IMPORTANT NOTICE: My email address is timthomas2@gmail.com and my cell number is 740-704-1487.
LIFTING UP JESUS IN SONG
John 15-13 Greater love has no man than this that he lay down His life for His friends!
John 15-13 Greater love has no man than this that he lay down His life for His friends!
Dear Friends of the Guernsey Gospel Jubilee Association
It is unfortunate that 2020 was not the season we dreamed it to be, but by the grace of God the 2021 season lay before us. We are happy to announce that the GGJA is planning a 2021 season. We have secured the Cambridge City Park Pavilion again, we have secured our dates and we have been blessed to schedule a great amount of Southern Gospel Artist that Southeastern Ohio has ever seen. To say we are excited is an understatement. Our dates this year are June 12, 2021, September 18th, 2021 and September 25th 2021. As of this writing it is February 21st 2021 and at this point the Governor of the State of Ohio has not lifted his gathering order but good news is on the horizon, fewer and fewer cases of the virus are being reported each day. It is my belief that God will take us from under this dark cloud and allow us to praise Him openly in the public square. I further want to add that I believe a great movement of God is afoot. It seems that more and more people want to hear the unfettered Gospel of Jesus Christ! Let me share some of my experience, I am a local pastor, I am serving 4 churches and at 2 of those churches we offer a Facebook Live worship service. The numbers of those watching outweigh the numbers of those attending in person 10 to 1 in many cases. I ask you to be aware of Jesus call to us in Matthew 28:19-20 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in[a] the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” ESV
What I am asking you to do is to share the Gospel message to persons that you have influence over. You see God has placed someone in whom you have the ability to speak into their lives. My father Boyd Thomas used to say "some people are distinctly yours", I couldn't agree more. In the season coming for the GGJA, I have some great news. In the past few years we have been fostering a relationship with the Greater Cincinnati Gospel Music Association and it gives me great joy to tell you that this year we have a great many groups coming from that association. Many of our great groups are returning as well as new groups that have joined us for the season. I further want acknowledge some of the groups that stopped traveling on the road this year. One in particular is Crimson River of Hampton, IL. The friendship and fellowship with these three special people will not be forgotten. I personally will miss you! Where one space opens up our Lord fills with another groups excited to sing of God Grace and to fellowship with us at Cambridge. I say all these things so that one would know that our events are not just a bunch of elite groups and singers seeking to exult ourselves, rather we come as servants to lift the name of Jesus and make new brothers and sisters in Christ. It reminds me of when my kids were young, we went to the Muskingum County Fair to see Mark Lowry. Afterward I suggested that we walk through the line and meet Mark, my daughters said "Do you think we can do that?" and I said Yes. Mark is a believer just like us and his goal is to be real, transparent and honest with his audience. Christian performers are not like those of the world who need security to protect them. I bet if you asked those of worldly music they would say they would love to be close to their fans, but some are there for something else. Not so with the family of God that GGJA has assembled. I want to encourage you to mark your calendars for our events and come join us in our public events. Bring a lawn chair and a friend or even better bring two friends. We start at 12 noon!
In Christ, Tim Thomas GGJA President
On March 8th 2021, The Guernsey Gospel Jubilee Association was informed by the Quincy Edwards Family that Quincy is now in the presence of his Savior Jesus Christ. Quincy along with a long list of men and women formed the Guernsey Gospel Jubilee Association some 35 years ago. He had been Board President for nearly 30 years of the GGJA when he developed the Salt Fork Gospel Jubilee Association and as of this writing was Board President of that organization. His legacy of promoting Gospel music has spanned most of his life. While we are saddened for his family we rejoice in the fact that now Quincy is truly home. It wouldn't surprise me if he was already arranging a concert with the great cloud of witnesses as we speak! Please pray for his wife and family as they morn his passing! I will post his obituary when it is available!
Here is Quincy's obituary.
Cambridge - Renowned Gospel Music Manager, Promoter, and Navy Veteran Quincy E. Edwards, 88 of Cambridge, Ohio went to be with the Lord on his birthday, passing peacefully in the early afternoon on Sunday, March 7, 2021 just in time for an after-church Sunday afternoon dinner with his family in heaven. He was born March 7, 1933, to the late Charles Albert and Edna Faye (Adams) Edwards in Logansport, IN. Quincy relocated to Cambridge, Ohio in 1951 seeking new economic opportunity. Here he found and held Union leadership manufacturing positions at the RCA/NCR plant for over 30 years until he retired in 1992. During retirement he pursued his love for gospel music, and after founding the non-profit Guernsey Gospel Jubilee Association he went on to start the Salt Fork Gospel Jubilee Association in 2010. From the late 1980's and until recently you would find him promoting his gospel campground music events in which he would utilize his gospel music network to promote hundreds of gospel music groups (including one of his own daughters at the Grand Ole Opry) throughout the Midwest and Southern United States. Quincy was born during the peak of the Great Depression, and as a result established a confident, disciplined, blue collar, and god-fearing work ethic character that he strove through conditional love to instill in his children and grandchildren. Quincy taught many valuable lessons that will last a lifetime and beyond. Thank you - Husband, Dad, Grandpa, and Brother in the Lord for all the love, life lessons, and the laughs. You will be greatly missed!
Preceding him in death were his parents, stepmother Laura (Suddoth) Edwards, 3 sisters Wannetta Edwards, Dorothy Ann Edwards, Violet (Lantz) Edwards, a brother Charles (Junior) Edwards, 2 half-brothers Lawrence and Melvin Palmer, one half-sister Charlotte Palmer, granddaughter Ashley Bates, son-in law Kenny Stillions, daughter Judy Kay Miller, and grandson Christopher L. Edwards. He is survived by his wife of more than 62 years Barbara Ellen (Shackelford) Edwards, 8 children Barbara (Leroy) Betts of Cambridge, Ohio, Cliff (Julie) Wigfield of Denver, Colorado, Cathy Stillions of Lore City, OH, Ed (Pam) Edwards of Graham, NC, Merle Edwards of Zanesville, OH, Faith Ann (Kenny) Shafer-Porcher of West Lafayette, OH, Elisa Bates of Cambridge, OH, Denise (Marlin) Brown of Franklin, IN , 23 grandchildren, and over 35 great-grandchildren.
All services will be at Bundy-Law Funeral Home of Cambridge, Ohio with calling hours Saturday, March 13th from 11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m., and funeral services at the funeral home Saturday, March 13th beginning at 1:00 p.m. with Pastor Dan Nelson officiating. Burial will be at Northwood Cemetery in Cambridge, Ohio. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Salt Fork Gospel Jubilee Association.
