I’m passing along the pertinent information about the popular — and relatively inexpensive — concert so no one will say they didn’t know it was coming up.

Winter Jam is set for 6 p.m. March 2 at Cesapeake Energy Arena, 100 W Arena.

The annual tour is hosted by NewSong and presented by World Vision. Joining NewSong on the 44-city tour is: TobyMac, Red, Matthew West (pictured), Jamie Grace (pictured), Sidewalk Prophets and Royal Tailor. National speaker Nick Hall will present a message.

A Youth Music Vault Pre-Jam Party will include performances by (American Idol alum) Jason Castro, OBB and Capital Kings.

Admission is $10 at the door.

March 2 is a Saturday so I expect that this already popular concert will draw even more people because it is a weekend event.

For more information about the concert, go to www.jamtour.com.

I’ll include more information, including interviews with some of the recording artists,  in future editions of The Oklahoman’s Life section. 

Carla Hinton

Religion Editor 

Franklin’s fans might be a little disappoint, OK a lot disappointed by that. There are probably many fans who would like to hear Franklin and his crew belt out some of his hits like “I Smile” or “Give M,e” to name a few.

However, I spoke with him on Monday morning and he said he is on a mission of a different sort.

Franklin will be speaking on behalf of the American Heart Association to promote a healthy heart message during the 10:45 a.m. service on Sunday, Jan. 13 at St. John Missionary Baptist Church, 5700 N Kelley in Oklahoma City.

He said he is honored to use the platform he has through his reputation as an award-winning recording artist. He’s very passionate about getting the word out to the community, particularly the black community, about the importance of healthy lifestyles and prevention of stroke.

Now, that’s something to smile about.

Watch for more from my interview with Franklin in an upcoming edition of The Oklahoman’s Life section.   

Carla Hinton

Religion Editor

The contemporary Christian band will perform Christmas songs acoustic style along with Sanctus Real and Dara Maclean at 7 p.m. at Bethany First Church of the Nazarene, 6789 NW 39th Expressway. 

Dave Frey with Sidewalk Prophets said a Christmas tour is something that the band has always wanted to do. He said it helps that the tour brings the band alongside Sanctus Real and Maclean.

Frey, 30, said Thursday’s concert will feature the acoustic style music that the band started out playing in coffee houses and other small venues years ago. Concertgoers will be treated to the sounds of harmonicas, a glockenspiel, a dobro, a stand up bass and, of course, ”lots of jingle bells and all sorts of guitars.”  

Frey said the musical style will set the atmosphere for an intimate evening of Christmas music.

“It’s almost like being in a living room,” he said. “We hope people will feel like they are coming in our house.”

He said Sidewalk Prophetsjust released a new Christmas album “Because It’s Christmas” and the band will perform some of the songs from that compilation, including the title track.

Frey said it’s an upbeat song written to remind listeners of the reason Christmas is celebrated.

“It’s a fun song,” he said.

“We run to the mall on Black Friday and we often neglect to celebrate the season and slow it down and celebrate Jesus’ birth. The song kind of reminds us because it’s Christmas , let’s take some time to celebrate Jesus.”  

Another holiday favorite from the band, “Hope Was Born This Night,” also will be performed. 

Tickets to the concert are $15 per person in advance and $20 at the door.

For more information, go to www.acousticchristmastour.com

Acappella, which just gave a free concert at Oklahoma Christian University, is participating in a contest that has them now in a tight race with a group from the University of Connecticut to win it all.

The group with the most votes wins and people can online vote once per day through Oct. 19.

Here’s where you can link to view Acappella’s audition video and vote for the group, if you so choose: Acappella

Members of Acappella are Zac George, Malcolm Himes, Anthony Lancaster, Wes McKinzie and Raymond Mobley. McKinzie, who is OC’s director of communications/marketing, said the group’s tech director Justin Elliott, does vocal percussion on the video. McKinzie also said he and Elliott and the other four men mentioned here are OC alumni or current students.  

I did a Sept. 29 story featuring Acappella’s founder Keith Lancaster discussing the group’s beginnings.  The members of Acappella have changed over the years but many of the group’s former members participated in the Oct. 7 concert at OC as “Acappella Classic.” Lancaster said the men who currently make up the group are doing a great job reaching a whole new generation with a capella music. 

One of my favorite songs by the group is “Rescue,” written by Lancaster. He told me that particular song seemed to resonate with many people.

Carla Hinton

Religion Editor  

Church invites community to be part of Christmas musical experience 

EDMOND— Rehearsals for the musical Christmas narrative “One Incredible Moment” will begin at 4:30 p.m. Sunday, September 9, at the First Presbyterian Church of Edmond.

This year, marks the fifth year for the holiday event will be presented by First Presbyterian-Edmond. Unlike past performances, this year’s cast and crew positions are open to Christians of every denomination from every community.

 “Actors and singers and crew members of all ages in any Christian denomination are invited to become the heart of this Christmas drama, Jim VanHemert, minister of music at First Presbyterian, said.

VanHemert said everyone who shows up for rehearsal will be accepted into the production.

