Today, as we continued through the season of Lent, we looked at the idea of the filters that we see Christiansity through. I found myself sitting through the service thinking about the idea of the filters and what we see in the church today. This idea of filters really exposes the ideas that are stemming throughout the church today (i.e. missional, mega, whatever the trend is at the time). At RCC, our ethos is shown through our actions and our mission. We didn’t do this because we go with the flow of the latest chruch movement, or we read a book and really like what it had to say. We did this, because our filter of the gospel showed us that our mission is to Love God and Love Neighbor. So that being said, here is the Sunday Set List for this week (all the links are YouTube clips of vids of the song some are serious, some are to help you see what the song sounds like, and some are goofy or funny):
Yahweh – This is a U2 song off of their “How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb”. My favorite lyric is “take these lips, so quick to criticize. take these lips give them a kiss”.
Blessed Be Your Name - Everytime I pull this song I feel like it could be put to rest for a little bit. But then we play it and it feels like it speaks deeper and deeper to the congregation and they don’t really mind that we are singing this song again. Sometimes I sing the bridge (You give and take away) with the melody of U2’s “with or without you” (You give yourself away) so that it says: You give and take away/ and you give and take away/ and you give/ and you give/ and you give and take away. Usually leading into the hook of “I can’t live/ with or without you” back into the Chorus of Blessed be…
Jesus, You’re the Light - A new song that I introduced to the congregation. It’s a reflection tune that is a prayer for Jesus to shine light on us to reveal sin, not just to lead us to Him but instead to be closer to him.
Because of Your Love - One of my favorite Paul Baloche tunes. We took out the “Yeah, Yeah, Yeah” part and put a bit of a Dave Matthews groove to it. This is a great song that helps to remind us what God has done for us and how we got here in our faith.
Trust and Obey – Love this hymn. A call for the church to be the church and trust God and obey the Holy Spirits leading.
but useful none the less. If you are a guitar player and want a little insight, John Mayer offered this video. He goes pretty fast, but if you listen, it makes sense.
As a worship leader, we are to direct people into God’s presence. This is pretty simple thinking. The thing that we have to take into consideration is what we are teaching our congregation as we lead them. Case in point: I’ve had a few people ask me when we start playing Christmas tunes at RCC. To this I reply, “at Christmas”.
Don’t get me wrong. I love the corporate season as much as the next guy, and don’t think for a second that there won’t be posts about it! My favorite CD is the Charlie Brown Christmas. My favorite Christmas movies are Die Hard and Gremlins. But when we truly begin to remember the real season of Christmas, we must remember what is happening in the Church calender. Before we can rejoice, we must reflect. Before we can celebrate, we must anticipate. Before we can recieve, we must wait in expectation.
We know how the christmas story goes. We know that Jesus comes and is born in Bethlehem, and that there are shepherds and angels and three wise men, a star, a manger, etc, etc. But we must reflect going into the season. We must look at why this savior is coming. We must reflect what this savior is doing in our lives and those around us. We must anticipate the coming of renewal.
So, as a worship leader, this is why I don’t play any “CHristmas” tunes until Christmas eve (i.e. Joy to the world, Hark the Herald Angels Sing, What Child is this, etc). I even extend it into the epiphany season, but by that time corporate Christmas has shoved it all down our throats and we are sick of it. Oh well. The Church goes on, but we must be continually teaching people the proper way to worship – why we worship and how we worship – in order for it to make sense.
I haven’t put up a mix in a while. I thought that I would do an early one, because I am currently recording a CD of my own and these are the songs and artists that I’ve been digging on while recording. As per usual, if you want a copy, just let me know.
To Be Young (Is to be Sad, Is to Be High) – Ryan Adams
Wheat in the Weeds – David Bazan
We Sing in TIme – The Lonely Forest
The Sound Of Settling – Death Cab For Cutie
I Need You Back - Ben Kweller
A Shot in the Arm – Wilco
Hey Ya - Matt Weddle
Tears Dry on Their Own – Amy Winehouse
House of Cards – Radiohead
Mexico – CAKE
Reading Between the Lines of An Empty Page – Jonathan Inc.
I bought the new Amos Lee album, Last Days at the Lodge, a few weeks ago when it came out. I just got around to listening to it, and I love it. Anything this guy does really is pretty amazing. I’ve been listening to him for a couple of years now. If you haven’t heard of him, below is one of my favorite Amos Lee songs called “Arms of a Woman”. If you think it sounds like Norah Jones, it is because he was one of the first signed to her record label. So there you go. Buy his albums and support him. Do it now.
The sun is out, and that is why I haven’t been blogging in a while. Up here in the Pacific Northwest, when the sun is out you need to take advantage of it. If you don’t, you have no right to complain about the rain.
This Fourth of July found me working at the Bucks and then hanging with friends. It was quite a war zone, as I am sure it was in your town. Fireworks going off everywhere, and I had to work at 4:30 the next morning. Needless to say, there was no beer drinking this year.
THis year was also the first time in a long time I didn’t return to Blaine, WA for the Annual Fourth of July Celebration. I actually quite enjoy the Fourth of July in a small town. They have a parade where most people in town know somebody in the parade. There is usually a dog parade, a real estate agent in a Drop Top Chevy Camaro from the 90’s, AAU and middle school sports teams celebrating their victorious season, and the High School band marching through. This year found a band called the Clumsy Lovers playing. This was a big step for Blaine to bring in a national touring act to entertain before the fireworks.
