Bon Iver

Two times a year I am inundated with albums from my wife.  Christmas and my birthday.  This year was no exception, my wife got me many wonderful albums that I have really enjoyed listening to.  One of which is from the group Bon Iver.  I had read about them in Relevant Magazine a while back, and then seen them on Jimmy Fallon a couple times and was really intrigued.

They are something different.

Their songs were written to serve the idea/inspiration behind the song, not any radio demographic.  The vocals are haunting and the orchestration is at times sparse and then full, propelling the listener forward into the song.  Bon Iver has created something magic with this album.  I find I must pay careful attention when I drive listening to it, otherwise I end up in the middle of nowhere.  Having been driving aimlessly being too caught up in the music to remember to turn.

If you are a fan of good music, I’d check them out.

Anyway, here’s Holocene off of Bon Iver:

May I help you?

I had the strangest experience yesterday walking into church.

Narcie was preaching at a local church and after I finished up at Oakland I decided to go listen to her sermon.  So I pulled up to this church and walked in.  How would you expect to be greeted?  Welcome/Hello, how are you?/Greeting – something like that right?  Well, I was greeted with:

“May I help you?” 

Seriously?!  I quickly responded with:

“This is church right?  May I join you?”

He then handed me a bulletin and ushered me in, telling me where to go sit, making it very clear I had interrupted the conversation he was having with the other fellow out in the narthex.  I had a seat in one of the many empty seats in the rear of the sanctuary.

I have never felt less welcomed in my life.  At one point during our little discourse I wanted to leave.

I was dressed appropriately for church (sometimes I will look like a bum – but still!) – and as I sat there in the back I was a little dumbfounded.  My thoughts were along the lines of how does this congregation expect to grow, or simply replace the members that will pass away or move away in the next 10 years with that kind of attitude greeting people at the door?

Yes, it was only one person that made me feel ever so welcomed, and I know many members of that church – and they are wonderful people.  But what is my impression of that church today?  May I help you?

Perhaps the amazing thing was Narcie was preaching the “Making fishers of men” text (Mark 1:14-20).  She spoke of how we need to cast a wide net, because all people are called to be in fellowship with and through Christ.  If we are to be fishers of men (and women) then we must seek out all people; those who may not look like us, those who may not speak like us, and yes – those who may not worship like us.  Perhaps Narcie’s sermon was being preached for someone particular that morning.

We are all called to share God’s amazing Love.  The disciples were sent to the edges of the known world – all to share the Word of God.

The least we can do is be a welcoming people to those who walk into our churches Sunday morning.

a raucous Silent Night!

Oh, how I love Christmas.

Now, I’m not a crazy holiday shopper, or someone who has a nutty sweater for each of the 12 Days of Christmas, though I do have a red sweater that I tend to wear around now…  I especially love Christmas and this season of Advent because of the music!  So many songs during this time are just so joyful – I love it!

Now, for church I actually do much of my Advent & Christmas work during the summer.  Yes, it is always a little odd and inevitably I end up driving my wife crazy humming Christmas Carols during the middle of summer.  But -  ‘Tis the season when I do my writing and arranging, that way there is time for the songs to “settle in” and for the music team to actually learn it.  And as it turns out our son was born in June, so during my Christmas prep we had a newborn in the house.  As I was combing through music I was struck by the amount of lullabies, or music with a very somber feel to it.  Because our house was not very quiet, people were in and out and there was a general feel of excitement in the air for the new addition – there was a raucous atmosphere for sure!  Out of that I rearranged Silent Night.  I actually wrote the music for the verses first and stopped, but it didn’t feel complete.  The problem was nothing else was coming that day, or that week.  In fact it wasn’t until about nine months later when I sat down with it again that the chorus and bridge came to be in about 20 minutes.

I was scrounging for paper to jot down the lyrics (I’m the worst when it come to lyrics, I have the greatest respect for those who write the words we sing!).

My hope was to try to embody some of the excitement and joy present with the birth of a child.

Here is a video of Silent Night! from this past Sunday in the Early Service at Oakland Baptist in Rock Hill, SC.  And I encourage you to come out to worship some time at Oakland!

Enjoy!

Joy to the World

Here’s a little something from Worship at Wesley – a new arrangement of Joy to the World by Shannon Wexelberg.  I feel it is a great arrangement, it still keeps the feel of the original while carving out a new song from very familiar material.

A Baby Will Come

I absolutely love music during Advent and Christmas!  As a musician there is a wealth of music that is familiar to generations of people, and this music is so familiar that folks are welcoming to even the most far out arrangements.  But – there are still many songs being written that should make it into our congregations during Advent and Christmas, one such song is A Baby Will Come written by Bill Wolf.  I feel this is a wonderful song, verse after verse telling the story of a baby that will come and our God who will have the last word.

Theologians

I’m a big Wilco fan.  The guys from The Redaction really turned me onto them, at the time I would have come across Wilco I had my head buried in Miles Davis and Pucinni, wasn’t really looking for anything on the radio.  But I’ve come to have a real affection for Wilco, they just seem to always be searching for more, never settling on convention.  And for that alone I applaud them.

Here’s one of my favorite Wilco songs, Thelogians:

Trying not to forget

There was a time when I could remember everything.  Things like – details.

