Tim Neale and I put together a mission update on the efforts in Campo Grande, Brazil. The preaching school there is called Ser Cris. If you are interested, I've added it here from my YouTube account.
Saturday, February 24, 2007
Thursday, February 22, 2007
A Range Mint (say it fast and altogether)
I suppose it's time to begin another new foray into the wilderness. This one's not so wild though. I've been arranging music for a while now. So it's not so new.
When I was in college, I spent a lot of time arranging vocal music for a new group we had formed called "Best Friends." Most of the stuff I did was luck of the draw, at best. I was more interested in following the rules of theory that were being pounded into me daily than I was in putting out good music.
But, fortune favors the foolish I suppose. Most of the arrangements worked out. I believe they were even using some of them still up to about 5 years ago. 15 year shelf life is not bad for a fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants piece of music.
Later, I spent 15 years working with Acappella Ministries and did a TON of arranging there. Unfortunately most of it never made it to paper. But my ear was being perfected during that time.
Sometime around 2002 (I think), an old friend from Tyler approached me to do some arranging for his LTC choir. At this point, I was able to combine the skills of theory with the experience of the studio. Now I could do arranging and know what I was putting on paper as I was doing it. I could hear it before it went to the page. I had the arrangement done before the writing.
I could finally understand the quote by Mozart from the 1984 movie Amadeus, "It's all right here in my noodle. The rest is just scribbling. Scribbling and bibbling, bibbling and scribbling."
I have done more than 20 songs for Chuck, my friend in Tyler. And I seem to be knocking them out pretty regularly here in Midland. He and his wife Lisa have been encouraging me to publish my arrangements for years now. I suppose it's time.
So, sometime in the next six months I hope to be making my stuff available. Look for more information coming soon. For now, I've got to figure out how to go about this legally, easily and still make it worth the effort. I'm certainly no Mozart, but maybe God can use me to help other singing groups out there.
When I was in college, I spent a lot of time arranging vocal music for a new group we had formed called "Best Friends." Most of the stuff I did was luck of the draw, at best. I was more interested in following the rules of theory that were being pounded into me daily than I was in putting out good music.
But, fortune favors the foolish I suppose. Most of the arrangements worked out. I believe they were even using some of them still up to about 5 years ago. 15 year shelf life is not bad for a fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants piece of music.
Later, I spent 15 years working with Acappella Ministries and did a TON of arranging there. Unfortunately most of it never made it to paper. But my ear was being perfected during that time.
Sometime around 2002 (I think), an old friend from Tyler approached me to do some arranging for his LTC choir. At this point, I was able to combine the skills of theory with the experience of the studio. Now I could do arranging and know what I was putting on paper as I was doing it. I could hear it before it went to the page. I had the arrangement done before the writing.
I could finally understand the quote by Mozart from the 1984 movie Amadeus, "It's all right here in my noodle. The rest is just scribbling. Scribbling and bibbling, bibbling and scribbling."
I have done more than 20 songs for Chuck, my friend in Tyler. And I seem to be knocking them out pretty regularly here in Midland. He and his wife Lisa have been encouraging me to publish my arrangements for years now. I suppose it's time.
So, sometime in the next six months I hope to be making my stuff available. Look for more information coming soon. For now, I've got to figure out how to go about this legally, easily and still make it worth the effort. I'm certainly no Mozart, but maybe God can use me to help other singing groups out there.
Saturday, February 10, 2007
Joyful Worship Pt. 1
Here is an article that I wrote for Family Matters, our weekly Sunday bulletin. It is the first in a series that I will be writing. I'll post each one here as they come up. Kudos to my friend Dan Morris. I got a wealth of material from his sermon of the same title.
Somewhat recently, the National Constitution Center surveyed American teenagers. The intent was to discern their level of knowledge and understanding of the Constitution and our history. The results were very interesting.
They found that only 41% could name all three branches of the government, but 50% could name all three stooges. 74% knew that Bart Simpson was from Springfield, Illinois but only 12% knew that Abraham Lincoln grew up there. 75% knew what city laid claim to the zip code 90210, but only 25% could name the city where the Constitution was written. A surprisingly high 74% knew the name of the Vice-President, but 90% knew the names of the stars in the movie Titanic.
This prompted the director of the National Constitution Center to comment, “…the Constitution does not work by itself. It depends on active and informed citizens.”
The same can be said of our worship. We need active and informed people who understand worship. How can we make it work if we don’t know what it is? Most of us would not do very well in a survey that describes and defines worship. This is a sobering thought when you realize that the Bible tells us we are created to worship. We are worshipful beings. What does that mean? Have we lost that identity?
Over the next few months, we will explore the meaning of “joyful worship.” Who are we worshiping? Why do we do it? When do we worship? And how? Let us pray that God will lead us to a better understanding of the meaning behind “worshiping in spirit and truth.”
Somewhat recently, the National Constitution Center surveyed American teenagers. The intent was to discern their level of knowledge and understanding of the Constitution and our history. The results were very interesting.
They found that only 41% could name all three branches of the government, but 50% could name all three stooges. 74% knew that Bart Simpson was from Springfield, Illinois but only 12% knew that Abraham Lincoln grew up there. 75% knew what city laid claim to the zip code 90210, but only 25% could name the city where the Constitution was written. A surprisingly high 74% knew the name of the Vice-President, but 90% knew the names of the stars in the movie Titanic.
This prompted the director of the National Constitution Center to comment, “…the Constitution does not work by itself. It depends on active and informed citizens.”
The same can be said of our worship. We need active and informed people who understand worship. How can we make it work if we don’t know what it is? Most of us would not do very well in a survey that describes and defines worship. This is a sobering thought when you realize that the Bible tells us we are created to worship. We are worshipful beings. What does that mean? Have we lost that identity?
Over the next few months, we will explore the meaning of “joyful worship.” Who are we worshiping? Why do we do it? When do we worship? And how? Let us pray that God will lead us to a better understanding of the meaning behind “worshiping in spirit and truth.”
Tuesday, January 30, 2007
Re-Construction Pt. 2
Here is a layout of the new worship center floor plan. I had to keep it somewhat small so that it would be easy to download.
