The Kosciusko Chamber of Commerce held a ribbon-cutting for Northern Lakes Gospel Promotion Monday. Pictured in front from left are Scott Wiley, Chamber member relations manager; Wende Roberts, Northern Lakes Gospel Promotions and Morning Star; Jessica Marroquin, Joy Cleaning and Home Services, chamber ambassador and Heather Lardino, 1st Source Bank, chamber ambassador; and Rob Parker, chamber president and CEO. In the second row is Melissa Paxton, The Waters of Syracuse, chamber ambassador. In back are Joe Jackson, Northern Lakes Gospel Promotion; Bob Jackson, Northern Lakes Gospel Promotion; Stacey Leek, Stillwater Hospice, chamber ambassador; and Corbin Holtsberry, Lake City Bank, chamber ambassador. Photo by Jackie Gorski, Times-Union.

By Jackie Gorski
Times-Union

WARSAW — The Kosciusko Chamber of Commerce held a ribbon-cutting for Northern Lakes Gospel Promotion Monday, May 6.

Wende Roberts, promoter with the organization, said Northern Lakes Gospel Promotion provides a platform for nationally-known or worldwide known artists to come in to Winona Lake and Warsaw “and share the good news of the Gospel and we have been doing that since 2018.”

Bob Jackson said they try to pick the best artists in the Southern Gospel genre, or at least the most popular.

Roberts said she and her mom were going to concerts and Roberts thought this area would be a great place to bring something like that in. Grace College and The Village of Winona came onboard that initial year and “we became part of their summer concert series. That’s when things really started taking off with the Northern Lakes portion of that.”

Roberts said since 2018, they have put on 12 concerts and have put on three concerts a year, with the potential to grow.

Some of the artists brought in for concerts include The Booth Brothers and The Guardians.

The first concert this year is the No Name Quartet’s annual Mother’s Day with special guest Michael Booth. The concerts starts at 6 p.m. Sunday, May 12, with doors opening at 5 p.m. at Winona Lake Grace Church.

Roberts said they are looking down the line at partnering with local community partners to see what they can bring in.

She hopes to bring in additional artists. Jackson said if they could do five concerts a year, that would be great.
Roberts said music is something that speaks to pretty much everyone, and so the whole point is to point people to Jesus.