NOVEMBER 19, 2001 - FORGIVEN COMPLETES RECORDING PROJECT

FORGIVEN QUARTET SET TO RELEASE NEW PROJECT

He Rescued Me You Gotta Love It From Here To Heaven Sinner Saved By Grace My God Is Bigger Than That If It Takes A Valley He Will Carry You The Eyes Of Jesus Labor Of Love More Than Ever Glory Road Truth Is Marching On A Vessel Of Mercy

Friends,

We've never been more excited about one of our recordings than this one! Our new cd, called, "The Walk" is being mastered in Nashville right now, and we hope to have it in our hands by the end of May. We have been singing a few of these songs in concerts since we returned from our recording trip in April, and the response has been very positive!

This is a powerful project, and I suspect after you hear it, you'll be scratching your head wondering if we're a traditional/classical southern gospel quartet (like many of you think we are), a country gospel quartet (like many of you would like for us to be), or a progressive southern gospel quartet (which many of you wish we would sing more of). Don't you just love it when we do this to you?

Seriously, I wish I could take the time to share with you all the ways we have sensed God being right in the middle of this one! I'd get writer's cramp trying to type it all out, but let me just summarize by saying that from "the concept" first being placed in our Spirit, through the process of prayer and song selection, in the photography, during the recording and now in the final production stages, we have sensed His presence and His anointing! Our greatest desire and need is for this message and music to go forth in a mighty way; actually, in ways we don't know how, and can't make happen by ourselves! We need the Lord and we need you to help us!

Please prayerfully consider joining us in this effort by calling and reserving your copy today. Consider purchasing a cd and giving it to your favorite Christian radio station DJ, or purchasing one or more cds as gifts for friends or loved ones. Tell your friends about it. Ask your pastor or minister of music for permission to hang this pre-release announcement on a bulletin board at your church so others will know about it! Since we are not label artists and don't distribute to book stores, we are limited in how much promotion/exposure our music gets. Maybe one day this will change, but in the meantime, we are confident in this, that if you love southern gospel music, you're gonna love this project!

Thanks everyone for your help! You are a huge blessing to us, and we love and appreciate you more than you can possibly know.

Mark Green
FORGIVEN Quartet

MERRY CHRISTMAS!  "FOR UNTO US A CHILD IS BORN. UNTO US A SON IS GIVEN..."

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was fully God. All things were created by him, and apart from him not one thing was created. In him was life, and the life was the light of mankind. The Word became flesh and took up residence among us. We saw his glory—the glory of the one and only, full of grace and truth, who came from the Father.

Now a decree went out from Caesar Augustus to register all the empire for taxes. Everyone went to his own town to be registered. So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the city of David called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family line of David. He went to be registered with Mary, who was promised in marriage to him, and who was expecting a child.

While they were there, the time came for her to deliver her child. And she gave birth to her first-born son and wrapped him in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.

There were shepherds nearby out in the field, keeping guard over their flock by night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were absolutely terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; listen carefully, for I proclaim to you good news that brings great joy to all the people: Today your Savior is born in the city of David. He is Christ the Lord.

This will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in strips of cloth and lying in a manger.” Suddenly a multitude of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among people with whom he is pleased!”

When the angels left them and went back to heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place, that the Lord has made known to us.”

So they hurried off and located Mary and Joseph, and found the baby lying in a manger. When they saw him, they related what they had been told about this child, and all were astonished at what the shepherds said. (But Mary treasured up all these words, pondering in her heart what they might mean). So the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen; everything was just as they had been told.

At the end of eight days, when he was circumcised, he was named Jesus, the name given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb.

After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, in the time of King Herod, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem saying, “Where is the one who is born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.”

When King Herod heard this he was alarmed, and all Jerusalem with him. After assembling all the chief priests and experts in the law he asked them where the Christ was to be born. “In Bethlehem of Judea,” they said, “for it is written this way by the prophet: ‘And you, Bethlehem, are in no way least among the rulers of Judah, for out of you will come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.’”

Then Herod privately summoned the wise men and determined from them when the star had appeared. He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and look carefully for the child. When you find him, inform me so that I can go and worship him as well.”

After listening to the king they left, and once again the star they saw when it rose led them until it stopped above the place where the child was. When they saw the star they shouted joyfully. As they came into the house and saw the child with Mary his mother, they bowed down and worshiped him. They opened their treasure boxes and gave him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. After being warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they went back by another route to their own country.

Now when the time came for their purification according to the law of Moses, Joseph and Mary brought the baby (Jesus), up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord, (just as it is written in the law of the Lord, “Every firstborn male will be set apart to the Lord”), and to offer a sacrifice according to what is specified in the law of the Lord, a pair of doves or two young pigeons.

Now there was in Jerusalem a man named Simeon who was righteous and devout, looking for the restoration of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was on him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. So directed by the Spirit, Simeon came into the temple courts, and when the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what was customary according to the law, Simeon took the baby in his arms and blessed God, saying, “Now, according to your word, Sovereign Lord, permit your servant to depart in peace. For my eyes have seen your salvation that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples: a light, for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel.”

Joseph and Mary were amazed at what was said about the baby. Then Simeon blessed them and said to his mother Mary, “Listen carefully: this child is destined to be the cause of the falling and rising of many in Israel and to be a sign that will be rejected. Indeed, as a result of him the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed and a sword will pierce your own soul as well!”

There was also a prophetess, Anna the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was very old, having been married to her husband for seven years until his death. She had lived as a widow since then for eighty-four years. She never left the temple, worshiping with fasting and prayer night and day. At that moment, she came up to Joseph and Mary, and began to give thanks to God and to speak about the child to all who were waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem.

So when Joseph and Mary had performed everything according to the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth. And the child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom, and the favor of God was upon him.

Wise men still seek him.

Merry Christmas

PAT JOHNSON'S ACCIDENT; A STORY OF PRAYERS AND MIRACLES


The following is an open letter to all the friends and families of The Southern Gospel Quartet FORGIVEN from their bass singer, Stanley Johnson:

On August 1, 2006 Patricia (my wife) cleaned up some pears and apples that had fallen from the trees in our yard and loaded them into a utility trailer that we pull behind our ATV. She parked the ATV and mowed the yard. She finished mowing around 9:10 p.m. and decided to unload the trailer of pears and apples over a ravine that runs through our pasture. She backed up the ATV and trailer to the edge of the ravine (it drops off about 25 feet to the bottom of the creek). As she was unloading the pears, the ATV and trailer began to roll backward off the bank; she jumped on the ATV to try to stop it from going over the edge, but it was too late…..as she tried to jump off (or was catapulted off) the right handlebar of the ATV ripped or tore her leg open from the top middle of her right thigh to under her knee (the gouge penetrated to the bone) . She fell some 20 feet down and broke her tail bone and her pelvis in three places (the left half was completely broken in two, with the right side broken partially, and the front broken in two) She remembers seeing the ATV and trailer going over her head.

I should have started by saying, I do not know why God allowed this to happen, but the miracles that followed are just that. God is good. Let me list the miracles.

1.   The ATV and trailer could have landed on her and perhaps killed her.
2.   I was out of town, and I always call her at 10:00 p.m. every night. She noticed that it was after 9:00 p.m. when she decided to unload the pears and apples and did not want to miss my call, so she got her cell phone and placed it in her right pocket. At the end of her fall, she was on her left side, so she was able to get it from the right pocket, she could barely move her arm. She called our two sons.
3.   Our second son came, drove out in the pasture, (remember it was dark), and could not find her. He looked around with the vehicle headlights, and the cows had surrounded her.
4.   When our first son received the call, his wife put in calls to 911. The EMT that first responded attends our church and we know him.
5.   When the ambulance arrived, the driver is a friend of the family.
6.   The ER doctor, while doing his residency in Enid attended our church and his kids grew up with our kids. He provided 5 minute updates while Pat was in the ER which was for approximately 3 hours.
7.   The gouge in her right leg allowed the wound to just lay open (the place where she dumped the pears and apples is also the place we dump our grass clippings, and we have cattle, so the wound was full of dead grass clippings, manure, and who knows what else. The EMT could only lay the folds of flesh back together and wrap the leg in order to strap her to the transport board. She spent two hours in surgery where the only thing they could do at that time was to “clean” the wound. She has never had one spec of infection!
8.   The X-rays, cat scans taken that night showed the pelvic break on the left side (broken completely in two) to be misaligned and it would be necessary to med flight her to Wichita, Oklahoma City, or Tulsa for surgery. The next morning the X-rays, cat scans, etc. showed the bones to be in perfect alignment and no surgery would be necessary.
9.   The doctors and nurses that attended her both the first week and the three weeks in skilled nursing were wonderful and each stated they did not want her to leave (she was such a good patient). Her spirits have been uplifting, never once has she complained. She was off pain medication ahead of schedule.
10.   Friends of ours had purchased an Assisted Living Center with sixteen rooms available about one year ago. All were full when the hospital care coordinator called them. They had a guest scheduled to leave the very day that Pat need to move. Pat had been in the hospital for exactly one month. We moved her Labor Day weekend.

At the time of the accident, prayer chains were called locally and I know Mark Green, Mark Brooke, and Scott Henderson made our Quartet families and friends aware through emails and phone calls and we know prayers were going up to our Father from Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Missouri, Arkansas, Iowa, Illinois, Tennessee, and I have probably left some states out. We know you were praying because we “felt” them. The miracles above are not circumstantial, they are providential. God is still on the throne, and Jesus is at His right hand ever interceding for us.

Thank You for your prayers, visits, emails, cards, phone calls, and thoughtfulness. We have truly been blessed. May God add jewels to your crowns for your ever caring spirits.

We ask that you continue to pray as earnestly as you have for her recovery to continue ahead of schedule. The doctors have said it could be up to one year before she is back to normal. With our Heavenly Father in charge, doctors schedules can be surpassed!

Stanley & Patricia Johnson

YEAR-END NEWSLETTER

Dear Friends of FORGIVEN,

God has been gracious this year allowing us to celebrate our 23rd year of ministry as The Southern Gospel Quartet FORGIVEN. We have seen God honor our corporate prayer of 1 Chronicles 4:10 by adding ministry opportunities in Arkansas and Nebraska this year; our fifth and sixth states, respectively. To God be the glory, great things He hath done!

As God has opened doors to us, we've never sensed our adversary more strongly than this year. He has attacked us on every front, trying to discourage and dissuade us from our appointed task. But we refuse to be discouraged, we rebuke disappointment and choose to believe the Good Report of the Lord! We know satan is a defeated foe; he's already lost the war! So, WE JOYFULLY PRESS ON, walking through doors God opens, desiring to fulfill our calling and to accomplish all the Lord seeks to accomplish through us, looking forward to His soon coming return! What a privilege, what an honor, and what a responsibility!

Friends, we couldn't do this without you! Your prayers, your smiles, your hugs, your words of encouragement and your financial generosity sustain us. We're more committed than ever before to the work that lies before us, and we're eagerly looking ahead to 2005!

Thank you, and may God richly bless you and your family this Christmas Season!!

Mark Brooke, Mark Green, Scott Henderson Stanley Johnson, & Kenny Mock

SEPTEMBER 7, 2004 - A SOLDIER'S WIFE'S STORY (NOT FORGIVEN NEWS, BUT A GREAT STORY)

(The following story was written by Lori Kimble, a 31 year old teacher and proud military wife. Mrs. Kimble, a California native, currently lives in Alabama.)

I was sitting alone in one of those loud, casual steak houses that you find all over the country. You know the type--a bucket of peanuts on every table, shells littering the floor, and a bunch of perky college kids racing around with longneck beers and sizzling platters.

Taking a sip of my iced tea, I studied the crowd over the rim of my glass. My gaze lingered on a group enjoying their meal. They wore no uniform to identify their branch of service, but they were definitely "military:"clean shaven, cropped haircut, and that "squared away" look that comes with pride.

Smiling sadly, I glanced across my table to the empty seat where my husband usually sat. It had only been a few months since we sat in this very booth, talking about his upcoming deployment to the Middle East. That was when he made me promise to get a sitter for the kids, come back to this restaurant once a month and treat myself to a nice steak. In turn he would treasure the thought of me being here, thinking about him until he returned home.

I fingered the little flag pin I constantly wear and wondered where he was at this very moment. Was he safe and warm? Was his cold any better? Were my letters getting through to him? As I pondered these thoughts, high pitched female voices from the next booth broke into my thoughts.

"I don't know what Bush is thinking about. Invading Iraq. You'd think that man would learn from his old man's mistakes. Good lord. What an idiot! I can’t believe he is even in office. You do know, he stole the election."

I cut into my steak and tried to ignore them, as they began an endless tirade running down our president. I thought about the last night I spent with my husband, as he prepared to deploy. He had just returned from getting his smallpox and anthrax shots. The image of him standing in our kitchen packing his gas mask still gives me chills.

Once again the women's voices invaded my thoughts. "It is all about oil, you know. Our soldiers will go in and rape and steal all the oil they can in the name of 'freedom'. Hmph! I wonder how many innocent people they'll kill without giving it a thought? It's pure greed, you know."

My chest tightened as I stared at my wedding ring. I could still see how handsome my husband looked in his "mess dress" the day he slipped it on my finger. I wondered what he was wearing now. Probably his desert uniform, affectionately dubbed "coffee stains" with a heavy bulletproof vest over it.

"You know, we should just leave Iraq alone. I don't think they are hiding any weapons. In fact, I bet it's all a big act just to increase the president's popularity. That's all it is, padding the military budget at the expense of our social security and education. And, you know what else? We're just asking for another 9-ll. I can't say when it happens again that we didn’t deserve it."

Their words brought to mind the war protesters I had watched gathering outside our base. Did no one appreciate the sacrifice of brave men and women who leave their homes and family to ensure our freedom? Do they even know what "freedom" is?

I glanced at the table where the young men were sitting, and saw their courageous faces change. They had stopped eating and looked at each other dejectedly, listening to the women talking. "Well, I, for one, think it's just deplorable to invade Iraq, and I am certainly sick of our tax dollars going to train professional baby-killers we call a military."

