Emmanuel - Laura Story

Here is a link to Laura's recording of the song we did for offering last Sunday - Emmanuel.

Watch this . . .

Christ the King Sunday

This Sunday - in the traditional liturgical calendar, is Christ the King Sunday. Traditionally celebrated as the Sunday preceding the 1st Sunday of Advent . . . and setup as a reminder for us to celebrate that Christ is our King - further highlighted in the advent preparation - our King is coming BACK.

So as a part of the service this weekend, we're reading a couple questions from the Heidelberg Catechism. This part struck me:

"How does Christ's return - to judge the living and the dead - comfort you?"

In all my distress and persecution, I turn my eyes to the Heavens and confidently await as judge the very One, who has already stood trial in my place before God, and so has removed the WHOLE curse from me. All his enemies and mine - He will condemn to everlasting punishment; but me and all His chosen ones, He will take along with Him into the joy and the glory of Heaven."

The Christmas Season at Oak Mountain

Mark your calendars for the Christmas events at Oak Mountain. On Sunday night, December 7th at 6:00 our Youth Choir will be leading in "Come Emmanuel."

Sunday morning - December 14th, the Worship Ministry will be leading in "Emmanuel" for both morning services - 9 and 10:45.

The following night - December 15th - Andrew Peterson will be here to present "Behold the Lamb." - Get your tickets now on sale at iTickets - or at the church.

Our Candlelight Christmas Eve Services will be on Wednesday, December 24th at 5 and 6:30.

On Sunday, December 28th, we'll only be having one service - 10:45.

Andrew Peterson at Oak Mountain again this Christmas!

Andrew is coming to OMPC on Monday night, December 15. Tickets will go on sale this weekend. He'll only be here for one night, one show. Tickets will be limited! Feel free to contact me with any questions or for more information.

Andrew's Tour Site

If you're out of town - you can purchase tickets HERE at iTickets.com

UGA is a great football team AND

God does even MORE amazing things through their coach . . .

Danny Wuerffel this past Sunday at Oak Mountain

This Weekend's Service

We're opening the service this weekend with a song from Israel Houghton called "Say So." It's a slow, dramatic ballad (no, not really). Anyway - as the choir has prepared over the past few weeks, we've had quite a bit of fun learning the song and preparing for this Sunday.

I received an incredible email from one of my choir members. I asked him/her if I could share and they responded affirmatively. For me, it reaffirms my thought that God is doing something different and amazing in the hearts of His people at Oak Mountain. The two songs that the author of the email are referring to are "Say So" by Israel, and "Do It Lord" by Tommy Walker - both will be sung this weekend.

Begin Email:

I was thinking on the way home from choir last night, why I like songs like "Say So," and "Do It Lord." About five years ago I wouldn't have. I would have declared them emotional fluff, and gone on my way to other things. Now, apart from the fact that maybe, just maybe my heart's a little less arrogant than it used to be, I think there's another reason. Growing up, theology, why we believed what we believed, wasn't really a big deal. We just believed it. . . 'cause we did. But, as I've learned (intellectually, freed from emotion) about who God is and gained a fuller picture of grace in the Scriptures, I've begun to feel (in my heart, full of emotion) differently about the world I live in and the matters of the Almighty. So, now, when I sing, "I see depression, replaced with joy and gladness," I actually see people who I know struggle with depression! When I sing "orphans fulling, Lord, your calling on their lives," I see myself, a spiritual orphan, adopted into God's family of love and purpose. And when I sing, "Do it, Lord, do it, Lord," I hear "Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven." And, when I think about (with a better and fuller understanding now than then) what I've been saved from and saved to, and what Christ did on the cross to redeem me, darn right I'm gonna "say so!" What else do I have to "say" about?!

So, everyone may not get it, and the fact that I did doesn't mean anything super cool about me, but I did want you to know that at least one person is making the strong connection between head and heart on this music, and I'm a pretty tough critic when it comes to music. But, by God's grace and mercy, I'm becoming a pretty big softy when it comes to talking/singing/teaching/hopefully sharing about my Papa.

Thanks for all you do to teach, lead, and sometimes pull/push us to worship through music and song.

Updated *List* of Music - always looking and listening for more!

I've updated, once again, our *list* of music. It's not exhaustive, but it's close.