The Redaction was out touring a great deal and there was always a great deal of stupid little details to remember.  Things like:  Load-in is at 9, but don’t show up until at least 10 because no one will be there to let you in.  All kinds of details and I could remember them all and just rattle of these little things to the guys.

Then my wife and I had children.

And that ability to remember all kinds of little details – was gone like Keyser Söze.

So now I take care to remember things.  Lists and detailed calendars are my lifesavers (and thank goodness for my stinking smartphone and iPad with their lists and iCalendars!).  But now I have to take care to remember things.

Our faith was founded – given – to a people enslaved.  A people at the bottom of the socioeconomic scale.  And we are called to help those who are suffering today.  God heard the cry of the people of Israel and lead them from Egypt.  And while in the wilderness God basically told the Hebrew people how to live as a people set apart.  In good ole Exodus it even lists countless ways to help and lists those who we should pay special attention to giving aid.  And Jesus put out his own banging list in the Beatitudes.

But are our churches remembering this?

Or are we concerning ourselves with the new addition to our Sanctuary?

Keeping the church’s budget from going over?

Or simply trying to sell our church to folks in the hope they will show up Sundays and leave an offering in the plate?

When Narcie and I lived in the ATL while she was in seminary a friend asked what he should look for in a church, the “inside scoop.”  You know, what should he ask and be looking for as to signs that this would be a healthy congregation.  Kind of like if you go to a restaurant check out the bathroom and it will give you an idea of how clean the kitchen is where your food is being prepared.  Well we thought for a moment as told his this:

Ask how much if the budget is dedicated to mission.
How much of the offering collected is given away.

Our thought was (and is) that if a church freely gives they are freely receiving.  A church that is actively engaged in giving/ministering to the poor in their midst is more concerned with actually being church rather than just having church.

How many churches in these hard economic times have killed their missions budgets?  Yes, mission trips still happen and folks are giving as they can to those in need; but are our churches actively remembering its heritage as a people enslaved?

What will happen when our churches are more concerned with strengthening their stockpiles of gold rather than giving it away?

 

We’ve a Story

This past Sunday I used the song We’ve a Story to Tell all the Nations a couple times!  This is a wonderful arrangement of the classic hymn by the band The Vicksburg.  It is a wonderful interpretation of a song that I’ve used before in worship, but had not captured with the music team from The Journey.

I find that many “Worship Artists” today are going back into the hymnals and rediscovering the truths that the are contained in those old books we leave sitting around.  I hope and pray that more and more artists do this – or simply aspire to write songs with the depth contained in our hymnals.

Please enjoy and check out The Vicksburg!

Our God

Here is a song from this past week from The Journey at St. John’s UMC in Fort Mill, SC.  It is a new song for us, one I’ve tried to do in the past but it never felt quite right.  But it came together recently and I hope you enjoy it.

One family’s story

A few weeks ago someone from Extreme Makeover: Home Edition randomly contacted me, yeah – random.  What they had was a preview of the episode that is to air this Friday, October 21 at 8.00 pm on ABC.

If you haven’t ever seen Extreme Makeover: Home Edition I highly encourage you to carve out an hour this Friday.  The show follows Ty Pennington and his team of builders/designers as they travel the country and rebuild homes for people in the midst of great struggles.  Homes are rebuilt to suit the needs that may have arisen from a great tragedy, or the challenges an individual may be a part of.  It is always a testament of the struggles we face, the hope that people have in the depths of adversity, and the faith we have in each other.

This Friday, the show will visit the Keefer family.  The tragedy that happened in their family was their highly athletic son Brian, experienced a gymnastics injury, and was then paralyzed from the neck down.  He was told it is highly unlikely that his will gain the ability to walk again; but his family has decided undertake the challenge and fully decided to support him as he continues college (Dad has moved in with Brian and assists) – and is also pursuing aggressive therapy – which is paying off!

But unfortunately the Keefer family house is not adequate for the needs that Brian has, as he is currently confined to a wheel chair.  The house is not very accessible, and does not afford Brian much independence.

So Ty Pennington and the Extreme Makeover: Home Edition crew arrived to assist in rebuilding their home to allow Brian to continue his therapy, gain independence, and hopefully walk out the front door one day soon.

As a treat to the family while the house is being rebuilt, they are sent away on a vacation of sorts.  Brian had the opportunity to compete with others who have lost mobility, and you can see the spark in his eyes light up.  The thrill of competition was alive in him – something that had been taken away by his accident.

The house has been radically renovated.  It is fully accessible for Brian, fully updated, beautifully designed and decorated, and will give the Keefer family new life.  There have been modifications to help Brian in his therapy, gain independence, and allow the family to share in fellowship with each other and friends.

One thing I always take away from Extreme Makeover: Home Edition is the great effort people put into helping someone else.  I’m reminded by Philippians 2:4, “Instead of each person watching out for their own good, watch out for what is better for others.”  As Christians we are called to help others, to have an active faith, in service to others.  To see this in action is always beautiful.

This Friday at 8.00 pm on ABC, you can see folks in action – putting someone else’s good ahead of theirs.  And in one quick hour we can share in the joy and renewed hope given to Brian and the Keefer family by the rebuild of their home.  I hope you are inspired be the gift given to this family to seek out opportunities in your community to give back in some way, to “Contribute to the needs of God’s people.” (Romans 12:13)

And if anything, celebrate the joy that has been given to one family in love.