Professional baby-killers? I thought about what a wonderful father my husband is, and of how long it would be before he would see our children again.

That's it! Indignation rose up inside me. Normally reserved, pride in my husband gave me a brassy boldness I never realized I had. Tonight one voice will answer on behalf of our military, and let her pride in our troops be known.

Sliding out of my booth, I walked around to the adjoining booth and placed my hands flat on their table. Lowering myself to eye level with them, smilingly said, "I couldn't help overhearing your conversation. You see, I'm sitting here trying to enjoy my dinner alone. And, do you know why? Because my husband, whom I love with all my heart, is halfway around the world defending your right to say rotten things about him." "Yes, you have the right to your opinion, and what you think is none of my business. However, what you say in public is something else, and I will not sit by and Listen to you ridicule MY country, MY president, MY husband, and all the other fine American men and women who put their lives on the line, just so you can have the freedom" to complain. Freedom is an expensive commodity, ladies. Don't let your actions cheapen it."

I must have been louder that I meant to be, because the manager came over To inquire if everything was all right. "Yes, thank you," I replied. Then, turning back to the women, I said, "Enjoy the rest of your meal."

As I returned to my booth applause broke out. I was embarrassed for making A scene, and went back to my half eaten steak. The women picked up their check and scurried away.

After finishing my meal, and while waiting for my check, the manager returned with a huge apple cobbler ala mode. "Compliments of those soldiers, he said. He also smiled and said the ladies tried to pay for my dinner, but that another couple had beaten them to it. When I asked who, the manager said they had already left, but that the gentleman was a veteran, and wanted to take care of the wife of "one of our boys."

With a lump in my throat, I gratefully turned to the soldiers and thanked them for the cobbler. Grinning from ear to ear, they came over and surrounded the booth. "We just wanted to thank you, ma'am. You know we can't get into confrontations with civilians, so we appreciate what you did."

As I drove home, for the first time since my husband's deployment, I didn't feel quite so alone. My heart was filled with the warmth of the other diners who stopped by my table, to relate how they, too, were proud of my husband, and would keep him in their prayers. I knew their flags would fly a little higher the next day.

Perhaps they would look for more tangible ways to show their pride in our country, and the military who protect her. And maybe, just maybe, the two women who were railing against our country, would pause for a minute to appreciate all the freedom America offers, and the price it pays to maintain it's freedom.

As for me, I have learned that one voice CAN make a difference. Maybe the next time protesters gather outside the gates of the base where I live, I will proudly stand on the opposite side with a sign of my own. It will simply say, "Thank You!"

To those who fought for our Nation: Freedom has a flavor the protected will never know. GOD BLESS AMERICA!

When you read this, please stop for a moment and say a prayer for our ground, air and navy personnel in every area of the middle east. Of all the gifts you could give to anyone in the US Military, Prayer is the very best one.....Amen!

FORGIVEN RELEASES ALBUM “OUR FAVORITE HYMNS & CLASSICS”

The Southern Gospel Quartet FORGIVEN announces the release of their newest recording entitled “OUR FAVORITE HYMNS & CLASSICS”, recorded and produced at Daywind Studios in Nashville in June. Producers for the project were Marty Funderburk and Johnny Sansom and engineers were Justin Kropf and Steve Chandler. This release features 14 great hymns and southern gospel classics including; "Holy Manna", "I Have A Heavenly Father", "Come On Let's Go", "In The Sweet By and By", "I Love To Tell The Story", "No One Ever Cared For Me Like Jesus", "Oh What A Savior", "Heavenly Parade", "I'm Telling The World About His Love", "The Lighthouse", "In The Garden", "He Hideth My Soul", "Gentle Shepherd" and "Champion of Love".

This is the 5th recording project FORGIVEN has released over the past three years. Other projects include “I STAND REDEEMED” (January 2002), “NEW HORIZONS” (July 2002), “TRIBUTE TO AMERICA” (December, 2002), and "LIVE RIGHT DIE RIGHT (August, 2003).

According to Mark Green, Lead Singer for the group, “For more than a year, we've had people requesting us to do a hymns and classics project. We talked and prayed about it, and began to work the songs into our concerts early this year. The music was so well received we had our confirmation that this was exactly the direction we needed to go with this year's recording. Really, the hardest part about the whole thing was deciding which songs to record! We each got to choose a personal favorite to include on the project ("I Love To Tell The Story"-Mark Brooke's favorite, "No One Ever Cared For Me Like Jesus"-Mark Green's favorite, "In The Garden"-Scott Henderson's favorite, and "Oh What A Savior"-Stanley Johnson's favorite). This nailed down four songs right off the bat, but beyond this, we must have changed directions three or four times. If we had recorded all the songs we considered or worked on prior to finalizing the song list, we probably would be releasing our first double album! Fourteen songs and three days in the studio convinced us that we chose wisely!

