Glen Lake Church concert returns to Old Settlers
From staff reports
Following a two-year hiatus due to COVID-19, the Men’s Bible Study group at Glen Lake Community Church is again presenting a “free benefit concert” at Old Settlers Park for the Leelanau, Benzie and Grand Traverse communities. This year’s July 9 concert will feature Aaron Boyd, an internationally renowned Christian recording artist. Boyd, who grew up and still lives in Northern Ireland, is, once again, bringing his “Worship + Justice” Tour to Michigan to raise money for the “World Orphans” organization. Additionally, the Old Settlers concert will also raise funds for the local charity, Empire Area Community Center Emergency Fund. The concert in Glen Arbor will be the second of eight stops on his tour.
Boyd was born and raised in Belfast, Northern Ireland. In his youth he witnessed and was involved in “the Troubles”; a period of conflict in Northern Ireland. He bought, sold and used drugs and will readily admit that he has a rough past. When he turned his life around, he began writing music and singing the words he wrote. The very first song he wrote has a line that reads “Death to the past, it’s gone. Here’s to a new beginning. My God’s not finished with me yet”. This song was the start of something special for Boyd as he shifted a faithless and rebellious lifestyle to a faith filled, God honoring lifestyle that has allowed him to pursue his passion and gifting of leading worship all over the world.
In 2006, Boyd was invited to go on a mission trip to Thailand. It was on that trip that he witnessed the horrific abuse associated with human trafficking. He walked by brothel after brothel filled with young girls and young boys. His mission team had been leading worship at different churches throughout their time in Thailand, and one more door opened before they were to leave. A brothel owner heard that there was a band from Northern Ireland in the area. The owner had no idea that it was a Christian band, so they were invited to come “perform” in one of the brothels. It was in this brothel, that Boyd penned the song “God of This City”. The album that highlighted this song peaked at number one for 4 straight weeks in 2008. Some of the lyrics to this song are: “You’re the God of this City You’re the King of these people You’re the Lord of this nation You are. You’re the Light in this darkness You’re the Hope to the hopeless You’re the peace to the restless You are. For greater things have yet to come And greater things are still to be done in this city.”
It’s one thing to worship to this song in one of our American churches, but to think about this being written in one of the darkest places on earth will certainly make one pause and reflect. In 2011, a few staff members with the organization “World Orphans” went on a vision trip to Thailand. They saw the same things that Boyd had seen a few years earlier. They walked the same streets, passed the same brothels and ultimately prayed over the same city. The last night they were there, they went to their hotel room that overlooked the city and they played the song “God of this City” over the city, having no idea that this very song was written for these very people in this same dark city. Several months after their return, one of the staff members, Mike Krick, discovered the story behind the song and was determined to meet Boyd and see if there was any way World Orphans and Aaron Boyd could partner together to help vulnerable children around the world.
It didn’t take long as Boyd was playing at the 2012 Big Ticket Festival in Gaylord, Michigan and Mike, who lived in Michigan and was on the board of the Big Ticket Festival at the time, reached out to Boyd on a hot summer day in a dust filled tent in Gaylord. The connection and conversation was incredibly special as Aaron and Mike came to realize that they had a similar heart to help make a difference for vulnerable children. Since then, Boyd has travelled with World Orphans to Haiti, Guatemala and South Africa. He has been a part of dozens of tours with World Orphans since 2014, and has not only encouraged and inspired thousands with is gift of leading worship, but has also helped raise hundreds of thousands of dollars to truly help bring hope to the hopeless. World Orphans model of care equips churches around the globe to come alongside vulnerable families, empowering them and providing holistic care for their children. Most children living in orphanages have at least one living parent. In partnership with the local church, World Orphans helps keep families together, strengthen them and help them towards independence.
Boyd and World Orphans will be in our area on Saturday, July 9 at Old Settlers Park on Big Glen Lake. The concert will begin at 7 PM. This will be a special night for the whole family to come here song and story and the coolest accent on the planet! You will be encouraged and inspired to make a difference around the world and in our own back yard. The concert is free and an opportunity will be presented to support World Orphans and the Empire Area Community Center Emergency Fund, a Michigan Registered 501(c) 3 Public Charity. EACC promotes and manages the fund to financially assist individuals or families that have fallen upon hard times in western Leelanau County. This is done by directly paying a billing company for expenses such as medical, housing or utilities. Since its inception the fund has distributed more than $160,000 to help local families in need.
