10/01/2016 Songs of Praise

'SALLY MAGNUSSON: I've come to the famous River Clyde in Scotland,

'and, on a cold winter's day,

'it's perhaps not the best time for a boat trip!'

But I couldn't be in safer hands, because I've come to meet

a true local hero, a man who's saved hundreds of people from these waters.

Also in the programme, Claire's in Ballymena in Northern Ireland

at a gym for the body and the soul.

Through this gym, since we opened six years ago,

there has been about 30 people have given their lives to Jesus

just through the tool of fitness.

# Everywhere I go... #

And we'll be launching this year's

Songs Of Praise Gospel Choir Of The Year competition.

# ..I'm gonna hold my light up high! #

GULLS CALL

And we've got wonderful hymns and songs

from across the UK, but we begin

just along from here in Paisley, with a classic hymn of praise.

APPLAUSE AND CHEERING

Glasgow's changed a great deal

since it was the shipbuilding capital of the British Empire.

Many traditional industries have declined,

but now, the old and the new sit side-by-side, with ships, whisky,

even television programmes, being produced by the waterside.

The Clyde remains one of Britain's busiest waterways

and that, combined with the unpredictable weather,

means it can be pretty treacherous.

Each year, hundreds of people get into difficulty on the river

and, for more than two centuries, the Glasgow Humane Society

has done all it can to be there to rescue them.

'George Parsonage succeeded his father

'as Chief Officer of the Society.

'I met him when the waters were calm.

'But after a lifetime rowing this river,

'George knows how quickly people can get into trouble.'

I was not really expected to follow in my father's footsteps.

But the day my father died, that afternoon,

there was an accident down-river and CID phoned, people that

hadn't known my father was dead,

and told us of the incident and I just... You just went.

That was it.

What kind of situations do you get called to on the river?

Well, you can get people trying to walk across a bridge,

they think they're clever, usually with a bit of drink in them,

and you can get a boating accident.

Now, the boating accidents are never really any problem,

but you never know when it could become a problem.

And sometimes, sadly, it is people wanting to take their own lives?

Er, I don't believe in the word "suicide"...at all.

Usually find they are cries for help.

Unfortunately, some of them, obviously, don't make it,

but our proud boast is... My father's boast and now mine

is that, er, we've never seen anybody drown in the river.

If we see somebody... If somebody's alive when we're called out,

we're always able to rescue them, you know?

I also believe that there's somebody guiding us all the time,

because, er, the number of very, very strange experiences I've had -

being in the right place at the right time -

there has to be a God, there has to be something up there.

'One of the many George has rescued from the river is Gordon Simpson.'

I was going out rowing one day

in a sculling boat. Up the river I came

and I got just under this bridge we're standing on now

and I got to the other side of the bridge

and my oar jumped out the gate.

Now, when the oar jumps out of the gate in a sculling boat,

you fall in, because you've no balance,

and it was a very cold January day, with a howling westerly.

Maybe I shouldn't have been out, but I was.

So, I got in the water itself.

Then I began to panic slightly, but I kept my cool.

Fortunately, there was people crossing the bridge at the time.

They ran up and got hold of George.

George came down, got in his boat, came out, went alongside me,

put his arms under my oxters here, and then,

then he pushed me under, which gave me a bigger fright!

But it was to get buoyancy and, when I pushed up,

he pulled me right back up and pulled me into his boat,

which I was glad to get into.

I've heard it said that you've rescued 1,500 people or thereabouts.

-Is that right?

-I certainly know my dad had rescued more than that.

But, er... You don't go... You don't go counting.

But you must have seen death, though, on the river?

I've seen a lot, yeah.

Whether it's a child or an older person,

once you see a dead body, you don't want to see another one.

Don't want to see another one! And that makes you

really, really centric about the safety point and I'm very proud

that we are concentrating on the safety bit just now.

You've spent your life dealing with life-and-death situations.

I wonder how that's forged your beliefs?

Well, I was born and brought up in the Church of Scotland.

The river is heaving.

We can have 400 or 500 racing boats out on the river on a Sunday morning

and, therefore, you've got to be here, just in case of accidents,

so I don't go to church very often.

-Are you ever picked up on that point?

-Yes!

I went to a church a couple of years ago

and the minister said, "I don't see you here very often."

So, I just said to him,

"Well, that, sir, is because I must be about my father's business."

And he gave me a little wry look and he said,

"What IS your father's business?" And I said,

"I, sir, am a fisher of men."

And there is a serious point, though, isn't there?

Do you feel that you are doing your father's business out here?

There's no doubt about it.

It was after quite a number of years of racing about in the racing boats

that I realised I hadn't just been given this ability of rowing

to win races, but the best races were getting there in time

to save somebody on the river.

'Later, George reveals how his faith and the love of rowing combine

'in his other passion - sculpture!