Notice that this arrangement seats 1323 people comfortably. Our current seating is 1100, and when full it is uncomfortable at best. As far as actual design is concerned, this is an older drawing and some things have changed. But overall, this is pretty close.
All of the seating on the floor (the inner circle) will be movable. I will post more pictures later with alternate seating plans. The upper tiers will be theater seating. The north tier will also be movable so that it can be transformed into a stage.
Sound will be flown over the stage with circular rigging. Stage lights will be placed on bars throughout the room and aimed accordingly. Six hi-def video screens will extend from the ceiling, two on the east and west sides, and one on the north and south.
One of the neatest things I see about this room is in the flow of traffic. There are four main entrances into the room. As you enter, you are coming in beside the raised tier seating. This means that the first chance you will get to choose a seat is after you've already moved halfway to the stage. No more sneaking into the back row. If you want the back row, you have to double back and go up the steps. The flow of traffic will automatically push you toward the front of the room!
The new layout also frees up some space for new classrooms. We will gain nine new classrooms overall. Two of them will be quite big. You can see them in the lower corners of this image. Another set of rooms that I am excited about: in the upper right top of this image you see three rooms side by side - the video suite, the recording studio, and the sound booth/green room. The possibilities are endless....
Because of the nature of the room, it does not allow for a baptistery. We have solved that by building a family-styled living water area in the upper left portion of the picture. A nature-themed running water pool will be just above ground level and open to the massive atrium area in the west wing. Everyone can gather together and witness the baptisms that will surely come. I can't wait.
More later....
Notice that this arrangement seats 1323 people comfortably. Our current seating is 1100, and when full it is uncomfortable at best. As far as actual design is concerned, this is an older drawing and some things have changed. But overall, this is pretty close.
All of the seating on the floor (the inner circle) will be movable. I will post more pictures later with alternate seating plans. The upper tiers will be theater seating. The north tier will also be movable so that it can be transformed into a stage.Sound will be flown over the stage with circular rigging. Stage lights will be placed on bars throughout the room and aimed accordingly. Six hi-def video screens will extend from the ceiling, two on the east and west sides, and one on the north and south.
One of the neatest things I see about this room is in the flow of traffic. There are four main entrances into the room. As you enter, you are coming in beside the raised tier seating. This means that the first chance you will get to choose a seat is after you've already moved halfway to the stage. No more sneaking into the back row. If you want the back row, you have to double back and go up the steps. The flow of traffic will automatically push you toward the front of the room!
The new layout also frees up some space for new classrooms. We will gain nine new classrooms overall. Two of them will be quite big. You can see them in the lower corners of this image. Another set of rooms that I am excited about: in the upper right top of this image you see three rooms side by side - the video suite, the recording studio, and the sound booth/green room. The possibilities are endless....
Because of the nature of the room, it does not allow for a baptistery. We have solved that by building a family-styled living water area in the upper left portion of the picture. A nature-themed running water pool will be just above ground level and open to the massive atrium area in the west wing. Everyone can gather together and witness the baptisms that will surely come. I can't wait.
More later....
Sunday, January 28, 2007
Re-Construction Pt. 1
Last Oct 14, I blogged about going out to Midland to be a part of the initial talks concerning the refit of the worship center at GCR. This morning, three months later, it all came to fruition. We presented the new plan for the worship center to the church during class time today. It was an impressive presentation. I can say that because I had very little to do with it. Ok, nothing to do with it.
The re-do of the center will give us a state-of-the-art facility, easily one the of the best in Midland and I believe in West Texas. We wanted a facility that worked well not only for us, but for future generations. Visionary people put a stake in the ground in the countryside of Midland County 40+ years ago with a vision for a grace-oriented church. The facility that was built to house that church was far-sighted and has lasted well. We want to do the same thing for our children’s children. I believe this new plan is just that.
Our new facility will be “in the round.” When the family gathers for supper, we gather around a table and see each other’s faces. Church should be the same way. 80% of the seats in the new building will be within 60 ft of the stage. As we experience worship, we will experience each other… not the back of someone’s head.
I will post pictures at a later time, but they will show that this new facility will be extremely flexible. While the upper tier seating will be permanent with theatre-style chairs, the lower section will be individual chairs. These can be placed in any fashion. The stage will be movable as well. It can be moved to the north end of the floor to provide a tiered stage for weddings while the floor can be fixed with a center aisle. Perfect for weddings. The north end tier can be cleared in combination with the moved stage to provide a very big stage, easily large enough for the Midland Symphony. Or the floor can be cleared and set with tables to seat 200+ people for banquets… banquets with a state-of-the-art sound and video system.
I’ll tell you more later, but here’s one little goodie. All the flat surfaces of the room will be painted white. The trim around each surface will be lined with multicolor LEDs that will wash the wall with color. From the control room, we will be able to choose from 19 million different shades of color. The walls can change colors with the touch of a switch. Wedding planners may now get in line…
The re-do of the center will give us a state-of-the-art facility, easily one the of the best in Midland and I believe in West Texas. We wanted a facility that worked well not only for us, but for future generations. Visionary people put a stake in the ground in the countryside of Midland County 40+ years ago with a vision for a grace-oriented church. The facility that was built to house that church was far-sighted and has lasted well. We want to do the same thing for our children’s children. I believe this new plan is just that.
Our new facility will be “in the round.” When the family gathers for supper, we gather around a table and see each other’s faces. Church should be the same way. 80% of the seats in the new building will be within 60 ft of the stage. As we experience worship, we will experience each other… not the back of someone’s head.
I will post pictures at a later time, but they will show that this new facility will be extremely flexible. While the upper tier seating will be permanent with theatre-style chairs, the lower section will be individual chairs. These can be placed in any fashion. The stage will be movable as well. It can be moved to the north end of the floor to provide a tiered stage for weddings while the floor can be fixed with a center aisle. Perfect for weddings. The north end tier can be cleared in combination with the moved stage to provide a very big stage, easily large enough for the Midland Symphony. Or the floor can be cleared and set with tables to seat 200+ people for banquets… banquets with a state-of-the-art sound and video system.
