sweden. They are also scheduled to perform in concert in South Africa in 2012.

THIS WEEK ON GOSPEL MUSIC TODAY

The guests on the current edition of Gospel Music Today are the members of The Songfellows Quartet. The Feature Group is The Harmony Quartet, and Ken and Jean Grady host southern gospel news and concert updates. Ken and Jean visit a concert in Broken Arrow, OK, to hear One Voice sing. Jean reviews a new CD by Forgiven Trio, and the show features singing by The Mark Dubbeld Family and New Ground. The latest Gospel Music Today webcast is online now at the Gospel Music Today website.

All American Gospel Cruise Southern Gospel

A Marriage Conference Where the Whole Family Is Invited (Even the Kids)

ASHEVILLE, NC, Oct. 17, 2011 To attend the average Christian marriage conference, Mom and Dad have to hire a babysitter.

By contrast, at the Gospel-Centered Marriages for a Glorious Church conference coming up October 27-29, Mom and Dad are encouraged to bring their children with them to learn about marriage together as a family.

Despite its unique vision, 2,200 have already registered to attend this near-capacity event located at the LifeWay Christian Conference Center in Asheville, North Carolina and organized by the National Center for Family-Integrated Churches (NCFIC). Remarkably, 65% of the attendees are 25 years old or younger.

Committed to proclaiming the sufficiency of Scripture for church and family life, the NCFIC believes that marriage is the one neglected area that, at least sometimes, should be inclusive of the whole family.

"This gathering is designed to bring parents and their children together to consider the biblical doctrine of marriage in order to prepare the rising generation for gospel-centered marriages," said Scott Brown, the director of NCFIC. "One of the reasons that marriages are in trouble today is that parents did not instruct their children, from their years as toddlers, about marriage." Amazingly, one of the messages is entitled, "How to Prepare Your Two-Year-Old for Marriage."

And, now, thanks to modern technology, Christians from across the country can virtually attend this life-changing marriage conference. Registrants can watch live-streaming video of the 10 keynote addresses and receive downloadable audio for all 27 messages.

Brown's vision for this conference is that it is a place where the attendees stand together to instruct the rising generation about marriage and teach them the way in which they should go (Proverbs 22:6).

He said, "I pray that everyone there will use their time wisely and teach their children personally, by discussing, reviewing, repenting, and memorizing together the things that God has in mind for marriage."

Twenty-seven messages will be delivered including:

· What the Gospel Has to Do With Your Marriage?

· Friendship in Marriage

· Courtship Catastrophe Mitigation

· How Fathers Qualify Suitors

· Do We Have Our Cart Before Our Horse When It Comes to Love?

· Sexual Intimacy in Marriage

· What Is the Role of Romance and Emotions?

· Church Life that Prepares Young People for Marriage

Paul Washer of HeartCry Missionary Society, Doug Phillips of Vision Forum Ministries, Scott Brown, Kevin Swanson of Generations with Vision, and Dr. Joel Beeke, President and Professor of Systematic Theology of Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary will be the keynote speakers.

One of the critical messages of this conference is that the gospel is meant to be the center of marriage.

Another is that when you have weak marriages you also have weak churches. This is important to the organization since NCFIC is dedicated to the building of gospel-centered, biblically-ordered, .

A third message is that families should not be intentionally age-segregated from one another during the instruction of the Word of God. Brown stated, "When Jesus taught, whole families were there. We should do the same."

What's the bottom line at this unusual family-integrated marriage conference?

"It's one thing to believe in the message of the gospel. It's quite another thing to live the gospel in your preparation for marriage and after you are married. Marriage is one of the ways God has designed for the gospel to be displayed. Therefore, every marriage problem and every perversion of marriage is an expression of problems in applying the gospel in our lives," said Brown.

"I hope that each married person leaves this conference with wounds healed and hearts changed. I also hope that each single person departs with a greater vision for the glory of the gospel in marriage. It's time for singles to throw off the bondage of the worldly and bankrupt vision that has so saturated our culture and our thinking. And it's time for a new generation dedicated to gospel-centered marriages."

Hoppers On The Cover OF SGNScoops Magazine

We are very excited to present September 2011 Scoops Magazine! Our theme this month revolves around the faithfulness of God. September’s issue is jammed packed with news, inspiration and a lot more! We are celebrating “gold” with the Hoppers as they celebrate 50 years of marriage and over 50 years of ministry. We are also featuring Wilburn and Wilburn, Tribute Quartet, Hannah Webb and the Journeymen. This issue includes a fan concert review of the Mark Trammell Quartet, new music reviews on The Collingsworth Family, New Ground, Mike Upright and the Stephens. The Hallelujah Supper Club is remembered, the Grand Ole Gospel Reunion is highlighted plus a whole lot more! Special thanks to our entire Scoops staff for a magazine well done! Enjoy this month’s magazine and share with your friends! Click Here