We were blessed to work with some of Nashville's finest again this year and we're so grateful for the opportunity! We're really pleased with the final product and pray the music will be a real blessing to all who hear it!"

FORGIVEN RELEASES "THE BEST IS YET TO COME" TO RADIO

The Southern Gospel Quartet......FORGIVEN announces the release of their song, "THE BEST IS YET TO COME" to radio. This original song, written by Dove Award winning songwriters D.K Brewster and Bruce Haynes, was the number one cut on DreamWind Records compilation cd mailed to country and southern gospel DJs across the MidWest in February. Originally recorded in Nashville at DayWind Studios, the group took the song back into studio and enhanced it with the addition of steel guitar as played by Cal Denison (Blackwell, OK). "We were really pleased with the recording that was layed down in Nashville, but we felt like it just needed a little more. We asked our good friend Cal Denison (Blackwell, OK) to add the steel guitar to the accompaniment track and it has really enhanced the song, giving it a real 'country gospel' flavor that will surely please those who enjoy gospel music."

"We refer to this song in our concerts as the 'empty nest' song because the first verse speaks of that time when our babies grow up and leave home, says Mark Green, lead singer for the group. For most folks who have experienced this first hand, it really does feel a bit 'like the good days are gone' as the song says. However, we know that God has promised us He'll never leave us or forsake us.....that means He is with us when times are good, and when times are rough; He is with us when we're up and when we're down. It's really good to know that no matter what we may be going through, 'the best is yet to come....better days ahead.....the blessings of the Lord, are still better yet......we've never been forsaken, never left alone, the best is yet to come......for Heaven is our home."

"We really encourage everyone to be listening for this song. If you like what you hear, call the radio station up and give them a little testimony of how the song ministered to you, and ask them to play it again! Who knows, if enough people do that, FORGIVEN might actually chart a song. Wouldn't that be a blessing?"

FORGIVEN RELEASES ALBUM “LIVE RIGHT, DIE RIGHT”

The Southern Gospel Quartet FORGIVEN announces the release of their newest recording entitled “LIVE RIGHT, DIE RIGHT”, recorded and produced at Daywind’s studios in Nashville in June. Producers for the project were Marty Funderburk and Johnny Sansom and engineers were Justin Kropf and Steve Chandler. This release features 10 songs including the group’s first original song entitled, “The Best Is Yet To Come” written by D.K. Brewster and Bruce Haynes. Other songs include favorites made popular by Legacy Five such as “Salvation Is The Miracle” and “Personal Savior”; Greater Vision’s beautiful song, “He Washed My Feet”; three of Signature Sound Quartet’s top songs, “Singin’ Over Yonder”, “City Built Four Square”, and “Calvary Answers For Me”; Crossway’s “Live Right, Die Right”; Gold City’s “I’m Not What I Was”; and Old Time Gospel Hour Quartet’s “Valley Of The Shadow”.

This is the fourth recording project FORGIVEN (formerly based out of Ponca City, OK now based out of Bartlesville, OK) has released over the past two years. Other projects include “I STAND REDEEMED” (January 2002), “NEW HORIZONS” (July 2002), and “TRIBUTE TO AMERICA” (December, 2002).

“God has surely given us the desire of our hearts in response to our corporate prayer of 1 Chronicles 4:10” according to Mark Green, Lead Singer for the group (Owasso, OK, formerly from Ponca City). “We have seen God expand our territory just as He did for Jabez after he prayed this powerful prayer. Our prayer has consistently been that those we minister to will have a clearer picture of the Lord in their mind and a stronger love for Him in their heart after experiencing God’s ministry through FORGIVEN.”

Other members of the group include Mark Brooke from Bartlesville, OK (also formerly from Ponca City), Stanley Johnson from Drummond, OK and Kris Johnson from Rose Hill, KS.

EXCITING START TO 2003

PRAISE THE LORD!!! The beginning of 2003 has brought FORGIVEN opportunities to minister in places we could have never dreamed! We were blessed to honor our God and country by singing the national anthem at two separate Wichita State University basketball games (one men's game and one women's game) in addition to two separate events at Oklahoma State University (one wrestling dual and one men's basketball game). We always count these as special opportunites because of the exposure we get before thousands of unsaved and unchurched people as well as the love we have for our great country!

Mark Brooke was excited to return to his "spiritual birth place" as FORGIVEN shared with some great folks at the Town and Country Christian Church in Yukon, OK for the Oklahoma City Metro Area 4th Saturday singing in January. Mark was able to share his testimony as he recalled how the Lord had delivered him from a life of sin in that very building back in April 1977! The weekend was made extra special as we were able to minister before many of Mark's family and some dear old friends at the Bethany Church of God on Sunday morning.