'But first, let's enjoy one of his favourite hymns.'

Today's the day we launch our search

for the 2016 Songs Of Praise Gospel Choir Of The Year.

It's more than just a competition. It's a festival!

-# Oh, happy day!

-Oh, happy day! #

And 2016 will be no exception. Once more, we're looking for choirs

to take part in this showcase of talent.

I think choirs should enter Gospel Choir Of The Year 2016

because competitions give a choir

an opportunity to really examine itself, to really work

towards something and it is a great way to develop a choir.

And also, you get to interact with other choirs

and you can learn off them.

Iron sharpens iron and choirs sharpen other choirs.

# Your grace abounds in deepest waters

# Your sovereign hand... #

I am looking for a choir that delivers to

the best of their ability, I am looking for a choir that reflects

what is uniquely UK gospel,

I'm looking for a choir that convinces me

that what they are singing they believe.

# And I will call upon your name... #

A great gospel choir should have you on the edge of your seat,

you should be feeling like, "I need to cry, I need to laugh."

It should take you on the whole gamut of emotions.

It should be technically strong but more than anything,

it should move you.

-# Now I know

-Now I know

# There's no doubt in my mind

# Jesus has answered... #

The final competition performances may be high-pressure

but the build-up to them is always great fun.

From the minute we heard that we were finalists,

there has been this growing excitement

and then deciding what we were going to wear and all our accessories,

it has really taken all of us to another level.

# From every nation God knows each of us by name... #

We're excited, there is a buzz with the choir,

the prep talks have been fantastic.

Coming on the coach, everybody is just grinning

and bubbling and, "Oh, we're here!"

So, it has been really good, I'm just crazy.

# Laid down our lives

# But we all shall live again on the other side... #

It's gospel music, it is all about faith.

It is not "secular" music, it is Gospel Choir Of The Year.

And so, that faith has to come across, I have to believe

that they mean every word that they say and they want that to reach me.

# Oh, oh, oh Don't cry

# Wipe your eyes... #

I think it is a unique opportunity for UK gospel to showcase

what's going on here.

# Everywhere I go

# Everywhere I've been

# I'm going to hold my light up high

# For the world to see... #

So, if you'd like your choir to take part, don't delay,

go straight to the Songs Of Praise website,

where you will find all the details

and terms and conditions you need to enter.

You have got until Friday 1st April to get your entry in.

Now, let's remind ourselves of the amazing winners'

performance from last year's competition.

# We are going to see the King

# Going

# Going to see the King

-# Soon and very soon

-Soon and very soon

-# We are going to see the King

-We are going to see

# Soon and very soon

# We are going to see the King

-# We're going, we're going to see

-Soon and very soon

# We are going to see the King

-# Hallelujah

-Hallelujah

# Hallelujah We are going to see the King

-# No more crying there

-No more crying there

-# We are going to see the King

-We're going to see the King

# No more crying there We are going to see the King

# We're going, we're going

# No more crying there We are going to see the King

# Hallelujah

# Hallelujah, hallelujah

# We are going to see the King

# Hallelujah

# Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ah

# Should there be

# Should there be any rivers we must cross

# Should there be any mountains we must climb

# God will supply all the strength that we need

# Give us grace till we reach the other side

# We have come from every nation

# God knows each of us by name

# Jesus shed His precious blood

# And He washed our sins away

# Yes, there are some of us who have laid down our lives

# But we all shall live again on the other side

# No more dying there

# We are going to see the King

-# We're going, we're going to see

-No more dying there

# We are going to see the King

-# We're going to see the King

-No more dying there

# We are going to see the King

-# Hallelujah

-Hallelujah

# Hallelujah We are going to see the King

# Hallelujah

# Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ah

# Hallelujah

# Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ah. #

CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

Glasgow has a rich heritage of art and music.

It was named European City Of Culture back in 1990,

just after our next guest had her first big hit.

Singer-songwriter Eddi Reader is Glasgow born and bred.

Here she is now with her take on a classic hymn.

# Soul of my saviour

# Sanctify my breast

# Body of Christ

# Be thou my saving guest

# Blood of my saviour

# Bathe me in thy tide

# Wash me with water

# Gushing from thy side

# Strength and protection

# May thy passion be

# O blessed Jesus

# Hear and answer me

# Deep in thy wounds, Lord

# Hide and shelter me

# So shall I never

# Never part from thee

# Guard and defend me

# From the foe malign

# In death's dread moments

# Make me only thine

# Call me and bid me

# Come to thee on high

# Where I may praise thee

# With thy saints for aye. #

I don't suppose you'll be surprised to hear that gym membership

rises rapidly in January, as many of us

resolve to work off those Christmas indulgences.

Well, Claire McCollum has been to a gym in Ballymena

in Northern Ireland, to find out how fitness can help body and soul.

I wonder how many of you, like me, have made New Year's resolutions.

