busy

It's been a busy couple of weeks.

the worship event went well I think...the turn out wasn't quite what I expected. Many people said they were coming and didn't, the weather didn't help. Just about the time we showed up to the school to unload our gear is when the snow flakes started flying. I was a mess out there, but we had a great time worshiping in song and listening to Bernard share his heart and passion for seeing people rehabilitated, rescued, and restored.

It was also great to see our old friends again...they are living a beautiful life for the kingdom and we are blessed to call them friends.

A couple of weeks ago I got a call from Wes who had actually been at BG Naz helping lead the sung worship as I left. I was very surprised to get a call from him as it had been such a long time since I had seen him. He told me of a project they were working on for one of his last classes in the music grad program he's in. They needed to record a band and mix, engineer, and master two of their songs. He said he thought immediately of us and wanted to know if we would be willing to do that. So we made the plans and got some studio time scheduled on campus there and banged out a couple of our newest songs this past week. Friday night before the worship event we laid down the drum and bass tracks, which sounded amazing, and then Thursday night this week I went in and recorded the guitar and vocal tracks. It is amazing how good things sound when you have 13 mics on a drum set totally probably $8,000...wow... It was a lot of fun being in a "studio" to record these songs...something I think I could get used to. Great equipment, great guys to work with, and best of all...FREE...my favorite word.

So once we get those two songs back from them we'll be sending our stuff out to get some duplications done. Should be a 12 song lp available soon(4 years in the making)...we'll also make some 4 or 5 song copies of our newest songs for demo purposes, but we really are having fun through all of this. Now we just need more opportunities to get out there and play.

Life is good even though it has been very busy. Last night I was at Nazareth Hall helping out Erica with a dinner party she put together for her school. They needed some music/microphone sound reinforcement, so I took out some equipment for that. It went well, and I got some cash out of the deal too which was a big bonus. I am ready now to rest this weekend, spend time with my girls, and enjoy this warm sun shiny weather.

What?

We've had a few different reactions to this worship event we're planning.

1. That would be great for THE church to get together and not just A church
2. I really miss those "gathering of God's people" meetings we used to do several years ago where the churches in town all got together. This sounds good.
3. What a great opportunity for the church to get together
4. Isn't it ironic that people that have left the church are concerned about unity in the church?

I know I shouldn't take offense to this as it just shows ignorance as to what the church really is...apparently the simple expression of the church is really no expression at all unless you have a large building, paid clergy, and a large budget.

We have nothing material to gain from this worship event. What on earth would be our motive if it weren't to bring the church together for a common purpose?
We're not trying to convince people that simple church is the only way...that somehow we'll be able to "grow" our simple church network by inviting people to join us. We have no ulterior motives...I think people are suspect of that. Could it be that a group of people REALLY would love to see THE church in the BG and surrounding areas come together to be encouraged, challenged, united, and called to greater purpose? It that so hard to believe? Are we so cynical that we can't even entertain the thought?
God help us

well said

Adam said it well

Spring Break

We went up Sunday to visit the transitional houses again and took lunch with us. The guys had been told that we were coming so things went much better this time. These guys just need people to see them as real people...that they aren't defined by the mistakes they've made in the past. We finished our lunch out on the front porch of one of the houses as we sat in the sun. It was so refreshing...We talked, laughed, and had an incredible time talking about life, weight training, jobs, Jesus and being the church. We experienced life up there Sunday...it was being the church with people that need Jesus...we all need him...I am continually being made more aware of my own need for Him...He is my life, just as Paul said, It is no longer I that live, but Christ that lives in me.

We made a whirlwind trip after leaving the transitional houses on Sunday afternoon. We went down to Sidney to visit both my grandmas in their respective nursing homes. One is probably not going to be with us much longer, the other is just in for OT and should be coming home soon. I got to spend a little bit of time with my folks and then we wisked off to St. Paris to Sara's Dad's and step Mom's place where we spent the night. Monday we hung out there all day and headed out late afternoon so I could get back up here in time for practice last night. It went fairly well, but it was still rough in spots, so I'm not sure how things will go next weekend. Hopefully it will be better than our practices have been...but it will be fun all the same. We can't wait to have THE church in Bowling Green area get together for a time of celebration.