Stanley Johnson was equally as excited as FORGIVEN was able to minister at his home church, the First Church Of The Nazarene in Enid, OK. They treated us like family (of course!!!). We were also blessed to minister at the church of Stanley's childhood, the Mennonite Church in Meno, OK. The "homecoming" theme continued for Stanley as we shared with many old friends at one of his former churches, the Central Church Of The Nazarene in Tulsa, OK.

Some of the other places we were blessed to share with include the First United Methodist Church in Waukomis, OK (pastored by an old friend of Mark Brooke, brother Haus Miller); the Oklahoma Opry in Oklahoma City, OK; Regency Park Church Of The Nazarene in Tulsa, OK; The First Church Of The Nazarene in Chelsea, OK; the First Baptist Church in Medford, OK and Victory Bible Church in Enid, OK. We were also thrilled to return to two of our favorite churches, the First Lutheran Church in Ponca City, OK and the Rose Hill Christian Church in Rose Hill, KS.

To top things off, FORGIVEN was blessed with a great deal on our first bus!!! Our great friend, Cal Denison, along with his parents (and ministry partners) Jon and Bernice Denison practically "gave" us their 1980 model MCI tour bus! We are looking forward to using it to carry us to many ministry opportunities in the coming weeks and months.

God is good, all the time!!!!

FORGIVEN: REFLECTIONS ON 2002 (by Mark Green)

Wow what a year!    God has been faithful and surely given us the desire of our hearts in response to corporately praying 1 Chronicles 4:10 over our ministry at the beginning of this year. God has certainly done things “so significant” in our ministry we can’t help knowing it has been done by Him. He also has “expanded our influence” allowing us the opportunity to minister in over 70 concerts this year in Oklahoma, Kansas, Texas and Missouri. We have seen some accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior of their life and also seen many others pour their hearts out to God on His alter leaving them refreshed and renewed! Praise God from whom ALL blessings flow!

It’s very difficult to summarize all that has happened to us this year, but I can highlight a few.

In February we hopped on a plane in Tulsa, OK with our good friend Patty Curl (well known solo artist and speaker from Ponca City, OK) and flew to Harlingen, TX for the South Texas Music Festival. This festival has traditionally featured country, bluegrass and Tejano music. “Gospel” music was introduced for the first time this year and it was well received by those who ventured into the gospel pavilion. One of the highlights of the weekend was getting the opportunity to meet the great family group, "The Carter’s" who invited us to sing on their stage the last night we were there! In retrospect, we recognize this opportunity was all about us expanding our own minds and getting out of our comfort zone so that God could honor the prayer of Jabez we’d prayed only days before. God wants to work in partnership with us, but we need to be willing to step toward Him in faith!

In April we entered and won the Branson Gospel Music Association “Showdown 2002” Talent Contest (Group Award Winners). God was so wonderful to allow His Anointing to rest upon us in the finals as we sang, “I Stand Redeemed.” We’ll never forget the thrill of that ministry moment or the thrill of winning the contest. It truly opened doors for us this year and made our latest full-length recording project, “NEW HORIZONS” possible with the free studio hours we won as part of the contest. God knew we wanted to record again, but we didn’t see how we could do it. He provided! Thank you, Jehovah Jireh!

In June we had the distinct privilege of opening for the Legacy Five at Hutchins Auditorium in Ponca City, OK. What a wonderful and talented group of men! Naturally we were a little nervous singing right before “real gospel music stars” but Roger Bennett and the rest of the guys were very gracious towards us; even allowing us to sing to start the second half of the concert too! Later, Mark Brooke and I even got a personal tour of their bus. Now that was really exciting! Hey, if God can do it for Legacy Five, He can do it for FORGIVEN as well!    Right?

In July we placed an order for new sound equipment. We realized there was no way our aging equipment was going to survive our ministry schedule for the remainder of the year. The price tag looked ominous, but we stepped out on faith again and SAW GOD MOVE ON OUR BEHALF. Within weeks, not months God had met our financial need and brought this mountain down right before our very eyes! Again, He provided!

We made several other trips to Branson during the year. We had the opportunity to sing on The Brumley Show at the 76 Music Hall, The Denny Yeary and Shelia Renee Show (The Sweethearts of Branson) at the Show Town Theatre, and also at The Majestic Theatre for the Jammin’ For Jesus Concerts hosted by the Branson Gospel Music Association. We can’t thank The Brumleys, The Yeary’s, or Phyllis Rotrock of the BGMA enough for all they did for us this year!

There are so many people who have helped us; so many people who have prayed for us; so many people who have encouraged us! If we try to mention names we will surely forget someone very important to us and we don’t want to do that. Please know you are all very important to us and we love and appreciate you all – especially our families! Thank you for recognizing God’s call on our lives and for allowing us to fulfill it!

