18 Feb 2010 In Conway County: ‘Make a joyful noise unto the Lord’

Nearly 20 years later in 2002, the group began attending the Deep South Regional Quartet Convention in Magnolia (Columbia County), where they witnessed firsthand the proof that such an event served as an inspiration for the host church, attending groups, congregation and the community.

“We had the idea three or four years ago that we might want to bring something like this to Mount Pleasant, but we didn’t have the facilities to accommodate the groups,” said member Judy Biggers. “Once our Family Life Center was completed in 2008, we knew it was time to share what we had experienced in Magnolia with our home church.”

And that’s what they did, acting as the host group for the first Mid-Ark Southern Gospel Quartet Convention in 2009. “The first convention was a huge success, with the main events each evening being standing-room only,” Biggers added. “The second day, people began showing up at 3:30 p.m. just to get a seat for the evening show.”

Members of the host church brought in televisions and piped the performances from the main stage into other sections of the facility to cope with the flood of guests.

Building on the success of the first convention, the second annual event is scheduled Friday, Feb. 26, and Saturday, Feb. 27, once again at Mount Pleasant Missionary Baptist in Plumerville. The concerts will begin at 6 p.m. on Friday and 5 p.m. on Saturday, with doors opening one hour prior to the main events. This year, the convention will feature a dozen of Southern gospel’s finest group ministries sharing their gifts with the community.

The event will also include a silent auction, with items including a Carnival cruise, a guided duck hunt, assorted handmade quilts and pillows, and more. Proceeds benefit ministries within the host church. While the event is free to attend, a love offering will be collected to help defray the cost of the event and also support future endeavors of the host church.

“The convention really is a church-wide project,” Biggers added. “The church brotherhood prepares food for our concession stand, the women’s auxilary serves it, and our youth groups handle drinks and desserts — every member of our church helps make this an amazing event we use to share God’s word with our guests from the community.”

New to this year’s convention will be an online live feed during the performances. Biggers stated that the live feed will give anyone the opportunity to experience the positive message of the convention, even if they are unable to attend in person.
When “Heaven’s Echoes” was formed 27 years ago, its founding members were searching for a way to share their belief in salvation with all they came in contact with. Through their continued dedication to and sponsorship of the Mid-Ark Southern Gospel Quartet Convention, they have done just that — sharing their “joyful noise” with more people than they ever imagined.

The concert schedule, directions, live feed and more can be accessed online at dsqc.org/midark. For more information regarding the convention, please call 501.354.8030.