Church to host Gospel Music Expo

VW independent staff/submitted information

The sounds of gospel music will soon fill the Family Life Center at Trinity Friends Church in Van Wert as the 23rd annual Southern Gospel Music Expo kicks off on Friday, April 19.  

Cheryl Burk and Kim Mason make up the gospel group Trinity and it was their vision, along with founding member Gary Adams, to bring a singing convention to Van Wert back in 2001. After attending similar events in other areas, the trio began to pray about it and then approached Trinity Friends Church for the venue. It began as a one night sing but has grown to a four and then back to three night event over the years.  

The music will begin at 5 p.m. Friday, April 19, with gospel groups and soloists from Ohio, Indiana, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Michigan and Kentucky.  A gospel group or soloist will take the stage approximately every 15 minutes throughout the evening.  All of the ministries will have product tables set up around the gymnasium where you can chat with your favorites, purchase their music or book them for an upcoming service or event.  

The music will begin an hour earlier, at 4 p.m. Saturday, April 20.

The grand finale will be Sunday, April 21, with Trinity and The Guardians. The doors and food court will open at 4:30 p.m. and the concert will begin at 6:30 p.m.   

John Darin Rowsey, Pat Barker, Scott Mullins and Paul Lancaster, collectively known as The Guardians are a southern gospel quartet with a unique sound, tight harmony and a passion for sharing the gospel through their music. Occasionally, they are joined on stage by founding member, owner and manager, Dean Hickman, who has been in southern gospel music for over 60 years. The group has three Dove Award nominations, and  multiple No. 1 songs and fan awards, and each member of the Group brings a sincere commitment to glorifying Jesus Christ. Therefore, their mantra remains echoing John the Baptist’s words in John 3:30: “He must increase but I must decrease.”

All three nights of the Gospel Expo are free, the food court is open each night and there is plenty of seating and parking.  

For a schedule of artists and times, please visit Trinity’s Facebook page.