Finally, we are looking forward to 2003 with great expectation! It’s hard to imagine that it could be any more exciting than this year has been, but we firmly believe God has great things in store for us!

Hope to see you soon!

FORGIVEN RELEASES PATRIOTIC CD

The southern gospel quartet FORGIVEN is pleased to announce the completion and release of their first "patriotic" recording entitled "Tribute To America". Five songs are included in the project including the very powerful (and popular) song, "I Still Believe In America". Other selections include our national anthem, the "Star Spangled Banner", Elvis Presley's "American Trilogy", Lee Greenwood's "God Bless The U.S.A." and a beautiful arrangement of "God Bless America".

FORGIVEN RELEASES RECORDING PROJECT "NEW HORIZONS"

The southern gospel quartet FORGIVEN is pleased to announce the completion and release of their latest album entitled "New Horizons". Eleven songs are included in the project including many of the group's more popular selections. Four of the songs ("New Ship Saiing", "He's My King", I'll Tell It Wherever I Go" and "Steppin' Out On The Water") were recorded using studio musicians at the Way West Audio/Video Production studio in Blackwell, OK. The remaining seven songs were recorded at Caravell Studios in Bra Mark Green Forgiven Quartetnson, MO using leased tracks from DayWind. Those songs include "My Lord And I", "In Time, On Time, Every Time", "Viewing Heaven First Hand", "When He Spoke", "He Made A Change", "Waiting On The Water" and "The Unseen Hand".

A special feature is the guest appearance of the popular ladies trio SWEET HARMONY in the song "He's My King". The group (Donita Cooper, Debbie Green and Rhonda Walker) can be reached through the office of Northeast Baptist Church in Ponca City at (580) 765-2404.

FORGIVEN INTERVIEWED LIVE ON OASIS NETWORK STATION

The southern gospel quartet FORGIVEN was carried in a live interview over Oasis Network station KMSI (88.1 FM Moore/Oklahoma City, OK). This 30 minute "Roadshow Interview" was hosted by Cherry Willis and was also picked by Oasis Network stations in Weatherford, OK (89.1 FM) and Lawton, OK (96.3 FM). Three songs from FORGIVEN's latest recording "New Horizons" were played during the interview which also included questions for tenor singer Mark Brooke, lead singer Mark Green and bass singer Stanley Johnson. Baritone singer Kris Johnson was unable to attend.

THE BABY HAS ARRIVED!

Kris and Jonnell Johnson are pleased to announce the arrival of a new baby girl! The Lord blessed them with Josey Ruth Johnson at approx. 3:00 p.m. on Tuesday July 30th. Josey weighed in at 7 lbs. 6 oz. and measured 18 1/4 inches long. Jonnell and Josey are doing fine. The other members of FORGIVEN are excited about this addition to our "ministry family" and we invite everyone to join with us and the Johnson's in a prayer of thanksgiving. God is good!!!

FORGIVEN STARTS WORK ON NEW RECORDING PROJECT

The southern gospel quartet FORGIVEN has begun work on a new recording project. The planned title of the recording is "New Horizons". According to the group's manager, Mark Brooke, "The title reflects perfectly on the current state and future direction of our ministry. We have prayed that the Lord would expand our ministry by sending us places we have never been and the He would use us like never before. We are already seeing evidence that the Lord is honoring our commitment and we trust that many more new opportunities are on the horizon".

Part of the project will be completed at the Way West Audio/Video Production studio in Blackwell, OK. The bulk of the project will be completed at Caravell Studios in Branson, MO. According to Mark, "We were able to lease the accompaniment for several of our more popular songs from Daywind in Nashville. Those songs will be recorded in Branson to take advantage of the studio time we won at the BGMA talent contest. The remaining songs are being produced by our good friend, Cal Denison, at Way West in Blackwell. We are excited about the prospect of being in the recording studio again and we are praying that the Lord will allow this recording to have an impact on people we minister to."

FORGIVEN WINS BGMA TALENT CONTEST

Ponca City’s own southern gospel quartet FORGIVEN was selected Grand Champions in the group competition at the Branson Gospel Music Association “Showdown 2002” talent contest last weekend in Branson, MO. The Final Chapter from St. Louis, MO was selected as first runner-up and The Master’s Touch from Louisville, KY was selected as second runner-up.

“We are really excited about winning this contest,” said Mark Green, lead singer for the group. “We had barely claimed our trophy before we were whisked away for a backstage interview with Hartlen Coates of The Oasis Network. Songwriters were laying promotional packets of their original works in our hands, talent agents were handing us their business cards, and people were coming at us from all directions to congratulate us. It was almost embarrassing in a way. I think we’re all still in a state of shock, but we consider ourselves very blessed and honored to have won.”