“One Incredible Moment” was written by minister and best-selling author Max Lucado. Set to music by Tom Fettke, noted composer of Christian music, the production depicts the birth, life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. Originally written as a cantata, the musical presentation was adapted into a Broadway-style musical by Terry Attebery, veteran director and drama coach who lives inEdmond.

For more information, contact Attebery at 341-5069 or via email at Ö attemusic@cox.net;  or VanHemert at 341-3602 ext 281 or email Ö jvanhemert@fpcedmond.org. Also, interested individuals may simply show up for rehearsals at 5:15 p.m. Sunday at the church.

Performances of “One Incredible Moment” are scheduled for 7:30 p.m., Dec. 13-16 at the church.   Admission for open seating is free. Reserved pew seating is $10 per ticket. Tickets for reserved pew seating are on sale at  Ö oimtickets@gmail.com.

Carla Hinton

Religion Editor

Mary Mary, made up of sisters Tina and Erica Campbell, had planned to perform a Christmas concert in December 2011 in Oklahoma City, but the show was canceled.  At that time, the sisters were just announcing plans for the reality show.

The We TV website is promoting the show with this tagline: “Fame, Family and Chaos: Can They Get an Amen?”

Sounds interesting.

Carla Hinton

Religion Editor   

 Third Day will perform in concert at 7 p.m. March 23 at Crossroads Church, 8901 S Shields.

The contemporary Christian group’s “Make Your Move” tour also features Matt Maher and Trevor Morgan.

Tickets to see the Grammy Award-winning band are: $75 for VIP reserved seats; $35 for gold circle seating; $25 and $15 for other seating. Lower price ticekts are general admission, first come-first serve. Groups of 10 or more receive $5 off each $35 and $25 ticket. For tickets, go to www.4DTIXX.com or call (855) 443-8499.

Tickets also are available at Ruth’s Christian Bookstore, Mardel stores, Lifeway Christian Store and Crossroads Church.  

Gaither Homecoming Tour

The Gaither Homecoming Concert will be at 7 p.m. May 3 at Crossings Community Church, 14600 N Portland.

Seven-time Grammy Award-winner Bill Gaither will  host the evening of  music featuring Mark Lowry, David Phelps, Michael English and Wes Hampton. Others are: Gordon Mote, Charlotte Ritchie, Gene McDonald and Kevin Williams. 

Ticket prices range from $35 to $50.

For more information or tickets, go to  www.gaither.com. Tickets also are available at (800) 713-3773.

There are other Christian music concerts on the horizon, with several in Tulsa:

6 p.m. Sunday, March 11 at the Mabee Center, Oral Roberts University campus, 7777 S Lewis, Tulsa: Red-volution Tour featuring Red, Thousand Foot Krutch, Manafest, Kiros and Nine Lashes. 

7  p.m. April 19, at the Mabee Center: KXOJ Presents Kutlass, Hawk Nelson, Chad Eastham, Courtney Clark Cleveland and Harris III.

Carla Hinton

Religion Editor

The multi-city tour will stop in Oklahomoa City on Feb. 18 at the Chesapeake Energy Arena and in Tulsa on Feb. 25 at the BOK Center.

Winter Jam will feature the concert’s hosts, NewSong, as well as several contemporary Christian recording artists and groups like Sanctus Real (pictured); former Newsboys frontman Peter Furler, Kari Jobe, Building 429 and Group 1 Crew. A Pre-Jam Party will include performances from Dara Maclean, For King & Country and We As Human. Veggie Tales’ Bob and Larry also will make a guest appearance.

Aside from the musical performances, here’s the other thing that makes Winter Jam such a hit with fans: Cost for the event is $10 at the door.

You have time to put it on your calendar.

For more information about the tour, go to www.jamtour.com.

Carla Hinton

Religion Editor

#NewsOK

Sisters Erica and Tina Campbell, who make up Mary Mary were set to perform Sunday night at Douglass High School in Oklahoma City. The Christmas concert was sponsored by BLAC Inc.

A spokeswoman for the group said concert tour has been cancelled due to doctors’ concerns about Erica Campbell’s pregnancy. Erica Campbell and her husband are expecting their third child in February.

“The singer has been advised by doctors that she cannot continue working at her current pace without risk ofpotential premature delivery,”  Gabriella Cudjoe Wilkes said in a news release. “After careful consideration, the ladies have determined it is best to cancel the entire tour at this time, including their New Year’s Eve show. Up to now, the ladies have been on an exhaustive cross-country schedule of promotional activities, and, given the medical opinion, recognized what the priorities must be.”

Hopefully the metro will get another chance to host the pair, who made their debut on the gospel music scene with their 2000 crossover hit “Shackles (Praise You).    

“Our commitment to our passion of music and our fans is without question, but allowing wisdom, common sense and our commitment to family to take the lead at this point is necessary,” Tina Campbell said in the group’s prepared statement.

“We fully intend to return to our passion and our commitment to music in late spring and look forward to rescheduling the ‘Have a Mary Mary Christmas Tour’ in 2012.”

Carla Hinton

Religion Editor