Steve Fee:
Glorious One
All Because of Jesus

Vicky Beeching:
The Wonder of the Cross
Great is Your Glory

Keith Getty and Stuart Townend:
The Power of the Cross
In Christ Alone
How Deep the Father's Love for Us

Brenton Brown:
Everlasting God

Dave Lubben:
Lay it Down

Matt Maher:
Your Grace is Enough
As It Is in Heaven

Ronnie Freeman:
My Inheritance
Search Me
He is Here
Face to the Ground

Passion:
Grace Flows Down

David Crowder Band:
Glory of it All
Wholly Yours

Hillsong Music:
NEW - Mighty to Save
Need You Here
Hosanna
Lead Me to the Cross

MuteMath:
OK

Chris Tomlin/Passion:
God of This City
Holy is the Lord (Matt Maher)
Your Grace is Enough
Made to Worship
Awesome is the Lord Most High
Enough
Not to Us
Forever
Famous One
When I Survey/Wonderful Cross
We Fall Down

Laura Story:
Immortal Invisible
Indescribable

Matt Redman:
Blessed Be Your Name
Heart of Worship
You Never Let Go

Paul Baloche:
Because of Your Love
Our God Saves
You Gave Your Life Away
Arise
All the Earth Will Sing Your Praises
Open the Eyes of My Heart
Your Name
Hosanna

Tim Hughes:
Consuming Fire
The Highest and Greatest
Here I am to Worship
Beautiful One
Almighty God
O Happy Day
Everything

Gateway Worship:
Revelation Song

Starfield:
Filled With Your Glory
Reign in Us

Sonic Flood:
Shelter
Resonate

Tommy Walker:
Do it Lord
I Have a Hope
Hallelujah, We Will Sing
He Knows My Name
Only a God Like You
That's Why We Praise Him
Never Gonna Stop
Make it Glorious
There's No Greater Love Than Jesus
As We Worship You
Doxology
How Could I but Love You?

Kathryn Scott:
Sing to the King
Hungry

Israel Houghton and Michael Gungor:
Friend of God

Ross Parsley:
I am Free
Hear Us From Heaven
Beautiful

Joel Engle:
Beautiful One
Louder Than the Angels

Karl Diggerness:
There is a Fountain

Worship Hymns, vol. 1
Jesus, I Come
May Jesus Christ Be Praised

Jason Sears (the Hymn Project)
O Love That Will Not Let Me Go
Awake My Soul
Begin My Tongue
The Blessing
Faultless
There is a Fountain

Jason's Hymn Arrangements (this means - same hymn tune, rearranged to accomodate modern rhythm section):
How Deep the Father's Love for Us
Praise to the Lord/Come Thou Almighty
Come Thou Fount
I Stand Amazed
All Hail the Power of Jesus's Name
O Worship the King
It is Well
Amazing Grace
Jesus Shall Reign
Nothing But the Blood
What Wondrous Love is This
Be Still My Soul
Draw Me Nearer
Great is Thy Faithfulness
God of Grace and Glory
Immortal Invisible
The Solid Rock
(All the Christmas Carols)
Rejoice the Lord is King
Be Thou My Vision
Our God Our Help in Ages Past
Come Thou Long Expected Jesus
Doxology
Come Christians Join to Sing
O 4 a 1000 Tongues
The Church's One Foundation
Rock of Ages
Holy, Holy, Holy
Crown Him with Many Crowns
Take My Life
Joyful, Joyful
Guide Me O Thou Great Jehovah
Jesus What a Friend for Sinners
How Firm a Foundation
Christ the Lord is Risen Today
Fairest Lord Jesus
My Jesus I Love Thee
This is My Father's World
How Great Thou Art
Grace That is Greater
A Mighty Fortress
Alas and Did My Savior Bleed
Blessed Assurance
Praise Him, Praise Him
Beneath the Cross of Jesus
For the Beauty of the Earth
O the Deep Love of Jesus
O Sacred Head Now Wounded
Jesus Paid it All

Hmmm . . . From MSN.com news

Judge sentences rap fan to Bach, Beethoven
Man refuses offer to reduce fine in exchange for tuning into classical music


Andrew Vactor was facing a $150 fine for playing rap music too loudly on his car stereo in July. But a judge offered to reduce that to $35 if Vactor spent 20 hours listening to classical music by the likes of Bach, Beethoven and Chopin.

Vactor, 24, lasted only about 15 minutes, a probation officer said.

It wasn't the music, Vactor said, he just needed to be at practice with the rest of the Urbana University basketball team.

"I didn't have the time to deal with that," he said. "I just decided to pay the fine."

