|
|
|
I have just returned from a good time at the NCM weekend - an opportunity for Christian music to be heard and promoted a little bit. I met some good guys there (although country music is not really my scene). I will hopefully be posting a photo soon of my set as well as George Hamilton IV giving me my certificate. I have also been using technology to help with a bit of songwriting . . . .
|
|
I was very excited to get back to Academy. It was also an exciting time because we were combining with Academy 7 for the weekend, so lots more friendships to me made.
As you would expect from a seond meeting, we were all feeling more at ease as we already know each other and we were more willing to open up. The highlight of this weekend for me was the practical work! We got to split up and go to different workshops - I chose the guitar workshop which I found interesting for a number of reasons:
|
|
Well, it has been snowing here in the UK for the past few days. I shouldn't complain really but it did mean that I cancelled the band practise on Thursday which was unfortunate because I do like getting things right for Sunday. Anyway, as it happened we were able to squeeze about 30min of practise in before the service on Sunday.
On Sunday morning I was woken up with inspiration - I really wanted to re-work a Christmas carol. So I spent a couple of hours working on it and thought I had come up with something pretty good - so printed out the chords etc. However, when it came to the actual service we ran out of time to sing it. Oh well, it gives me more time to craft it further to get it right for next year. It's a re working of 'As With Gladness Men Of Old' - just in case you were wondering.
So what songs did we sing then? Here is the list . . . .
|
|
The song 'Ten Thousand, Thousand' took about 2 years to write. It started off with the idea of Revelation 5:11-14
I wanted to try to capture the awesome experience of worship as depicted here, where the earth has the honour of joining with heaven in worship of God eternal. So it involved trying to paint a picture of heaven, using this verse as a base, and then echoing our response to it.
|
|
It is always at this time of year when I start searching for good Christmas songs. I don't mind some of the more traditional hymns but I do like to mix in some contempory worship that is fitting to the season as well, or even a re-done hymn in a modern worship style. This is what I have found so far (my list is still in progress so any suggestions are welsom - comment below).
|
|
Today was always going to be an interesting one. We had 2 new people playing with the band, so a few nerves on their part, and when my guitar cable started buzzing and doing strange things through the sound system it was all too easy to think things wre going to go from bad to worse! However, God is good and I was very wrong! The congregation responded very well and the new electric guitar playing the riff on 'Our God Saves' really lifted the sound and added the intensity I've been looking for. Also the keys did great in 'King of Glory (Glorious)' playing a Coldplay-type keys section on the bridge 'I can't turn my eyes away'.
|
|
Life seems to happen like this - doesn't it? It was only yesterday that I was thinking how great is was going to be, having a 1/2 term week (as I work at a school) to gather my thoughts together, do a bit of songwriting, pull up some weeds in the garden and generally have a nice relaxing time. However, today it rained! A typical long grey English rain that just persists without end. So everything is damp and gloomy and cold. I get home to discover that in the corner of my bedroom, there is water trickling down the wall!
|
|
I have been reading John Maxwell's book entitled 'The 4 Pillars of Leadership'. In it he talks about the four major things good leaders need to do well in order to be successful: Relationships; Equipping; Leadership and Attitude. As I have been reading, it occurred to me that as a church band (of which I am the leader) not much equipping (teaching, growing, sharing) goes on. We are very good at rehearsing and making music together, but we don't really take time to discuss things that are of importance to our lives and role within the ministry. So I have created an 'Equip' evening where we get together to talk and learn instead of a practise about once avary two months or so. This is what happened on our first such evening . . .
|
|
Thank God for satnavs! If it wasn't for the satnav that I had borrowed from my Dad, I don't think I would have found my way to the beautiful Derbeshire Dales for the first weekend of my Worship Academy journey quite so easily. As soon as I arrived I could hear my spiritual satnav saying 'you have reached your destination' - or more accurately 'this is where I need you to be, seeking me, learning from me - for this season'.
|
|
I have recently signed up to attend a fantastic school of worship run by Worship Academy. It will last for 2 years and will cover all sorts of topics relevant to being a worshipper. The first weekend is coming up in 6 days time . . .
|
|
Click on this link button to watch me singing one of my new songs - Won My Heart. If you like it you may want to use it in your church? If so, free chord charts are available!
|
|
In my last blog, we began looking at the terminology of ‘Worship Leader’ and focused on looking at to what extent we are, or should be ‘leaders’ in a time of corporate worship, and with our worship teams.
I now want to turn to look at the other part of the title: ‘worship’.
|
|
Have you ever thought about the title of 'Worship Leader' that gets used so much these days? I must confess, it didn't cross my mind or bother me for many years. However, now that I have thought about it, it has begun to do so.
|
|
|
| |
