Marc Harry's Online Ministry

When I started making podcasts back in 2013 I could never have imagined where the journey would take me!

The first episode of “Going to the Army!” was released on 9th July, 2013 and, to date, has been listened to and/or downloaded over 10,000 times! Every day I receive emails or messages telling me how much the series means to them.

“Going to the Army!” continues now as an ‘occasional’ series although there are plans to make new episodes on a much more regular basis in the future.

By 22nd March 2020 we were all under the grip of the Covid epidemic and I partnered with ‘Fortress Radio’ to produce a weekly ‘Salvation Meeting’ right through the lockdowns and beyond – eventually reaching 66 podcasts until September 2022. I’m told that tens of thousands from all around the world listened to these weekly!

During the epidemic many officers from around the world contacted me on an almost weekly basis: they were producing their own meetings for online sharing and, if they couldn’t find a recording of a particular song, they only had to ask and, within a couple of days, I would professionally record that song for their own meeting podcasts or videos. Examples included ‘When Jesus Comes to You’ for Lt Col. Dean Pallant and ‘I Bring them to Jesus’ for Major Anthony Cotterill, then CO at Derby Central. I have recorded dozens of backing tracks for Songsters, soloists and other Choirs to sing, most recently just a week or so ago for a funeral overseas.

As an archivist I have transferred (literally!) hundreds of old Salvation Army LPs and tapes, cleaned up the sound with great expertise – and always free of ANY charge.

I regard this as all being part of his own personal ministry.

My latest projects are a BOOK written about my experiences growing up as an ‘Officer’s Kid’ (son of Salvation Army minister parents – hence ‘OK’) and this is to be self-published within the next few weeks. “I’m OK” will sell for £15 (inc p&p) but I will need to sell several hundred copies just to cover the cost of its production.

If you didn’t know, between the 1980s and 2000s I was one of the most successful Music Department Heads of Subject in the South of England before both physical and depressive illnesses prevented me, effectively (and after professional counselling), from working again. Rather than sit at home on benefits doing nothing I prefer to uses my time and talents to help others through this Christian ministry.

Also in production for release as soon as funding allows will be a series of recordings called ‘The Army Piano’ – at this time it is envisaged to be 5 volumes of about 20 songs – arrangements of popular hymns and choruses that I has made himself and which he plays during offertories etc. in weekly Salvation Army meetings. I have been a Corps Pianist for almost 40 years in Portsmouth, Southampton and Lincoln.

When “Going to the Army!” first began I was able to use the FREE Podomatic service but now – with hundreds of files always available for re-listening/download renewal costs me a whopping £500 per year – including fees for sharing the podcasts on iTunes and other platforms.

I have also started distributing some of my music on Spotify, including the successful Christmas CD ‘My Christmas Wish’ from 2000 but, at the levels these are heard they will NEVER produce any income.

Seriously, I am NOT INTERESTED in making any money from this ministry – I do it ALL for the glory of God - but over the years I have paid out a great deal of money for studio equipment, microphones, software and web-hosting (e.g. just the software I use has a monthly subscription cost of over £100 every month!)

I’m just asking anyone who appreciates my efforts to consider contributing even a little to help with some of these costs and to allow my ministry to continue in this way.

For example, if you pledge £15 towards the book “I’m OK” and email me with your name and address I will send a signed copy of the new book to you on publication. (If you send me £20 I even promise that I won’t scribble on it first!)

“The Army Piano (volume 1)” will be released later this year. A further CD “Back in the Singing Company” is partly produced already but I am unable to release it as the upfront costs prohibit so much of what I want to do. These projects include a CD of my own self-composed songs and studio recordings of 2 musicals “Gethsemane” and “Brand From the Burning” (a musical on the life of John Wesley) that I was commissioned to write to mark the 250th anniversary of the great evangelist.

Thank you for reading this and, even more, if you decide to help me.

Marc