Christian Music Online

MercyMe

October 26, 2008 – 10:50 am

MercyMe is one of the top Christian bands in the country, nominated for Grammy Awards, American Music Awards and numerous Dove awards. The group has sold 4 1⁄2 million albums and even played on “Saturday Night Live.”
Now it’s headed to Holland.
“Despite MercyMe’s tremendous success and notoriety, it was really because of their huge commitment to important children’s causes that made us think these were the kind of folks that would care about Kyrie’s Gift and our mission to reach out to hospitalized children through the simple gift of coloring books,” said Kyrie’s Gift executive director Margorie Sondermann. “The journey of Kyrie’s Gift has been a lesson in faith and trust in God’s almighty hand from the day we learned of the passing of a girl named Kyrie, who lost her fight with brain cancer and inspired the birth of this tiny ministry, just a little over a year ago to now, with over 10,000 coloring books distributed at 15 hospitals in Michigan and other parts of the country.

“Of course, we are thrilled by the growth of the ministry, but it has been a very difficult and trying time over the last few months to organize an event such as this in a very tough Michigan economy. Through it all, with sponsor support from businesses like Parkway Electric, we have been assured that God has greater plans for this ministry.”

On Thursday evening, MercyMe will play at Central Wesleyan Church in Holland, but earlier in the day, lead singer Bart Millard and his bandmates will also be playing for the hospitalized children at a special performance in the Helen De Vos Children’s Hospital’s Chapel. The hospital plans to broadcast the concert via closed-circuit television throughout the entire children’s ward for all to see and hear. The opportunity to share God’s love and hope through the gift of song to an audience in need of His loving and healing hand is what has made efforts all worthwhile.

The Holland concert performance will not only benefit Kyrie’s Gift, but also Compassion International and Imagine a Cure, also children’s causes.

“There are several people around me in dark throes and desperately clinging to Christ in the midst of it, and they all love the Lord,” said Bebo Norman, the singer who will open the show. “It’s a reminder that real life happens to believers and unbelievers alike. Rain falls on the just and the unjust.”

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