Champaign County Municipal Court Judge Susan Fornof-Lippencott says the idea was to force Vactor to listen to something he might not prefer, just as other people had no choice but to listen to his loud rap music.

"I think a lot of people don't like to be forced to listen to music," she said.

Today is Yom Kippur

Yom Kippur is the one day that the LORD required prayer and fasting - and was a celebration of God's atonement for the sins of His people. As Christians - we can still celebrate, but our celebration is in Christ being our atonement. The cool thing about Yom Kippur is the night prior to Yom Kippur is Erev Yom Kippur. On Ever Yom Kippur, it was custom to seek forgiveness of anyone you may have offended or sinned against. You couldn't ask forgiveness of God until you asked forgiveness of each other.

CHOIR tomorrow night!

Choir -
We resume regular rehearsals tomorrow night, and are leading in worship this Sunday.

A brief snippet of Laura's Story

Here's a brief video explaining some of the events behind Laura's music. I hope to have her to Oak Mountain soon, so she can share the rest . . .

A Great Weekend in the ATL

We had the tremendous privilege of being asked to lead worship for the Carenet National Conference in Atlanta. It was, by far, 1500 of the most energetic and engaged group of worshippers that I've ever led worship for. I took a team from Oak Mountain over on Wednesday the 1st and we returned on Saturday the 4th. Thank you so much to the Carenet folks for putting us up, and asking us to be a part of the weekend.

A new CD to run out and buy!

Mandy and I had the privilege of going on a brief tour with Laura Story at the end of September. Laura has an incredible story of how God has shown His faithfulness, even through what seemed like impossible circumstances. Her songs are the fruit of what she's experienced, and it was awesome to be able to lead worship with her. Laura wrote "Indescribable" and has a great recording of "Mighty to Save" on her newest album.

Go out and get her album "Great God Who Saves."

Bob Flayhart is going to start blogging . . .

Look out!

Wow!

This is from John Piper's blog - Desiring God.

From John Piper:
When I read this quote from Michael Raiter’s article, "The Slow Death of Congregational Singing," I thought about a decision we made at Bethlehem 13 years ago. The article said:

I was at a convention recently, seated near the rear of the auditorium. The music team at the front were ‘leading’ (and I use that word advisedly) and we were singing. Well, we were meant to be singing.... I turned to a friend next to me and commented, “No-one's singing”. He looked at me as if I'd just observed that no-one was flying. Of course they're not singing; we haven't really sung here for years.

Thirteen years ago we asked: What should be the defining sound of corporate worship at Bethlehem, besides the voice of biblical preaching?

We meant: Should it be pipe organ, piano, guitar, drums, choir, worship team, orchestra, etc. The answer we gave was “The people of Bethlehem singing.”

Some thought: That’s not much help in deciding which instruments should be used. Perhaps not. But it is massively helpful in clarifying the meaning of those moments.

If Bethlehem is not “singing and making melody to the Lord with [our] heart,” (Ephesians 5:19), it’s all over. We close up shop. This is no small commitment.

CHOIR Tomorrow Night!

We're starting to rehearse Christmas music tomorrow night. Bring a friend, win a prize.

Tehillah

I think it's pronounced "Tay-hill-law"

It's one of the 7 Hebrew words for praise - it means to create a spontaneous new song.

We introduced a new tune to the church two weeks ago called "Because of Your Love" by Paul Baloche. It starts off with a rather energetic vocal part, which is exciting in structure and harmony - the syllable sung is "Yeah" or "Hey." I think it's cool.

I was trying to paint a new picture for the choir to think about as they sing "yeah" for the opening of this song - and I've got a good friend that REALLY doesn't like the "yeah" part of the song - so maybe he'll read this and it'll change his mind.

I was out in Austin late in July for the "National Worship Leader Conference." Very, very good conference. Speakers and worship leaders from all over the country (and England) to share new songs, new ideas, encouragement, etc. One of the biggest benefits/takeaways for me is the exposure to new songs, and hearing them in live worship environments. So often I can listen to a tune on a disc and discard it as being "congregational" until i hear that same song in a corporate worship environment. "God of this city" would be a great example.