I’ll tell you more later, but here’s one little goodie. All the flat surfaces of the room will be painted white. The trim around each surface will be lined with multicolor LEDs that will wash the wall with color. From the control room, we will be able to choose from 19 million different shades of color. The walls can change colors with the touch of a switch. Wedding planners may now get in line…
Sunday, January 21, 2007
Snowstorm Nostorm
I've not posted in a few days. That's because I've A) not really had much to say or 2). was busy messing with the massive snow storm we didn't have. It's was nuts. I didn't shovel 5 inches of snow off my driveway. Our city sort of came to a stand-still on Thursday night, after everyone had gone to the store and bought everything that was there.
The grocery stores reported that sales on Thursday and Friday were larger than the entire Christmas season. And then it was all a non-event. Today it's 50 degrees. I may still try and shovel a little more snow just for the fun of it. We didn't make this real big snow man. Life size and everything. Our neighbors front yard is sloped at a 30 degree angle and we didn't sled down it.
All in all, lots of fun.
Enough for today. GO COLTS!
The grocery stores reported that sales on Thursday and Friday were larger than the entire Christmas season. And then it was all a non-event. Today it's 50 degrees. I may still try and shovel a little more snow just for the fun of it. We didn't make this real big snow man. Life size and everything. Our neighbors front yard is sloped at a 30 degree angle and we didn't sled down it.
All in all, lots of fun.
Enough for today. GO COLTS!
Tuesday, January 16, 2007
Homecoming and Arranging
Homecoming is a little over a month away. Homecoming for Lubbock Christian University.
I was in the graduating class of '86, the last class to walk the stage under the LCC moniker. Problem was, I still needed 4 hours of foreign language when I did the graduation ceremony. It took me a year to finish a Spanish correspondence course from UT. By the time I had done it, I was booted back to the class of '87 and my diploma arrived with the wrong major. It said LCC, but wrong major. So I contacted them and they sent a replacement with the correct major, but it now said LCU.
So, I have a diploma from LCC for a Bachelor of Science, and a diploma from LCU for a Bachelor of Music Education.
Anyway, I will be making the trek up to Lubbock for that weekend. They've asked me to lead worship at the Alumni Chapel. I assume that means sans guitar. Not that I'm using it anymore...
On that note, pun intended, I have been adding new arrangements to our praise team portfolio. If you've read any of my earlier posts, you may have seen the discussion over the new song of the month and the problems with licensing. We have forged ahead, just without recording. Just so you'll know (and in case you are interested in seeing it), the first song we added was Everlasting God by Brenton Brown. It went very well. The arrangement works great for church and it's been well received. This Wednesday we introduce I Will Boast by Paul Baloche. I'll let you know how it goes.
I was in the graduating class of '86, the last class to walk the stage under the LCC moniker. Problem was, I still needed 4 hours of foreign language when I did the graduation ceremony. It took me a year to finish a Spanish correspondence course from UT. By the time I had done it, I was booted back to the class of '87 and my diploma arrived with the wrong major. It said LCC, but wrong major. So I contacted them and they sent a replacement with the correct major, but it now said LCU.
So, I have a diploma from LCC for a Bachelor of Science, and a diploma from LCU for a Bachelor of Music Education.
Anyway, I will be making the trek up to Lubbock for that weekend. They've asked me to lead worship at the Alumni Chapel. I assume that means sans guitar. Not that I'm using it anymore...
On that note, pun intended, I have been adding new arrangements to our praise team portfolio. If you've read any of my earlier posts, you may have seen the discussion over the new song of the month and the problems with licensing. We have forged ahead, just without recording. Just so you'll know (and in case you are interested in seeing it), the first song we added was Everlasting God by Brenton Brown. It went very well. The arrangement works great for church and it's been well received. This Wednesday we introduce I Will Boast by Paul Baloche. I'll let you know how it goes.
Thursday, January 11, 2007
The British Are Coming
I usually blog about church, music or family. So here's something different. How about Beck & Posh?
For those of you who do not follow the world of football (otherwise known as soccer), David Beckham has been one of the best players in the world for the past decade. He is unquestionably the most well known and paparazzi-hounded footballer out there (or so it seems). And it appears he is coming to our shores this summer.
In 1992, Beckham started at age 17 with Manchester United in the FA Premier League. His skill continued to increase, playing a lead role in the clubs Treble Win of 1999 - winning the League Cup, the FA Cup and the UEFA Champions League. Beckham captained the English Internationals for six years and spent his most recent time, three years, in Spain with Real Madrid.
He has an absolutely amazing ability to place free kicks where he wants them, usually where the defense think he cannot reach. His style inspired the recent movie "Bend It Like Beckham."
So why spend so much time talking about David Beckham? It was announced today that he has been signed by the L.A. Galaxy and will start playing with them this coming August. This is huge for American soccer. MLS recently cleared the way for this to happen by allowing each team in the league to recruit one player of international status that would be paid separately from the team's allotted salary cap. Beckham was the first to be called up.
He came at a high price... $250 million for 5 years. He is now the second highest payed athlete in the U.S., which is amazing considering it's in a sport that is unknown to the majority of Americans. His presence on the team will undoubtedly sell out stadiums across America. A high-profile player like Beck will make a major difference in how football/soccer is perceived over here.
It will also open up the possibility of others following his lead. I just read that FC Dallas is in talks with Edgar Davids, the Dutch international who came to fame with Ajax and is currently playing for Tottenham Hotspur. The transfer window for MLS is right now. I suspect we will see other player transfers coming to light very soon.
It looks like American soccer is about to ramp it up another notch. Or rather, several notches. Cool by me. Oh, another note of interest... the current trend of international clubs touring America in their off-season could actually mean that Beckham's first appearance as a Galaxy member might be against Chelsea FC. There's a bit of irony in that...
UPDATE: Ramon Calderon has said he will not play Beckham again. He will continue to train with Real, but will not play. That means he may put Beckham on loan to another club until August. Is there a chance that he will be here in time to start with LA in April? hmm....