In winning the contest, FORGIVEN will return to Branson for a photo shoot and guest appearance on the Brumley Music Show on July 6. On July 7, they will be featured on the Jammin’ For Jesus Concert at the Majestic Theater, and on July 8-9 they’ll be working on their next recording project at Caravell Studios. They will also receive national recognition in a major gospel music magazine later this year.

“It was such a great weekend and the people we spoke to who attended the festival were so appreciative of the soloists, instrumentalists and groups that had come from all over the country to sing,” said Green. “There is a real desire in the hearts of all the BGMA members to return Branson to its roots of traditional southern gospel and bluegrass music. It was really great to be part of one event devoted to that purpose.”

FORGIVEN TO COMPETE IN GOSPEL CONTEST

Ponca City’s own southern gospel quartet FORGIVEN has been chosen to compete in the prestigious Branson Gospel Music Association “Showdown 2002” talent contest later this month. A panel of industry professionals narrowed a large field of contestants down to just twelve groups who will compete for free studio time, national publicity in a major gospel music publication, and an appearance in two Branson area shows later this year.

The four-day gospel music festival will be held at several venues throughout Branson April 25th-28th and will feature a number of different contests including male vocalist, female vocalist, youth vocalist, instrumental, songwriting and others. The group competition will take place from 2-4 p.m. on Friday, April 26 at the Ramada Resort and Conference Center on West Highway 76 with the top three groups advancing to the final round of competition on Saturday, April 27 at noon.

FORGIVEN has been spreading the good news of Jesus Christ through songs and testimonies since July 1981. They have performed throughout Oklahoma as well as Kansas and Missouri with an emphasis on the smooth harmonies that exemplify southern gospel music. Current members of the group include Mark Brooke (Manager & Master of Ceremonies), Mark Green, Stan Johnson and Kris Johnson. Both Mark Brooke (tenor) and Mark Green (lead) live in Ponca City; Stan Johnson (bass) lives in Enid; and Kris Johnson (baritone) lives in Rose Hill, Kansas.

“We’re very excited to be a part of the festival, especially since we’re from out of state,” said Green. “We had been told there was generally a strong bias against out of state groups, but I guess the judges liked what they heard in our audition CD. We’re going to Branson intent on ministering the gospel of JESUS CHRIST to whoever is there to hear it. It doesn’t matter whether we win or lose the contest. What really matters is THE MESSAGE we take with us. Our goal for this festival is no different than it is for any concert performance or church service we are a part of…….that after you’ve heard our music, you’ll have a clearer picture of the Lord Jesus Christ in your mind, and a stronger love for Him in your Heart!”

FORGIVEN APPEARS AT SOUTH TEXAS MUSIC FESTIVAL, MERCEDES, TX

The southern gospel quartet FORGIVEN appeared before thousands of country, bluegrass and gospel music fans at the South Texas Music Festival which is held annualy in Mercedes, Texas. This year the event ran from Thursday, Feb. 21st through Sunday, Feb. 24th with FORGIVEN participating the last two days.

Groups and individual artists gathered from all over the country for a chance to perform before the 20,000 to 30,000 fans that converge on the Rio Grande valley each year for the event. Traveling with FORGIVEN was local recording star Patty Curl.

The gospel talent was arranged by Loretta Withee, a talented singer and songwriter from Columbia Missouri. According to Loretta, "Every year the gospel talent at the festival gets better and better. We want to glorify God and place the name of Jesus on the lips of thousands of lost souls who need him desparately".

FORGIVEN ADDS BASS SINGER

The southern gospel quartet FORGIVEN is pleased to announce the addition of a bass singer effective December 1, 2001. According to Mark Brooke, the group's tenor and manager, "We are excited about the addition of Stanley Johnson as our new bass. Stanley comes to us as a veteran of many years of singing southern gospel music. He will add a dimension to our sound that has been missing this past year as we have performed as a trio."

Stan and his wife Pat live near Drummond, Oklahoma and attend Enid First Church of the Nazarene. They have two adult children, Stuart and Steven.

FORGIVEN COMPLETES RECORDING PROJECT

FORGIVEN is pleased to announce the completion of their recording project entitled "I Stand Redeemed". Songs include "Good, Good News", "He Said", "No One Ever Cared For Me Like Jesus", "I Sure Miss You", "By Faith I Can Touch Him Now", "Search Me Lord", When I Move To Hallelujah Square", "I Believe", "He Saw Me", "At The Cross", "I Stand Redeemed" and "Going Home". The album was procuced by Cal Denison at the Way West Audio/Video Production studio in Blackwell, OK.

A "special guest" was included on three of the songs. Former member Lynda Johnson was featured as the lead vocalist on "No One Ever Cared For Me Like Jesus" and "He Saw Me". She can also be heard providing the high background vocals on "Good, Good News".