Anyway - I was one of MAYBE 5 Presbyterians at the conference - out of 3000 (I took two guys from my teams and joined two friends from Perimeter). It's a very inter-denominational conference, which I like - as the picture of God's worship is so much larger than we can even imagine. There's this thing that happens during the worship times - not all the time, but often at these conferences. Paul Baloche, or Kathryn Scott, or Matt Redman would stop in the middle of a song and park on a chord - maybe slowly strum a G - and the congregation would start creating new songs. I, being the good Presbyterian that I am :) would close my eyes, bow my head, and LISTEN to the new songs being created. It is SO cool. What an experience. It is Tehillah. These worship leaders are creating new songs - and the best part is it all falls into harmony with the G chord being strummed, annd sound incredible.

My point - As we sing "yeah," if all we're doing is looking at the screen and seeing the word "yeah" and thinking - "that's lame," then I would agree. BUT - what if "yeah" represented a new song in our heart. Maybe not one that we're ready to bust out and share - but one that pulls out our secret song and gives us yet another vehicle of praise. Maybe, just MAYBE - God will start to move us to share those songs. Maybe He's opening our hearts to a broader picture of worship - freeing us, teaching us, calling us . . .

SO - next time it's just "yeah" or "hey" or whatever - don't LET it be just "yeah" or "hey" or whatever. Make it Tehillah.

By the way - Tehillah is one of over 50 words in Hebrew for worship that have been boiled down into about 7 English words . . . Something lost in translation.

Top 10 List

A friend recently asked me to give my "Top Ten List" of favorite worship albums. It's tough to identify an entire album to listen to, as often there are a couple gems on each that are worth trying in worship, or listening to in the car, but I've come up with a top 10 that i really enjoy. Certainly not an exhaustive list, and not listed in order of preference, although I would probably keep Tim Hughes - Holding Nothing Back at #1 for a while . . .

1. Tim Hughes - Holding Nothing Back
2. Tommy Walker - Never Gonna Stop
3. Ross Parsley - I am Free
4. Paul Baloche - A Greater Song
5. Laura Story - Great God Who Saves
6. Tommy Walker - I have a Hope
7. Kathryn Scott - Hungry
8. 7:22 Band - 7:22 Live
9. Passion - Sacred Revolution
10. Hillsong United - All of the Above

Ahem. . .

http://msn.foxsports.com/cfb/story/8456924?MSNHPHMA

SCC on Good Morning America this morning . . .

Jude . . .

Coming soon to a closing song near you . . .

He keeps you from stumbling,
presents you faultless,
before His presence,
with exceeding great joy

to the Wise God, our Savior

Be all dominion, and glory,
majesty, and power

forevermore, forevermore, Amen.

The New Indiana Jones Movie

Sure. That makes PERFECT sense . . .

LOST . . .

Sure. That makes PERFECT sense . . .

Our Church Technology *Updated*

I'm revamping this post, as I wrote this when we were still worshipping in the gym. Moving into the sanctuary changed a few things.

Everything geared for the volunteer.

FOH console - Innovason SY80. www.innovason.com
Outboard gear - 2 Lexicon MPX 1
HBB Burnit CD Recorder
Tascam CD player
Raxxess Ipod Dock
Marantz Hard Disc Record
Clearcom MS232
(sounds simple, right? KISS)

FOH Line -
4 EAW Line arrays, loaded with KF730 and 730SB (subwoofers)
6 mote SB600 subs.
Front fill and delay ring speakers.

Projection System -
PC running songshowplus. Powerpoint is a "no-no" for worship. The earlier versions of Songshow had a very weak AVI playback engine, but version 7 totally revamped those problems, and we are exclusively using SSP. No more MediaShout.

Stage systems -
Aviom system
Band members use headphones.
Vocals use a vocal mix, feeding wedge line (LA 212's)

Lighting System -
GrandMA Ultralight console -
ETC Dimmers,
100+ conventional ETC source 4 fixtures (19 degree lekos and par cans)
12 Martin 600NT wash fixtures.

Recording -
We multitrack our seasonal programs using (2) Mackie SDR's.

For scoring/charting, I use Finale 2007

I run a Mac Pro Tower with Protools, Finale, Final cut express, and imovie. Protools is used for studio recording, and remixing multitrack projects. Finale for scoring, and mostly imovie for video editing.

The worship ministry runs with MAC's in a PC world. I use a MacBook Pro, and a Mac Pro. My Technical Director uses a new iMac 20" and a MacBook Pro. My assistant uses a 20" iMac.