For those of you who do not follow the world of football (otherwise known as soccer), David Beckham has been one of the best players in the world for the past decade. He is unquestionably the most well known and paparazzi-hounded footballer out there (or so it seems). And it appears he is coming to our shores this summer.
In 1992, Beckham started at age 17 with Manchester United in the FA Premier League. His skill continued to increase, playing a lead role in the clubs Treble Win of 1999 - winning the League Cup, the FA Cup and the UEFA Champions League. Beckham captained the English Internationals for six years and spent his most recent time, three years, in Spain with Real Madrid.
He has an absolutely amazing ability to place free kicks where he wants them, usually where the defense think he cannot reach. His style inspired the recent movie "Bend It Like Beckham."
So why spend so much time talking about David Beckham? It was announced today that he has been signed by the L.A. Galaxy and will start playing with them this coming August. This is huge for American soccer. MLS recently cleared the way for this to happen by allowing each team in the league to recruit one player of international status that would be paid separately from the team's allotted salary cap. Beckham was the first to be called up.
He came at a high price... $250 million for 5 years. He is now the second highest payed athlete in the U.S., which is amazing considering it's in a sport that is unknown to the majority of Americans. His presence on the team will undoubtedly sell out stadiums across America. A high-profile player like Beck will make a major difference in how football/soccer is perceived over here.
It will also open up the possibility of others following his lead. I just read that FC Dallas is in talks with Edgar Davids, the Dutch international who came to fame with Ajax and is currently playing for Tottenham Hotspur. The transfer window for MLS is right now. I suspect we will see other player transfers coming to light very soon.
It looks like American soccer is about to ramp it up another notch. Or rather, several notches. Cool by me. Oh, another note of interest... the current trend of international clubs touring America in their off-season could actually mean that Beckham's first appearance as a Galaxy member might be against Chelsea FC. There's a bit of irony in that...
UPDATE: Ramon Calderon has said he will not play Beckham again. He will continue to train with Real, but will not play. That means he may put Beckham on loan to another club until August. Is there a chance that he will be here in time to start with LA in April? hmm....
Monday, January 08, 2007
A Real Character
We've just begun a new series at GCR. It's a six-week series entitled "A Real Character." We are examining Godly character traits as exhibited through different characters in the Bible. The first week dealt with endurance as shown through Noah.
Our production team put our collective heads together (which is tough since we all have big heads anyway) and came up with what I think is a pretty "novel" idea. We decided to present the series in a graphic novel/comic book style. Every piece of print, artwork, and stage set is done "Frank Millerish."
What makes this so much easier is a program that came pre-installed on my Mac called "Comic Life." This fabulous program is available from Plasq and you can find out more about it on their site.
Take a look at the link below. It will lead you to a PDF of the first weeks comic book. I hope you like it. It came out of my computer, but it was a team effort.
http://homepage.mac.com/garymoyers/comiclife/
And for those of you who try to copy and paste and delete the last part of the URL to find my dot Mac homepage, I have not created it yet. Sorry...
Our production team put our collective heads together (which is tough since we all have big heads anyway) and came up with what I think is a pretty "novel" idea. We decided to present the series in a graphic novel/comic book style. Every piece of print, artwork, and stage set is done "Frank Millerish."
What makes this so much easier is a program that came pre-installed on my Mac called "Comic Life." This fabulous program is available from Plasq and you can find out more about it on their site.
Take a look at the link below. It will lead you to a PDF of the first weeks comic book. I hope you like it. It came out of my computer, but it was a team effort.
http://homepage.mac.com/garymoyers/comiclife/
And for those of you who try to copy and paste and delete the last part of the URL to find my dot Mac homepage, I have not created it yet. Sorry...
Monday, January 01, 2007
Wade in the Water
My son, Austin, was baptized this past Sunday. I was fortunate enough to be the one to do it. What a day!
Both Austin and Ashley have been to many churches over the years, hundreds I would say. Every Sunday they would be in a new bible class in a new city. The poor teacher never had any clue who they were. And most teachers saw it as an opportunity to save someones soul. My children have prayed Jesus into their heart more times than any of us can remember.
Because of that, I have not pushed them to take that final step of baptism. I knew it would come soon enough. I found out the other day that he really wanted to be baptized in the ocean at Corpus Christi. I guess I missed that one. But one water is as wet as another.
My son's new spiritual birthday is New Year's Eve, the same day as my mother's physical birthday. I am so proud of that boy. I will post a video of the baptism some time this week....
Both Austin and Ashley have been to many churches over the years, hundreds I would say. Every Sunday they would be in a new bible class in a new city. The poor teacher never had any clue who they were. And most teachers saw it as an opportunity to save someones soul. My children have prayed Jesus into their heart more times than any of us can remember.
Because of that, I have not pushed them to take that final step of baptism. I knew it would come soon enough. I found out the other day that he really wanted to be baptized in the ocean at Corpus Christi. I guess I missed that one. But one water is as wet as another.
My son's new spiritual birthday is New Year's Eve, the same day as my mother's physical birthday. I am so proud of that boy. I will post a video of the baptism some time this week....
Wednesday, December 27, 2006
Microshaft Hat
I know I'm a Christian and not supposed to hate. But I'm getting very close. So let me just say that I hat Microsoft. Hat is not quite like hate. Almost but not quite. 75% of the way to hate. Just hat.
It seems every time I turn around I am running into problems with something Microshaft related. I have a new Dell (six months old). It's already giving me the blue screen of death every other time I use it. Ashley has a new-to-her computer. It's not that old. Pretty respectable specs. I even installed a new version of XP on it less than 2 weeks ago. It's already acting up.
Austin's computer is my old one from Paris. It was a humdinger then. It's a lower midline now. Windows was giving me such fits, I installed a new hard drive and put Linux on it. So now we get a choice on boot up. I had to do that because I definitely hat Microshaft.
I have made the switch at work. My new computer is the top of the line MacPro with all the bells and whistles. You know what gives me the most troubles on it? Microshaft Office for Mac. And now the Russians have reported a major hole in Vista. Big surprise there. Oh, let me install that on something. It's bound to be better.
Hat. Definitely hat.
