Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/704649
BOOK MARKS A new book, "For I Will Be With You: Daily Reflections on Recovery from the Bible," offers people in 12-step recovery programs a daily Bible verse and its interpretation from a recovery perspective. Written by Boruch Binyamin, the book blends traditional Jewish Torah study with the step work of AA and related addiction recovery programs. The book goes through the first five Books of the Bible (The Torah, or Pentateuch), offering 365 sequential verses and an accompany- ing recovery-oriented interpretation for each day of the year. The title of the book comes from Exodus 3:12, where God tells Moses "For I will be with you" when God instructs Moses to tell Pharaoh to free the Israelites from slavery. For the author, this idea resonates with the idea of having faith that "God is with you" in recovery – asking for freedom from the "slavery" of a powerful addiction. HB Publications, LLC, a Cleveland-based publisher of fic- tion and non-fiction books publishes "For I Will Be With You." Boruch Binyamin is the pseudonym of a 50-year-old Jewish man who is in recovery from alcoholism. NEWS NOTES The 2016 United Methodist Church General Conference will be held on May 10 – 20, 2016 at the Oregon Convention Center in Portland, OR. The General Conference is the top policy-making body of The United Methodist Church, and meets once every four years to determine the denomination's future direction, consider revisions to church law, and approve plans and budgets for church-wide programs. For more information, contact Rev. Larry Hollon at (615) 742-5406. • • • The Gospel Music Hall of Fame Induction and Honors will be held on May 10, 2016 in the Allen Arena at Lipscomb University, Nashville, TN, at 6:00 p.m. The 2016 inductees include Hezekiah Walker, Howard Rachinski, The Nelons (for- merly known as The Rex Nelon Singers), and Russ Taff. The GMA Gospel Music Hall of Fame and Museum is a not-for-profit educational institution (501c3) working in con- nection with the Gospel Music Association (GMA). The GMAF is dedicated to fostering an appreciation of the histor- ical development of gospel music and its impact on our culture by collecting, preserving, exhibiting and interpreting its collec- tions for a global audience, as well as honoring those who have made outstanding contributions to gospel music. For more information, contact Alexandra Mohilowski at (615) 242-0303. • • • The Urban Network Digital and Music Industry Quarterly Magazine are returning with the Annual Music-Entertainment Conference, in San Diego, CA, on June 1 - 5, 2016 at the Crowne Plaza Hotel. This is the only event of its kind on the West Coast. Executive producers for the Conference are Urban Network Digital President Arthur Mitchell, Music Industry Quarterly Publisher David Mitchell, and Urban Network Digital Vice President Arthur Mitchell III aka DJ Artistic. Former Urban Network President Miller London will continue in his role as Conference Co-Chair. The 2015 Urban Network Digital Conference was spectac- ular with more than 1,000 people in attendance. This year's event is expected to attract even more. Over 100 top music industry professionals will share their expertise and knowledge, participating in a dozen entertain- ment-related seminars, panels and workshops. The Conference is attended by radio programmers and mix show DJs, artist managers, entertainment attorneys, music publishers, perform- ance rights organizations, music supervisors, trade groups, digi- tal music strategists, film and TV consultants, bloggers, and journalists. The San Diego Black Film Festival will be partnering with the Conference to provide indie movie shorts, film screenings, and discussions regarding "Getting Your Music in TV & Film," and video production. For more information, contact Arthur Mitchell at (619) 331- 0403. WORDS & DEEDS On February 14-17, 2016 the Gospel Music Workshop of America (GMWA) held it's 49th Annual Board Meeting at the Palms Casino and Resort in Las Vegas, NV. Entitled the "Road to 50," the conference included planning sessions for all the organization's divisional board members, culminating in the "Road to 50" Gospel concert on February 17. The concert included performances by Patrick Riddick and D'Vyne Worship, Charles Butler and Trinity, Tiff Joy and was hosted by Kevin Lemons. For more information contact Mark Smith at (313) 898-6900 or at manager@gmwanational.org. • • • On February 18-20 2016 The Gospel Heritage International Worship Summit (formerly known as the Annual Praise and Worship Conference) was held at The Community of Faith Church in Houston TX, (venue changed from the Church Without Walls). The two-and-one-half day event offered divi- sional training for pastors and ministers; musicians and produc- ers; artists; worship leaders and members; liturgical dance/mime/drama teams; ministers of music; and general wor- B M & T ••• March/April 2016 ••• www.blackmeetingsandtourism.com 14 R E L I G I O U S R E V I E W BY PATRICE A. KELLY