Who Else is Busy?

Busy is a word that would best describe this week. Most weeks are, but this week has been crazy. The final song choices and agenda is now in place for Easter, along with the rehearsal slots in place. I'm headed to Long and McQuade in a couple minutes to get a new guitar amp for our weekend services. We were testing some amps to find the best sound-I talked about it in a previous post.
After that, me and the band are headed up north to a College to lead worship for their Young adults Event and promote the IGNITE Conference our church is hosting in June.

Harvest Easter 2008

Harvest Bible Chapel has just announced that we are going to have Easter together this year. and when I say together I don't mean 3 services with 3 separate overflow rooms, but together as in all one service for one event. What's exciting that in just 4 short years God has grown a small 18 people bible study into a over 1400 person church (and still growing). On March 23, 2008 @ 10:00AM we are all gathering @ the Living Arts Center in Mississauga, ON. Exciting days ahead.

Back from writing

Got back last night from West Olive, MI. Our 2 1/2 days were well worth it and the songs that we got down are seriously amazing. I'm so excited to begin teaching some of the them to my church but also see what God will do with them outside of Oakville.
I'll give a more elaborate summary later-

Harvest Songs

Today I am headed to "West Olive", MI to work on some music with other worship leaders from Harvest Bible Chapel's. My ipod is updated, my guitar is sitting by the door and my lap top with a lot of new Quicktime clips is ready of some ideas I've been working on. I feel like I've had writers block (minus the one or two songs here and there) and really pray God will use this time to get whats in me--out.

Weekend Review

A "greatness" themed weekend in Oakville. Overall, the weekend went great. Our people love to sing, they love to worship and that makes my job so enjoyable because I can just worship along side of them.

Music Set:
God Is Great
How Great thou Art
Mighty to Save
Jesus Paid it All
The Wondrous Cross

Announcements/Offering

Special: Love Came Down

Sermon: Pastor Robbie Symons

Close: Made me Glad
How Great is Our God

Louder than Creation

Just got the new North Point Community Church live worship album in the mail. Its awesome. Not only is "Lord of all" on it, but so many other sweet new songs. This record is not available on itunes as of yet, but check out there website (it came in 4 days).

Big news

Come Monday, if I haven't let the cat out of the bag, I will after that-
Big news in Harvest Oakville world. So exciting-

Monday (for family day)- Im taking my wife, mom, brother and sister to the Toronto Car show.

Wed.-Friday- Im headed to a remote location in Michigan to write some new songs for our church in hopes to record and release them in June through Harvest Songs.

And to think----thats not the big news!~

Plus- I have been getting a excessive amount of friend request on facebook from high school students who knew me as a self centered pig. Pray God uses what He has done in my life to show them how God can truly change a wondering heart

Lingo

I just read something that made me go, "whoa dude, thats totally on the mark"
check it out. This is Christian lingo defined to the fullest.


1. I'll pray about it = NO!
2. We need to pray for so and so = Guess what I just heard?!
3. I'm waiting for God to open some doors = I'm living in my parent's basement.
4. God gave me a word for you = I have advice to help you with your disaster of a life.
5. I'm going to have my quiet time = Leave me the heck alone!
6. God is good = My life sucks.
7. Bless his/her heart = What an idiot.
8. I have the gift of discernment = I can judge people without even talking to them.
9. I was having fellowship with them = We had beer and pizza and watched the game instead of going to church.
10. I'm saved by grace, not works = I can do whatever the heck I want.
11. She caused me to stumble = What a skank.
12. I kissed dating goodbye = I couldn't get a blind date, literally.
13. Let no unwholesome talk come out of your mouth = I can't believe you said the real curse word!
14. I don't mean to judge but... = I'm going to judge.
15. I'm dating Jesus right now = Are you kidding? I'm way out of your league.
16. God wants me to take some time off from this relationship = I met someone else and I'm too coward to break up with you.
17. I'll pray about marrying you = NO!
18. God told me that we are supposed to get married = Maybe you'll say yes if God is behind this.
19. I'm fasting = Your spiritual life is miniscule compared to mine. Try to keep up.
20. God has called me to minister to her = She's really hot.
21. I think you should pray about it = You'll see that I'm right.
22. We've decided to court, not date = My parents have a death grip on my life.
23. Courting = Homeschool dating.
24. Lord willing = My plans are His plans.
25. Take this with a grain of salt = I'm about to really offend you.
26. I'm feeling convicted about this = One day my actions might change too!
27. Have I offended you? = Why are you treating my like garbage?
28. Who wants to pray? = I don't want to pray right now.
29. Jesus turned water into wine = Jesus turned water into grape juice. (Southern Baptist Dialect)
30. Jesus turned water into wine = I can drink whatever I want. (Presbyterian Dialect)

Bluetree is the next Delerious

Bluetree came to my attention when Louie briefly said that one of the songs they were introducing at the Passion conference was by a small Irish band. After searching Irish worship bands for a couple minutes, I found Bluetree. This record is seriously amazing. Besides being the writers of "Greater things (God of the city)". If you can remember back when Delirious released their Glo record and worship music started becoming sweet. This record brings new definition to sweet.

Ignite Promo

My wife is AWESOME

Today is Valentines day. My wife and I celebrated our love last night and went out for steaks at the Keg. It was the best. I seriously have the best wife in the world. We were talking last night at the dinner table about how good of friends we are and how great of job she does at putting up with my retardation. Can I say that word?
So thankful and so in love with my sweet Erin. Thank you Lord!