It seems every time I turn around I am running into problems with something Microshaft related. I have a new Dell (six months old). It's already giving me the blue screen of death every other time I use it. Ashley has a new-to-her computer. It's not that old. Pretty respectable specs. I even installed a new version of XP on it less than 2 weeks ago. It's already acting up.
Austin's computer is my old one from Paris. It was a humdinger then. It's a lower midline now. Windows was giving me such fits, I installed a new hard drive and put Linux on it. So now we get a choice on boot up. I had to do that because I definitely hat Microshaft.
I have made the switch at work. My new computer is the top of the line MacPro with all the bells and whistles. You know what gives me the most troubles on it? Microshaft Office for Mac. And now the Russians have reported a major hole in Vista. Big surprise there. Oh, let me install that on something. It's bound to be better.
Hat. Definitely hat.
Monday, December 25, 2006
Kevin Schaffer
It's Christmas day and I haven't put anything into this blog in almost a week. I figure I better do something before I get out of the habit.
At this point in time, I am cooking giblet gravy for leftovers. We had a fine meal this morning, but didn't get around to the gravy thing until it was too late. So I am making the gravy for leftovers. Nummy....
Kevin and Michelle Schaffer came over yesterday after church. They are visiting the area (his parents live in Crane) and we had lunch and a good time rehashing old memories. I can't believe how big his kids are, but then he said the same about ours. Kevin lives in Clovis, NM and teaches in one of the local school systems. He's an elementary music teacher and is very good at what he does.
Music is still his passion. He is the volunteer worship leader at their church (which has doubled in size in the past year) and he is just beginning to write and record a new album of math fact jingles. There is a school curriculum company that has hired him to record an album based on their book... sort of a learn-by-singing kind of thing. I have no doubt it will be fun to listen to, math or not.
Kevin hasn't changed much at all. Same old Kev. His son, Ethan (2 yr-old), is a chip off the old block. He gets that same twinkle is his eye just before he does something mischievous. His daughter, Elise (5 yr-old), is a beautiful young lady and sharp as a tack. Her mind is way ahead of her age. And Michelle looks as pretty as ever and is doing well. Kevin married above his pay grade. :)
I hope to see them more now that we're closer to them. They brought back a lot of great memories. Time to add some stuff to the gravy, and Dallas starts playing in about 15 minutes. Merry Christmas everyone!
At this point in time, I am cooking giblet gravy for leftovers. We had a fine meal this morning, but didn't get around to the gravy thing until it was too late. So I am making the gravy for leftovers. Nummy....
Kevin and Michelle Schaffer came over yesterday after church. They are visiting the area (his parents live in Crane) and we had lunch and a good time rehashing old memories. I can't believe how big his kids are, but then he said the same about ours. Kevin lives in Clovis, NM and teaches in one of the local school systems. He's an elementary music teacher and is very good at what he does.
Music is still his passion. He is the volunteer worship leader at their church (which has doubled in size in the past year) and he is just beginning to write and record a new album of math fact jingles. There is a school curriculum company that has hired him to record an album based on their book... sort of a learn-by-singing kind of thing. I have no doubt it will be fun to listen to, math or not.
Kevin hasn't changed much at all. Same old Kev. His son, Ethan (2 yr-old), is a chip off the old block. He gets that same twinkle is his eye just before he does something mischievous. His daughter, Elise (5 yr-old), is a beautiful young lady and sharp as a tack. Her mind is way ahead of her age. And Michelle looks as pretty as ever and is doing well. Kevin married above his pay grade. :)
I hope to see them more now that we're closer to them. They brought back a lot of great memories. Time to add some stuff to the gravy, and Dallas starts playing in about 15 minutes. Merry Christmas everyone!
Monday, December 18, 2006
Anonymous Christmas
I have no idea who reads this blog (other than a select few). So this is my attempt to thank an anonymous Christmas benefactor who left a very nice gift for me at the office. Your generosity goes beyond words. My family thanks you very much. Merry Christmas and God bless...
~Gary
~Gary
Sunday, December 17, 2006
Swaddling Clothes
I learned something new today from Ronnie White. The story of Christ's birth as reflected in Luke holds deeper meaning than I realized. I'm sure you've heard the reference from the King James version in Luke 2, "And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger." New versions have just called in cloth.
But the question arises, why would a baby in cloth be a "sign" to the shepherds that this was the Christ-child? The angel didn't mention the manger first, he mentioned the swaddling clothes. What is it about swaddling clothes that would be a sign?
The term swaddling clothes is still used today by nurses who wrap the baby after birth. Unfortunately, that term is a 2000 year old misnomer. The origin comes as a result of the harsh countryside in the Middle East. As people took off on trips that often lasted days into months, it was not uncommon for sickness or accident to take place. There we deaths in these journeys.
They Middle Eastern culture developed a way to deal with in-journey deaths. Each person would take a long, thin, gauze-like cloth and wrap it around their waist many times. This would be one of the bottom layers of clothing. This cloth would be reserved for death. If someone died during the journey, their friends or family would remove the "swaddling cloth" and wrap them from head to toe so they could compete the journey.
The baby Jesus was wrapped in Joseph's death cloth. The sign for the shepherds wasn't that they'd find a baby wrapped in a blanket in a manger. The sign was that they'd find a baby prepared for death. Jesus came to earth to die for our sins. That was his purpose. This was shown even from the instance of his birth.
What a God.
By the way... this makes the wise man's gift of myrrh even more appropriate. Myrrh was the spice used for death. It was basically deodorant for the dead. Even though the wise men didn't actually show up until he was toddler, the theme continues.
Merry Christmas....
But the question arises, why would a baby in cloth be a "sign" to the shepherds that this was the Christ-child? The angel didn't mention the manger first, he mentioned the swaddling clothes. What is it about swaddling clothes that would be a sign?
The term swaddling clothes is still used today by nurses who wrap the baby after birth. Unfortunately, that term is a 2000 year old misnomer. The origin comes as a result of the harsh countryside in the Middle East. As people took off on trips that often lasted days into months, it was not uncommon for sickness or accident to take place. There we deaths in these journeys.
They Middle Eastern culture developed a way to deal with in-journey deaths. Each person would take a long, thin, gauze-like cloth and wrap it around their waist many times. This would be one of the bottom layers of clothing. This cloth would be reserved for death. If someone died during the journey, their friends or family would remove the "swaddling cloth" and wrap them from head to toe so they could compete the journey.
The baby Jesus was wrapped in Joseph's death cloth. The sign for the shepherds wasn't that they'd find a baby wrapped in a blanket in a manger. The sign was that they'd find a baby prepared for death. Jesus came to earth to die for our sins. That was his purpose. This was shown even from the instance of his birth.
What a God.
By the way... this makes the wise man's gift of myrrh even more appropriate. Myrrh was the spice used for death. It was basically deodorant for the dead. Even though the wise men didn't actually show up until he was toddler, the theme continues.
Merry Christmas....
Thursday, December 14, 2006
Copyright or Copywrong?
I understand the need for a copyright law, but it's one of those things that is imperfect at best. I spent several years trying to figure it out working with the Acappella Company. Now I find myself back into it again.
As you probably read in an earlier post, I would like to be able to post a capella recordings of new songs (new to our church, not newly written... yet) on our website. Our first song was Everlasting God by Brenton Brown. We introduced it to the church last night and it went well.
Anyway, I went through the whole process of requesting a license so that we could get it online. Long story short (and it is very long), I was denied a license. I can record it for release on an album, but it cannot be placed on the Internet. This is not so much a function of copyright law as it is EMI/Word policy.
On the company FAQ they say, "songs or master recordings that are owned or administered by EMI Christian Music Group and Word Music, LLC cannot be used on the Internet in any form. Vineyard Music Group recordings are licensed by EMI Christian Music Group; therefore, they cannot be used on the Internet, " and "The right to display a copyrighted work is an exclusive right of the copyright holder. Also, the right to offer printed copies of someones copyrighted work requires a print license. Subsequently, to be able to display or to offer printed versions (chord charts, lead sheets etc-all of which will need to be secured and or password protected via e-commerce) of our songs via your website, will necessitate a print license from us. As previously stated, EMI and Word do not allow any of their songs on the internet in any form, so we will not be able to license any of the EMI and Word songs for use on the Internet."
So I wrote them back, just to be sure. I wanted to make sure that they understood we were making a new recording, not asking to use the original recording, and that we were wanting to pay royalties. And if this was still not allowed, how did iTunes and other such services fit into that policy?
They replied that large corporate music services were given special allowances (read: we make more money) and at this time EMI is not currently allowing downloads from individual (custom) sites.
However, if we wished to make our recording available on iTunes I should let them know and we can proceed from there. And that, of course, would kill the entire reason for doing this in the first place. How do you teach your church a new song if they have to go to iTunes to buy it first?
So, as far as songs owned and administered by EMI are concerned (which is a lot), we are reduced to physical CD releases. That's not so bad, just time consuming and costly. We'll see what happens.
So my next question... how does MySpace get away with allowing all those songs streamed from their thousands of pages? Surely some of those belong to EMI. And I'm sure that if EMI has that policy, you can bet other labels do as well.
Maybe Word would make an exception for one of their former distributed artists? Nah... I'm not holding my breath.
As you probably read in an earlier post, I would like to be able to post a capella recordings of new songs (new to our church, not newly written... yet) on our website. Our first song was Everlasting God by Brenton Brown. We introduced it to the church last night and it went well.
Anyway, I went through the whole process of requesting a license so that we could get it online. Long story short (and it is very long), I was denied a license. I can record it for release on an album, but it cannot be placed on the Internet. This is not so much a function of copyright law as it is EMI/Word policy.
On the company FAQ they say, "songs or master recordings that are owned or administered by EMI Christian Music Group and Word Music, LLC cannot be used on the Internet in any form. Vineyard Music Group recordings are licensed by EMI Christian Music Group; therefore, they cannot be used on the Internet, " and "The right to display a copyrighted work is an exclusive right of the copyright holder. Also, the right to offer printed copies of someones copyrighted work requires a print license. Subsequently, to be able to display or to offer printed versions (chord charts, lead sheets etc-all of which will need to be secured and or password protected via e-commerce) of our songs via your website, will necessitate a print license from us. As previously stated, EMI and Word do not allow any of their songs on the internet in any form, so we will not be able to license any of the EMI and Word songs for use on the Internet."
So I wrote them back, just to be sure. I wanted to make sure that they understood we were making a new recording, not asking to use the original recording, and that we were wanting to pay royalties. And if this was still not allowed, how did iTunes and other such services fit into that policy?
They replied that large corporate music services were given special allowances (read: we make more money) and at this time EMI is not currently allowing downloads from individual (custom) sites.
However, if we wished to make our recording available on iTunes I should let them know and we can proceed from there. And that, of course, would kill the entire reason for doing this in the first place. How do you teach your church a new song if they have to go to iTunes to buy it first?
So, as far as songs owned and administered by EMI are concerned (which is a lot), we are reduced to physical CD releases. That's not so bad, just time consuming and costly. We'll see what happens.
So my next question... how does MySpace get away with allowing all those songs streamed from their thousands of pages? Surely some of those belong to EMI. And I'm sure that if EMI has that policy, you can bet other labels do as well.
Maybe Word would make an exception for one of their former distributed artists? Nah... I'm not holding my breath.
Wednesday, December 13, 2006
Fresh Praise
This is the article I wrote for the front page of this Sunday's bulletin. I thought it might go well here, too. See what you think...
"I like routine. There’s something about predictability that brings a little bit of peace. It’s like putting on an old worn shoe that’s been broken in just right. It’s rather comforting.
"There are times when routine is not that good, especially in our spiritual walk. Since my children were born, I have either prayed over them or with them every night before bed. That’s a routine I want to continue until they are gone to college. The routine of praying will continue, but I do not want my prayers to be “routine.” It is very easy for me to slip into the same prayer from night to night. I want my children to grow up knowing not only the importance of prayer, but also understanding that prayer is an open conversation with God - not a repetition of a daily mantra.
"Worship is much the same. While there is comfort in routine, we cannot allow our worship to become “rote.” Songs and prayers that once stirred the soul can become overly familiar and loose some of the meaning that moved us in the beginning. The Word of God encourages us to express ourselves in a fresh way. Six different Psalms specifically tell us to “sing a new song.” Isaiah tells us to, “sing to the Lord a new song, His praise from the ends of the earth.” In the closing chapters of the Bible, twice John hears the masses of heaven singing a “new song” before the throne. The Bible is replete with encouragement for us to seek fresh praise.
"There are many ways to achieve this and we wish to offer one more. About once a month, we will introduce a new song during PowerPoint on Wednesday evenings. These songs will find their way into the Sunday worship, as did Everlasting God this morning. Hopefully, they will offer a new insight into the ageless promises of a sovereign God.
"To keep them fresh in your mind, we will offer these songs as a free download on our website in the “New Song of the Month” section. They will be shorter versions of the song, recorded a capella by members of our own praise team. It is my prayer that we may all find deeper meaning in the songs we know, and a new expression of praise in the songs we learn."
"I like routine. There’s something about predictability that brings a little bit of peace. It’s like putting on an old worn shoe that’s been broken in just right. It’s rather comforting.
"There are times when routine is not that good, especially in our spiritual walk. Since my children were born, I have either prayed over them or with them every night before bed. That’s a routine I want to continue until they are gone to college. The routine of praying will continue, but I do not want my prayers to be “routine.” It is very easy for me to slip into the same prayer from night to night. I want my children to grow up knowing not only the importance of prayer, but also understanding that prayer is an open conversation with God - not a repetition of a daily mantra.
"Worship is much the same. While there is comfort in routine, we cannot allow our worship to become “rote.” Songs and prayers that once stirred the soul can become overly familiar and loose some of the meaning that moved us in the beginning. The Word of God encourages us to express ourselves in a fresh way. Six different Psalms specifically tell us to “sing a new song.” Isaiah tells us to, “sing to the Lord a new song, His praise from the ends of the earth.” In the closing chapters of the Bible, twice John hears the masses of heaven singing a “new song” before the throne. The Bible is replete with encouragement for us to seek fresh praise.
"There are many ways to achieve this and we wish to offer one more. About once a month, we will introduce a new song during PowerPoint on Wednesday evenings. These songs will find their way into the Sunday worship, as did Everlasting God this morning. Hopefully, they will offer a new insight into the ageless promises of a sovereign God.
"To keep them fresh in your mind, we will offer these songs as a free download on our website in the “New Song of the Month” section. They will be shorter versions of the song, recorded a capella by members of our own praise team. It is my prayer that we may all find deeper meaning in the songs we know, and a new expression of praise in the songs we learn."
Tuesday, December 12, 2006
Song of the Month
I've been wrestling with how to introduce new songs to our church. I saw a thread on Keith's blog a while back about just this thing. Unfortunately, most of the solutions presented on there didn't quite work for us.
I'd prefer not to introduce a new song in the Sunday morning service (except for the times when I do it not knowing it's new to everyone... oops). So we are going to do the "New Song of the Month" approach. We meet on Wednesday nights for our PowerPoint service (it has nothing to do with the software). Once a month I will introduce a new song to the church. In order to keep it in their memory, it will be made available on our website immediately afterward. We plan to offer the written arrangement as well as a short recorded version of the arrangement.
I have no idea how many will take advantage of this. We're going to give it the old college try anyway. At the very least, it will drive a few more folks to our website. I'm sure it will be an educational process to get people to realize that they can download songs from our site for free.
I've considered this approach before, but it was always along the mindset of doing an entire album and making it available to church. This way, we are building the plane as we fly it. And if we want to do an album, we can go back and revisit the songs pretty easily and flesh it out so that it fits the "album sound."
We'll see. Look for the "New Song of the Month" section on the GCR website here in the next few days.
I'd prefer not to introduce a new song in the Sunday morning service (except for the times when I do it not knowing it's new to everyone... oops). So we are going to do the "New Song of the Month" approach. We meet on Wednesday nights for our PowerPoint service (it has nothing to do with the software). Once a month I will introduce a new song to the church. In order to keep it in their memory, it will be made available on our website immediately afterward. We plan to offer the written arrangement as well as a short recorded version of the arrangement.
I have no idea how many will take advantage of this. We're going to give it the old college try anyway. At the very least, it will drive a few more folks to our website. I'm sure it will be an educational process to get people to realize that they can download songs from our site for free.
I've considered this approach before, but it was always along the mindset of doing an entire album and making it available to church. This way, we are building the plane as we fly it. And if we want to do an album, we can go back and revisit the songs pretty easily and flesh it out so that it fits the "album sound."
We'll see. Look for the "New Song of the Month" section on the GCR website here in the next few days.
Wednesday, December 06, 2006
He's Baaaack......
It's hard to believe that it's only been a little more than a week since I've officially started work here at GCR. With the moving, new job, new school, new everything... it feels more like a couple of months. I've been so busy I've not even been able to wash my car. It still has bird poop from Corpus on the roof. I may leave it there for memories sake.
My first official Sunday went well, I thought. The most important thing is that God was honored. The program flowed well and the theme was carried throughout the morning. The central idea was expressed in several different formats; song, message, scripture, and video. It culminated in the special offering for single parents, which ended up way beyond anyone's expectations. All in all, it was a great morning. For those interested, I'll post the order here in a moment.
The kids are doing very well. Ashley is loving her new dance studio. Austin is adapting, although we really need to get him spending some time with new friends. Sherri is having some medical difficulties, so please say a pray for her, wherever you are.
I need to run and do some fun stuff. It's time to run by the Cingular store and pick my new phone. I'm thinking Samsung Blackjack. hehehehe
Order of Worship
Golf Course rd Church of Christ
Dec. 3, 2006
We Have Come to Worship Him
Welcome
We Have Come to Worship Him – cho only
I Stand Amazed
Above All
I Stand in Awe
Prayer time
Jesus Draw Me Close
Lord Have Mercy
Scripture reading – ooh softly as Ps. 103:1-12 is read
Lord Have Mercy – cho x 2
Communion
Offering (Christmas version by Paul Baloche)
Contribution
Video: What If?
