Faith News Network

The Gatlinburg Convention Center in downtown Gatlinburg, Tennessee, was the site for the 2016 Smoky Mountain Jubilee Senior Adult Retreat, held April 26-28, 2016. A registered 1,324 persons age 50 and older, gathered for two nights and a day and a half of fun, fellowship, music, and worship.

The 2016 Jubilee began with a Tuesday night concert featuring comedian/ singer/ songwriter Aaron Wilburn and the renowned Southern Gospel trio, Greater Vision. Bishop James E. Cossey, executive administrator of USA Missions who served as the director of the retreat, opened the Tuesday night session and set the tone for the venue by singing the title song from his new CD, Don’t Hang Your Head and Cry! Cossey challenged the delegates with the words of Solomon, “There is a time to weep and a time to laugh” (Ecclesiastes 3:4), saying that “this is a time for laughter and celebration!”

This open letter to worship pastors/leaders is on behalf of the 350,000 preachers out there who serve alongside you every weekend. In case you didn’t read last week’s letter to Discipleship/Ed pastors, these are staff letters of appreciation, not rebuke:

In a groundbreaking new book, Amazon top-selling author David Jeffers is honored to announce the release of “Overcoming Grief: Comforting Others with the Comfort We Have Received.”

Thousands of atheists attending the Reason Rally 2016 at Washington Mall on June 4 will be greeted with a Subway gift card and a free book. The gifts are courtesy of best-selling author and cohost of the award-winning “The Way of the Master” TV show, Ray Comfort.