When I got home Erin had a made me a gift and it was on the couch covered up by a blanket. She had gone out and bought 3 large square frames and then put pictures of guitars in them with a poem that she wrote for me about worship. I freaking love it!

Its Official: Ignite 2008

Today its official. Harvest young Adults is putting on a Young Adults conference for the generation of 18-30. Be in prayer as we are seeking the Lord in a major way by bringing 300 young adults from all different Harvest Bible Chapels and affiliated churches together for one weekend. The cost of this weekend is 150.00 which includes everything. Wanna register or find out more information for your church or young adult ministry? Email ignite2008 AT harvestoakville.ca or call 905-827-4157

Melt Down Retreat 2008

Leading at the opening night

Josh Weidmann escaping from a straight jacket

the band playing in the snow

My beautiful wife and I in the snow

soar and tired but alive and well

I've been working all day on a paper for a class Im taking and I needed to pause for a break. This past weekend was a blast; I got to lead worship with the band up @ MBC for the Harvest Sr. High Retreat with Josh Weidmann. Friday night we got up there around 7:30pm, set up, sound checked and then the buses arrived and we had our first session. I was a little scared that the Sr. High students would sense my lack of coolness and not respond well to my leading, but it was the exact opposite. They were totally rocking and responsive--not to me, but to God and that was the most rewarding part. We introduced a bunch of new music: "Happy Day, All because of Jesus, The time has come, Beautiful Jesus" to name a few.
Some things I learned on this trip are:

• Bands who travel in 15 passenger vans with all their gear for months at a time should get paid for the van ride alone, and then given an award for just putting up with the smells and company.
  
• A Mesa Boogie dual rectifier when turned up to "10" sounds amazing
• Don't pick fights with Greg McKay, he's pretty tough, and irish.
• If your confused, or just don't know if you want to be a "rapper" or a "worship leader" you just pick one and stick with it.
• Jake is really good on his delay pedal
  
• I want a fireplace in my house some day
• Snow isn't that bad if you are dressed really warm
• Always top off with All season Windshield wiper fluid
  

Four main sessions later we were pooped and ready to pack up the van and head back home. We left @ noon on Sunday for what normally would have been a two and a half hour car ride which turned into a five hour trip getting us back just in time to set up for Harvest Young Adults.
I was also blessed to be able to hang out with Josh Weidmann for all the down time. We talked vision and our hearts for a good portion of the night on Sat. and I was really blessed by the brokenness out of which he shared each message at the retreat. I think I'll have some pix tomorrow from Kwhitt so when I do, I will post some. Back to the paper.

It's worth smiling about

Why I'm excited for the weekend;

• I get to go up to Muskoka Bible Conference
• I get to lead worship for a bunch of passionate Sr. High students
• I get to hang with speaker Josh Wideman
  
• I get to play music with 4 rad dudes
• I get to try out some new music that I've been dying to teach
  
• I get a cottage to myself with my super hot wife
• I get to spend the weekend with my wife
  
• I have warm snow pants and boots now
• I get Monday off but have to write a 10 page paper on the new age movement

put it outside

Last weekend I shared with the band a passage from Acts 9:36-43. This is the story of Dorcas (her name makes me laugh). Here's the text.

36Now there was in Joppa a disciple named Tabitha, which, translated, means Dorcas. She was full of good works and acts of charity. 37In those days she became ill and died, and when they had washed her, they laid her in an upper room. 38Since Lydda was near Joppa, the disciples, hearing that Peter was there, sent two men to him, urging him, "Please come to us without delay." 39So Peter rose and went with them. And when he arrived, they took him to the upper room. All the widows stood beside him weeping and showing tunics[b] and other garments that Dorcas made while she was with them. 40But Peter put them all outside, and knelt down and prayed; and turning to the body he said, "Tabitha, arise." And she opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter she sat up. 41And he gave her his hand and raised her up. Then calling the saints and widows, he presented her alive. 42And it became known throughout all Joppa, and many believed in the Lord. 43And he stayed in Joppa for many days with one Simon, a tanner.

I love Peter in this story. Think about whats happening here....This well liked women (Dorcas) dies, and then all her friends stand around her holding on to the little nic-naks that she had made or that which she was known for. Then Peter walks in the room, and the text says, "40But Peter put them all outside, and knelt down and prayed..."
I love it how he took what didn't matter, all the little trinkets and put them Outside, away, out of the way and he prayed. Simply beautiful.
this past week I got this new fancy guitar, and its been a great blessing, but its just one another thing in my life that I can't hold on to, its really like one of those tunics that the woman were holding on to that if Peter found, he would put outside. I want the distractions to be left outside, so that I can continue to be found alive in and because of Christ.

random fact

I just cleaned out my email bin. In the past 3 months I have sent 2397 Emails.

Arrived

On Friday I picked up my new Taylor 815CE. Could not be happier with how BIG and sweet it sounds. I broke it in this weekend @ harvest and loved it. So thankful and blessed for this new instrument to praise God with. (That's my sweet mother to the right in the pic's.)

Announcement | Riddle

We just confirmed that Jeremy Riddle will be our guest worship leader for our young adults conference in June. This guy has blessed our church with so many amazing songs ad we are so exited for him to come join us. Check out Riddle HERE

"we were a target"