Lord I Give You My Heart
Message: Road Trip – The Magi
Here I am to Worship
I Need You More
Special Offering
God Will Make a Way
Closing Comments
I Stand Amazed – cho
My first official Sunday went well, I thought. The most important thing is that God was honored. The program flowed well and the theme was carried throughout the morning. The central idea was expressed in several different formats; song, message, scripture, and video. It culminated in the special offering for single parents, which ended up way beyond anyone's expectations. All in all, it was a great morning. For those interested, I'll post the order here in a moment.
The kids are doing very well. Ashley is loving her new dance studio. Austin is adapting, although we really need to get him spending some time with new friends. Sherri is having some medical difficulties, so please say a pray for her, wherever you are.
I need to run and do some fun stuff. It's time to run by the Cingular store and pick my new phone. I'm thinking Samsung Blackjack. hehehehe
Order of Worship
Golf Course rd Church of Christ
Dec. 3, 2006
We Have Come to Worship Him
Welcome
We Have Come to Worship Him – cho only
I Stand Amazed
Above All
I Stand in Awe
Prayer time
Jesus Draw Me Close
Lord Have Mercy
Scripture reading – ooh softly as Ps. 103:1-12 is read
Lord Have Mercy – cho x 2
Communion
Offering (Christmas version by Paul Baloche)
Contribution
Video: What If?
Lord I Give You My Heart
Message: Road Trip – The Magi
Here I am to Worship
I Need You More
Special Offering
God Will Make a Way
Closing Comments
I Stand Amazed – cho
Sunday, November 26, 2006
Kevin Riggs
Today was my first day at GCR. I did not lead worship, not yet. Today was, in the words of Ronnie White, "the passing of the torch." I had the rare chance to sing tenor on the team. That's not rare for others, but it's very rare for me. I thoroughly enjoyed it. It also let me know I am out of shape vocally. Leading a band has let me get lazy. The a capella world is much more demanding.
I am very impressed by what God has done in Kevin Riggs. Kevin has been the worship leader at Golf Course for the past three years. He took the mantle from Ken Young who led worship and directed Hallal Ministries for many years.
Kevin has done a fabulous job with the GCR worship team. He has transitioned it from the leadership of Ken into something very much his own. Following in Ken's footsteps would be hard for anyone, and Kevin has done it in a part-time status. My hat is off to him.
What impresses me even more is his humble attitude. That same attitude is reflected in his wife, Iris. Kevin recognized what few are able to do. In his words, the GCR worship ministry is going great but it needed to go to the next level. He felt like he could not do that in a part-time role. And he certainly was not going to give up the construction business that he owns. He came to that painful conclusion about the same time that I first sent out a mass email to my friends telling them I was looking for a job.
The day after I sent out that email, Kevin called me and laid everything on the line. He told me he needed to step down and asked if I was interested in taking his place. The rest is history. Not only did Kevin listen to that still, small voice of God, but he acted submissively... going as far as actively recruiting his replacement. And his attitude and behavior has continued to reflect that submissiveness.
I am honored to share the ministry with Kevin. He is truly a man of God.
I am very impressed by what God has done in Kevin Riggs. Kevin has been the worship leader at Golf Course for the past three years. He took the mantle from Ken Young who led worship and directed Hallal Ministries for many years.Kevin has done a fabulous job with the GCR worship team. He has transitioned it from the leadership of Ken into something very much his own. Following in Ken's footsteps would be hard for anyone, and Kevin has done it in a part-time status. My hat is off to him.
What impresses me even more is his humble attitude. That same attitude is reflected in his wife, Iris. Kevin recognized what few are able to do. In his words, the GCR worship ministry is going great but it needed to go to the next level. He felt like he could not do that in a part-time role. And he certainly was not going to give up the construction business that he owns. He came to that painful conclusion about the same time that I first sent out a mass email to my friends telling them I was looking for a job.
The day after I sent out that email, Kevin called me and laid everything on the line. He told me he needed to step down and asked if I was interested in taking his place. The rest is history. Not only did Kevin listen to that still, small voice of God, but he acted submissively... going as far as actively recruiting his replacement. And his attitude and behavior has continued to reflect that submissiveness.
I am honored to share the ministry with Kevin. He is truly a man of God.
Thursday, November 23, 2006
Home is Where the Bus Is
That used to be one of our little pet phrases while on the road with Acappella... "home is where the bus is." Our bus has made a stop in Midland. Lord willing, we can just park the stupid thing and be done with it.
I write this on Thanksgiving night. Everyone has gone to bed but me, and I'm not far away. The past few days have been some of the most physically stressful and emotionally challenging days I've had yet. I will cover the whole moving episode in another post. For tonight, I thought it appropriate to stop and give thanks to the good Lord for all He's done. Especially all He's done in the past few weeks.
I'm thankful that....
All because of Christ...
I write this on Thanksgiving night. Everyone has gone to bed but me, and I'm not far away. The past few days have been some of the most physically stressful and emotionally challenging days I've had yet. I will cover the whole moving episode in another post. For tonight, I thought it appropriate to stop and give thanks to the good Lord for all He's done. Especially all He's done in the past few weeks.
I'm thankful that....
- We made it to Midland in one piece, safe and sound.
- Our dogs have not run away and seem to be adjusting well.
- Our kids have not run away and seem to be adjusting well.
- We had lots of people show up to help us load and get things finished up in Corpus so we could leave (more info later).
- We had lots of people show up to help us unload here in Midland.
- We had a wonderful greeting awaiting us when we arrived in the form of a massive care package specifically designed for each of our tastes. Thanks Praise Team!
- Our house closed on time and we actually got a refund instead of having to pay cash.
- Ashley had a chance to meet some wonderful people and make some very good desserts.
- Nancy and April were available to drive our truck to Midland and stuck around for a few days for "vacation" (can you call helping us unpack vacation?).
- Thanksgiving meal today was fabulous. :)
All because of Christ...
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