Getting fit and changing to a healthier diet tops the list

every January.

And at Green Pastures Church in Ballymena, you can

do just that and hear God's word.

All under one roof.

OK, Linda, let's get ready to work up those shoulders.

Pick up your 5kg.

Place them on your shoulders and lift up, breathe out.

Estelle Wallace is a personal trainer

and the manager at the church's own Pure Wellness gym.

It looks to me like many, many gyms up and down the country

but it is different. Why is it so different?

I think the main thing would be

because we are under the church roof here at Green Pastures.

We wanted to cater for something that brings in the local community.

We accept everybody as they are and our aim is to make people

believe in themselves and actually act out what they believe

they can be.

We get every walk of life and through this gym

since we opened six years ago, there has been about 30 people have

given their lives to Jesus just through the tool of fitness.

The Lord says to use whatever is in your hand and in our hands

in here is fitness.

So, we get a chance to actually witness to people without

ever preaching a word.

The idea and vision for the gym came from Pastor Jeff Wright.

The gym really is a brilliant thing for engaging with people that

don't normally come to church.

The proceeds and the profits of the gym go to help people

out in the community.

We can feed people with that, we can do community clean-ups.

There are a lot of hurting people out there, lost in this world

and we really want to invite them to come

in and have an encounter with Jesus and his cross.

One of those whose life has been touched by the gym

is Alison Kernohan.

15 years ago, she was struggling with a heroin addiction.

Things had got really bad.

I'd been a heroin addict for a few years.

Me and my partner, we had moved to a small village, very close to here.

The people hated us. I had people spit at my feet.

We had our windows all put in one night.

I remember on one occasion, I actually got down on my hands

and knees on my living room floor and I cried out to God.

Erm...

I just... I just wanted to die.

I wanted him to give me the courage to end my life.

Or somehow to get me out of it.

Alison received professional help and managed to come off heroin.

As part of her rehabilitation, she signed up to a healthy eating

programme and started coming to the gym at Green Pastures Church.

I was a non-Christian then and straightaway,

it was like an instant feeling of this...

It just became my home from home.

There was a joy about the place and I remember saying to the

manager, Estelle, "What is it about this place?"

And she nailed it on the head. She just said, "God lives here."

As we move into the New Year, we are going...

Today, Alison's life revolves around the church

and she works as a personal trainer, helping and encouraging others.

I am so thankful to God because it is all through him

and it just shows that he has been there

all along, through the struggles, he has seen the bigger picture.

Is this God's gym?

Absolutely. It is not my gym,

it is not the team's gym,

it belongs to God and He does all the miracles in here.

Earlier, I met George Parsonage,

who has dedicated his life to saving lives on the River Clyde.

But even heroes need hobbies and for George, it's art.

Wow, George!

-This is all your stuff?

-Yep.

I went to art school and after the two-year general,

-decided to do sculpture.

-And where do you get all the material?

Most of the material comes out the river, or out the scrapyard.

-But the river bank gives me a lot of it.

-And, George, what's this?

Is this a crucifix?

It came quite simply from somebody taking a photograph,

looking right down on me as I passed under a bridge.

And I realised that the boat was the crucifix.

People had said, especially when the rowing started on a Sunday,

that rowing had become my religion.

So, my answer to that was, yeah, because you never actually feel

nearer to God than when you're out in the middle of a river or loch.

When you are rowing in an international race

and you get about 1,800 metres of a 2,000-metre race

and you feel as though your sweatband

is your crown of thorns and your oars are nailed to the water.

And it's a lovely idea of this, you know, and you come THROUGH that.

If you are lucky, you win.

You succeed, and that is what a lot of folk would say Jesus did.

He came through the Crucifixion and succeeded.

-This is the house, George, it belongs to the society.

-It does, yes.

How long have you been here?

-I was born here, I was born in the room upstairs.

-Were you?

-Yes.

-Goodness. So, that's a long time.

-Aye, a long time.

-So, you really have lived with this job, in every way.

-Oh, yes.

And it is surrounded here by these wonderful accolades to the

-work that you and your father have done.

-It is nice, yes.

What are the things that have mattered most to you,

the sort of recognition that has meant most to you personally?

The best recognition you can get is your own satisfaction,

that you have saved a life.

So, as you look back on your life, George,

-it has been a satisfying life, has it?

-Yes, very satisfying.

As I say, we all make our mistakes, we do things we shouldn't have done.

We try to make up for it by doing all the good we can

and I have tried to do a lot of good in this world.

I will continue to try to do it if I can.

Next week, John Craven is in Cumbria to visit communities

rebuilding lives and livelihoods after the flooding of recent weeks.

And do you know a family who have opened their home to refugees

from war-torn countries like Iraq and Syria?

If so, we would love to hear from you for a special programme.

Please contact us by e-mailing...