Clocks

I have an unusual obsession with clocks. I was noticing this past week in the sitcom scrubs (when I run, I try to plan my treadmill time around when reruns of scrubs are playing, because I dread running, and scrubs makes the time go by faster) that on almost every episode, there's a traditional style clock hanging on the back walls of several scenes, and for some reason I always notice the clock, and what time is on the clock, and whether or not the clock is running, and if they have a blooper where time actually goes backwards due to an editing error, and we have the really big red clock in the back of the sanctuary at Oak Mountain and that's what we start and stop our services according to, and my praise band/team is accustomed to hearing the phrase "according to the big red clock in the back," and we have an atomic clock in the choir room, but it's underground so it doesn't get a signal and so I take it out to the front of the church about once/month so it can get an updated signal from the navy clock tower in Colorado, and then I set all my watches to the clock (to the second) and get obsessive when I notice that my second hand is off from the atomic clock - but then I wonder if it's my watch or the atomic clock that is off - but then I think that maybe it wouldn't be so bad to have a watch that isn't EXACTLY precise to the second to the navy clock in Colorado, and there's got to be a Gospel comparison in there somewhere about how our lives are really just about as messed up as they can possibly be, and we strive and obsess about trying to use our own watch dial setting thingys to "try our best" to get our lives lined up just right, only to find that our second hand is still off - and the only clock that counts is Christ, and its HIS watch that the Father is looking at, and it's ALWAYS on time, ALWAYS set correctly, and it's the CLOCK that the navy clock is set by, and when the Father looks at US, He sees Christ . . . and in further examining our own lives, our clocks are even more messed up than when Kramer decided that he didn't want to wait anymore for daylight savings time to kick in so he went ahead and set his clock forward "and I'm sure this won't cause any problems" - Jerry . . .

From last Sunday . . .

Random mp3's

For anyone that doesn't know worship at OMPC - this is not an accurate representation of our programming - but these are cuts that I have the rights to, or know the people with the rights!

Jesus Shall Reign



May Jesus Christ Be Praised



Barocha



Acoustic Set. Piano, Acoustic Guitar, Mandolin, 2 vocals

All Who Are Thirsty



O For a Thousand Tongues to Sing




Jesus I Come



Intro for Revelation Song (Narrated by Drake Sears)



What Wondrous Love (Sears)

Reprise . . .

This isn't me. I can't tell you who it is, but it's not from Birmingham.

WOW!

If only there was some audio with this clip.

Another music recommendation

Tommy Walker is one of my favorite songwriters. He's a worship leader out in CA - and differs from a lot of songwriters, in that he works for a church - his tunes are written with the congregation in mind, and pitched in keys that are singable for the average congregation, as opposed to some recording artists that are fantastic TENOR vocalists - and pitch their songs accordingly.

Anyway, Tommy released a new album this past Tuesday, called "I Have a Hope." The title song, along with "do it Lord" and "Hallelujah, we will sing," are incredible.

You can download the album from iTunes.

2008 Spring Schedule for OMPC Worship Ministry

Choir rehearsals resume on Wednesday night - April 9, from 6-7. Choir will be leading in worship on Sunday, April 20.

We have a night of prayer and praise on SATURDAY NIGHT, April 12.

The children will be leading in worship on Sunday April 27.

Choir will take the months of May and July off. We will have rehearsals on June 18 and 25th, and lead in worship on the 29th. We will also rehearse on August 13 and 20th, and lead in worship on August 24th. THE FALL SCHEDULE will resume on September 3rd (the Wednesday after Labor Day) at which point we'll begin preparing for our 2008 Christmas program!

Our 4th annual BULLFROG CHOIR will be Sunday, July 20. Open to ANY GUY - this is a non-rehearsed group where men show up early Sunday morning to run through the worship set. Men - you sing ONLY what you normally sing in the pew (melody) and lead in worship with 120 other men.

If you've been thinking about getting involved in choir, now is a great time to start. Join us in April for a couple weeks to give it a try. Meet a new friend, get plugged into a ministry at the church, come spend some time in worship on Wednesday nights, 6-7 resuming on April 9!

New Song this Sunday

We're adding a new tune to the ever-growing repertoire of worship music at OMPC. This weekend we'll be singing "The Power of the Cross," written by Stuart Townend and Keith Getty. Great tune. Powerful text.

Tim Hughes - Holding Nothing Back

I've been listening to this entire album for months now. It is hands down one of the best worship albums out right now. If you're looking for something that you can put in and listen to from start to finish, get this album.

Off this album, at OMPC - we've done the songs: Almighty God, Everything, and The Highest and Greatest. We're about to add God of Justice, and Out of the Darkness.

Sunday's Comin'

From last Sunday's Easter program