I’ve been working quite a bit. Between RCC, Starbucks, Guitar Lessons, and trying to hang out with people, I have not been inside too often. I’ve grown quite a bit as a barista actually. I can sling drinks pretty quickly these days.
Cynthia’s belly is getting bigger. She is quite adorable. She’s outgrown all of her clothes and now is beginning to wear maternity clothes! It’s a bit crazy and funny at the same time. We have our second appointment this week, but we wont find out the sex until next month.
I went to a songwriters forum this past week with other worship leaders from around Bellingham. It was quite nice. I am building a relationship with Sean Hall. Sean is a enormously talented singer/songwriter who used to play in a band called Day Dreamer here in bellingham. I enjoy his ideas and songs. If you go to my music Myspace link on the side, Day Dreamer are one of my “top friends”.
I’ve also begun to write and record again. Hopefully, I will have some new songs posted for you to listen to soon. Not so much worship songs, but more so on the “artistic” side. I guess from the worship angle of things, they would be seen as artistic rather than accesible.
Lastly, I am a bit upset that the Sonics went to Oklahoma City. Not that they were stellar, but I am a traditionalist. Change scares me, even if it is better for somebody. Who wins in this situation? I couldn’t really tell you…
That’s all I’ve got for you as far as updates lately. I promise that I will be more consistant, I just needed a little break with the world going crazy around me!
Classic Matt McConaughey line. Today I went to the doctor for a check up and I began realizing all of these signs of getting older. Here are a few that I’ve compiled out of my brain for all of us.
You know you’re getting older when:
* You go to the doctor every year and they tell you to “cut back on the salt and excercise more”…every year.
* You “go for a jog” and you’re sore for the rest of the week
* You have to look up words or phrases on UrbanDictionary.com because you don’t know what something you overheard a kid in the mall said means.
* Date night turns into Lowe’s and Costco Dogs.
* You have hairs growing out of your ears and nose, and even your eyebrow hairs are getting longer.
* You grow random gray hairs.
* The movies you watch are “smarter” which really means they are boring.
* You begin to worry if people think that you are the “crazy cat person”.
* Some music becomes too loud or just plain noise and you become the one that kids say just don’t get it.
* If you don’t have kids, you become uncle or auntie.
* If you have kids, you become Mr. or Ms/Mrs. “name of parent of the kid that your kid is playing with” or Your kids name’s Mommy or Daddy.
* You use possesive ways to describe people (i.e. My Lawyer, My accountant, My kids, etc).
* You don’t go out past 10 p.m. because you are too tired.
* If you are out past 10 p.m you go directly home because you are too tired.
* You get excited to go to a show because you haven’t been out in a while, but you are even more pumped because the show is all ages and should be done early.
* You get pissed off when you find out that the show is going to be going late.
* For women, your purses and underwear get bigger as you grow older.
* For men, your underwear grow as many holes in them as you have been living out of your mom’s house…same wallet that you’ve had since then also.
* Clothes you wore in Middle and High School are coming back in style.
* You say something to somebody and follow it up with, “Oh my gosh, I just sounded like my mother”.
* Kids wear shirts of bands that you liked in high school, but usually can’t name a single song or album by that band.
* You research things before you buy them.
* You begin to drink wine because it is a “healthier choice”.
These are just a few of the ones I came up with. What did I miss?
I found this test while lurking on Tyler’s site who found it on Stuff Christians Like. It’s a test to see How Metro your Worship Leader is. I didn’t score too well on this test (30 pts). In fact, I think that our pastor Baron Miller scored better than me (according to my calculations he scored a 41). He really is pretty Metro as it is…
Here’s where I scored on the test.
1. Has a faux hawk hair style = +1 (When it is long enough)
2. Has more product in his hair than your wife = +1 (I use a lot of product and compare notes with other guys)
7. Owns Puma, Vans or Diesel sneakers = +2 per each pair (2 pair)
8. Wears jeans on stage = +1 (and shorts.)
12. Wears one of those Castro revolution looking hats = +2 (Yes)
14. Drinks some kind of coffee you did not know existed = +2 ( I work at the ‘bucks.)
17. Good at Frisbee but hates getting all “sweaty” = +1 (That’s why I play ultimate frisbee)
25. Uses the words, “postmodern, relevant” or “emergent” nonstop = +2 (not non stop)
27. Has ever said some form of the phrase, “That song is so 1990s” = +1
30. References Norwegian punk bands you’ve never heard of = +2 (I just love music)
33. Looks as if he might exfoliate = +2 (I once worked for Lancome)
34. Has a man bag or European Carry All = +2 (My Murse is my everything)
35. Brings said bag on stage with him = +2 (Where am I going to store my music?)
44. Owns every Nooma video = +2 (By default. Our church owns them)
45. Has a soul patch = +3 (opting for the shaved look these days. The Soul Patch is for people who can’t grow handlebars or connectors for the goatee)
52. He wears graphic t-shirts over button down, long sleeve shirts = +2 (why wouldn’t you?)
Click on the link and share how you or your Worship Leader or your pastor scored!
To help me get to know people better at St. Arbucks I work at and for simple team building, I’ve started bringing in CD’s for them to borrow. What happens is that they let me know what they like and I get to listen to their music also. I brought in four CD’s to start it off:
Amos Lee – Amos Lee
Rocky Votolato – Makers
Glen Hansard – The Soundtrack to “Once”
and a Death Cab Mix that I put together.
Well, my new friend Diana (If you ever visit my Starbucks, she is the one with the faux-hawk) brought me a copy of Bon Iver’s “For Emma, Forever ago”. Holy Crap! This CD is great! You need to listen to this. Here is a taste below:
