Music Man

One of our faithful and talented choir members, Tahnya Kolans, is playing in the Music Man at the Fountain Inn Civic Center. Here's the schedule ...

Show times are as follows:
October 2 & 3 at 7:30
October 4 at 3:00
October 9 & 10 at 7:30
October 11 at 3:00

Tickets are $15 for adults, $12 for seniors and $7 for students.

This should be a fun show!

Baking Cookies

In between conference calls and other tasks, I'm baking chocolate chip cookies today. I would actually support a national law which required chocolate chips to be included in all cookie recipes.

See you at rehearsal tonight.

Cookie Night

Remember ... tomorrow is Homemade Cookie Night!! See the post below.

Perpetuum Jazille

Several of us have sent notes requesting that Perpetuum Jazille be booked at Spoleto next year. Here's a note that I received from the editor of American Museum. I encourage you to send him a note.

Dear Joe,

I'm doing everything I can to persuade Perpetuum Jazzile to include the Spoleto Festival in their American tour. It would be so nice to hear them in person. I suggest it would improve the chances of their coming if you were to ask your choir members to listen and watch the PJ video on the American Museum site, and also ask as many as possible to send e-mails to me [at editor@TheAmericanMuseum.org] requesting that PJ come to Spoleto. I'll forward the e-mails to the group's U.S. director.

Thanks!

George

PJ at Spoleto

As Karen noted, there is a movement (grass roots) to bring Perpetuum Jazille to the Spoleto Arts Festival in Charleston. I've personally been to Spoleto several times, and its always an amazing experience. To see these guys live in Charleston, would be a total blessing and worth the road trip. Help the movement.

Follow this link. Tell them!

Bring PJ To Spoleto!

Perpetuum Jazille

I understand that this choir may be touring the US next year. Im thinking... Road Trip!

Childcare Changes - Note from Allen White

Hey Folks,

I just wanted to give you an update from the Childcare Task Force. We have been studying the use of Brookwood childcare for the month of September so far. Many folks have made advance reservations, which is great. It has really helped us to schedule accurately and bring down the costs considerably from where things were.

Unfortunately, in the first two weeks of September, we were still operating at a 62 percent loss. We received payment of $936.00 through tickets and online registration for 327 children. But, we spent $2446.88 for a difference of $1510.88. If we project these numbers out for the next fiscal year, we will be about $40,000 in the red.

After considering every possible scenario to close this gap, the following changes need to take place:

1. Childcare reservations are required from this point forward. Anyone needing childcare for any reason must reserve childcare 48 hours in advance. Since we must follow specific ratios for different age groups in children, we can only adequately schedule teachers if we know who specifically is coming. If you do not reserve childcare, then there is a strong possibility that you cannot be accommodated. We don’t want to turn anyone away, but the only way in guarantee that childcare is available is by making a reservation. Some of you have done a very good job in making your advanced reservations already. Thank you. But, if you make a reservation and cannot attend, please call the Childcare Line and cancel: 688-8235.

2. Unfortunately, we need to increase the cost of childcare to close the gap. Starting October 15, 2009, the cost for one child will increase to $5 and two or more children will increase to $10. This was one of the last things we wanted to consider, but unfortunately it is necessary. If you have purchased the $3 individual tickets and the $6 family tickets, you will need to exchange these tickets by October 31, 2009. The current tickets are only worth the face value of $3 for individuals or $6 per family. The Brookwood bookstore will apply the value of the old tickets to the purchase of the new tickets.

3. Starting January 1, 2010, childcare will no longer be available on Tuesday and Thursday evenings. If your group or class needs childcare, we would ask that you would consider an alternative night: Sunday, Monday, Wednesday or Friday. Childcare is offered from 6 – 8 pm on these days. BrookwoodU classes will be adjusted to accommodate those who need childcare in order to take a class.

The goal of the Childcare Task Force is to create a solution that meets the needs of families at Brookwood Church as well as our childcare department. If you or a member of your group find this to be a particular hardship, please contact your group leader.

The Childcare Task Force will continue to monitor how well childcare is running and will make recommendations accordingly. The Childcare Task Force is made up of Daniel Greene, Sabra Wyatt, Craig Thomson, Steve Bassie, Gerald Jarrett, Bryan Holley and me with input from Perry, Justine Allison, Frank Condon and the Advisory Team.

Micheal W Smith Choir

Many of us are interested in singing in the choir with Micheal W Smith when he's in Greenville in October. I posted information about the choir in a recent post, but wasn't very clear about how to participate. Here's more info.

1. Anyone in our choir is free to participate. You simply need to take part in the rehearsals that are schedule.
2. The organizers hope to have at least 30 people from the Brookwood Praise Choir. They would like to have 10 sopranos, 10 altos, and 10 tenors/baritones.
3. Other churche choirs that will be participating are Southside Fellowship and Redemption Outreach.
4. Rehearsals will be at Redemption Outreach.

This is going to be a fun event. I'll pass around a list at our next rehearsal so you can indicate your interest in particpating.

Just to make you all envious....

Tammy Tester and her husband are being treated to a Baked Ziti dish that I have been working on for a long time (guinea pigs). The sauce is a tomato and cream base, with a hint of vodka. Trick is, to slow cook the sauce so the tomatoes and cream mix, and all of the vodka cooks off (vodka kills the acidity of the tomatoes and adds flavor). There are six cheeses used in this classic, including romano, parmesan, mozarella, provolone, asiago and fontina (all from Whole Foods - do go hang out in the cheese section). The pasta is a flour (not semolina) base, with an organic egg as opposed to whites of the egg only, and finished with fresh dried basil and oregano from a friends herb garden.

So basically - you get layer of pasta, sauce goodness, and cheese, then layer of pasta, more sauce goodness... and topped with a ton of the cheese mixture, finished with the fresh herbs.

My own twist - sauteed pearl onions and baby portabello mushrooms, that have been cooked and reduced in a red wine (Pinot, not dry) sauce.... with a little fresh garlic added in, right at the end.

Bon appetit.

Video Tour of Don's New Studio

I think you'll enjoy this video tour of Don Chapman's studio. It's that place where he does all of his writing and production work. It's a neat look into a part of Don's life that most of us haven't had a chance to see. Follow this link ... http://www.worshipideas.com/My-New-Studio.shtml

Praise Choir Videos Posted on YouTube

The songs from our last praise date are posted on YouTube. I'll include links here. We also have a YouTube Channel set up ... called PraiseChoir. You can subscribe to it and be notified whenever new videos are posted.

New Hallelujah
Lord We Praise You
Love The Lord
Still
From the Inside Out

COOKIES!!

Let's do something fun at rehearsal next week. Let's make it HOMEMADE COOKIE NIGHT. If several of us can bring a couple dozen homemade cookies, we can have fun chowing down, then try to rehearse through the sugar crash! :-)

Let me know if you can bring some cookies. Any kind is fine as long as they are HOMEMADE. You can email me, or post a comment here on the blog.

-- Joe

More great expression from PS 22

Micheal W. Smith Choir

Here is the info that I promised regarding the Micheal W. Smith choir. Thanks to Larri for reminding me about it ...

Here’s what we know so far. This is copied from an email that my friend Matt Rexford (Worship Pastor, Southside) sent to me …

· Charts and CDs are on thier way.

· We have been given tickets from the Bi-Lo Center for choir members only—If you want to sit with family or friends, you'll need to purchase different tickets. The positive is that can get in free if you want to.

· The 3 rehearsal dates we currently have penciled in are Thursdays—October 8, 15, and 22—At Redemption World Outreach Center on Haywood—from 7-9….

· The concert is on Friday October 23rd—Soundcheck about 4 PM for the choir—

We are looking for about 10 sopranos, 10 altos, and 10 tenors/basses to represent Brookwood.

New Blog Web Address

Since we started the Praise Choir blog, I've felt that the blogspot name was a bit confusing and difficult to use. Our blog is now up on a more simple URL at www.PraiseChoir.com. If the old URL is saved in your favorites, you don't need to change anything. You can enter the URL or select it from your favorites. And if you want to tell people about our blog, this should be easier.

Sunday's Service is Online

Check it out at the following link. I think you'll like it ...

http://www.brookwoodchurch.org/templates/_brookwoodchurch/details.asp?id=35527&PID=723139

Kristian Stanfill at Brookwood

Worship leader Kristian Stanfill is emerging as one of this generation's most compelling singer/songwriters. A writer of rare insight and vulnerability, he has the unique ability to build bridges over boundary lines that separate the hurting from the Healer. Consequently, the songs on ATTENTION, his sixstepsrecords debut, create an atmosphere of worshipful unity in this too often fragmented world.

"A great worship leader must first be a great follower," Kristian asserts. "In order to lead people in worship you must first know how to listen to and follow the Holy Spirit. That is something I've been learning over the past few years, just by observing how people respond to what God is doing at any given moment."

And as a worship leader at Alpharetta, Georgia's North Point Community Church, Kristian knows first hand the ability of worship to usher in God's redemptive power.

"I've had the opportunity to lead worship at North Point for more than seven years," Kristian says. "There are some amazing worship leaders there, and just to have the opportunity to observe the way they lead people into the presence of God has been like attending seminary. I started in the High School department and gradually kept growing, observing and learning how to hear the leading of the Holy Spirit. I've been leading worship in the main church for four or five years now. It has been an incredible place for me to learn how to be in front of people and how to lead them in worship."

Kristian's fearless insight and ear for authenticity infuse his songs with a visceral resonance that connects with listeners on multiple levels. That authenticity compelled Louie Giglio, founder of the Passion Movement, to invite Kristian to lead worship for a community group at Passion '05 in Nashville. It was an opportunity Kristian felt he had been preparing for his entire life.

"Before I was ever involved with Passion or sixstepsrecords, I was a college student attending Passion events," Kristian recalls. "I loved Louie and his teaching, and I loved Chris Tomlin and his songs. I was a part of that generation. When I was in high school I had a mentor who asked me, 'If you could do anything, what would it be?' Without hesitation I said, 'I would want to lead worship at Passion events.' When Louie invited me to come to Nashville and be one of the worship leaders at Passion '05, I happily agreed. It is amazing to think that when I was 16 years old all of this was just a dream."

Kristian continued his relationship with Passion, leading worship at Passion '06, Passion Regionals USA in 2008, and on last year's first-ever Passion World Tour. His worship songs have appeared on numerous Passion CDs including Passion: Everything Glorious CD and DVD (2006), The Best of Passion (So Far) (2007), and Passion: God of This City (2008). When he signed with sixstepsrecords for his debut project, ATTENTION, Kristian became the label's first new artist since it's inception in 2000.

Joining the label home of well-known worship artists Chris Tomlin, David Crowder*Band, Charlie Hall, and Matt Redman is heady stuff, but rather than fostering pride it merely served to reinforce Kristian's conviction that worship of a holy God is serious business.

"When you deal with the sacred, as intimate and corporate as worship is, there has to be some fear involved," Kristian confesses. "You have to approach it with a good sense of awe, and wonder. As a worship leader you are carrying a message that is amazing, awe-inspiring, life-changing, and transformative. It's a big message and you want to do it right."

To produce an album that captured Kristian's unique approach to worship, the label enlisted noted producer Matt Goldman (Underoath, Copeland). Marked by the same multi-layered, no-boundaries song crafting that make Kristian's live performances unforgettable, ATTENTION offers a stunning, eleven-song collection of fist pumping rock worship anthems, shimmering pop ballads, and reverential hymns.

Their collaboration resulted in songs such as the thumping, militant call to worship, "Kingdom," and the pop-flavored, energetic song, "Faithful." Nontraditional worship aria "Wake Up" combines Kristian's compelling storytelling ability with his signature pop sensibilities. Cuts like "Go" and "Lead Us On" are joyous, encouraging exhortations, while the hymns "Glowing" and "Beautiful Jesus" are presented with awe and reverence.

As fresh as his music is, it's the lyrical depth of Kristian's songs, delivered with heartfelt conviction, that captures the listener's heart. And it's his ability to connect with his audience, to lead them to worship God with reverence and authenticity that evokes respect from peers and fans alike.

"There is a growing obsession in our country with pop culture, Hollywood, fashion, and body image that are set by the world," Kristian declares. "I wanted to write songs that would take people's ATTENTION off of the stuff of this world and point them back to the cross. I want to inspire wonder and awe again in people's hearts when they think about the cross. That message is eternal. That message is life changing. That message is the heart of this CD."

New Hallelujah - you'll want to see this!

Rehearsal Tonight

We have a whole new packet of music ready tonight, including another original song by our own team of songwriters and a new one from Gateway Church. I think you are going to love the set!

There is a lot to learn. Come ready to break into sectionals.

New from Brett Manning

For you Singing Success fans, here is a new instructional set from Brett Manning on mastering your ability to sing in mixed voice. There is an introductory special going on right now that will save you $100.

www.singingsuccess.com/mastering-mix

Brett Manning - Vocal Tip

Nobody's talking ... whats up with that?

I am blessed to be a part of you

Today was a pretty awesome day. I am amazed at what God has done with our choir. Just two seasons ago, we were singing with an average of 35 people on a Sunday morning. Today, we had close to 70. I used to make it a point to schedule horns in the band to cover up the thin spots in our sound. Today we had that big fat choral sound that I've been dreaming about. There were no thin spots to cover up. I'm not finished dreaming ... but it is amazing what God has done. We have clearly become a choir full of worship leaders. As I watched you worship this morning, you helped me make my own personal connection with God. God has called us to be lead worshippers. It is a very thrilling thing to stand in front of you and see you fulfilling your calling. And you are a huge blessing to our congregation. You are teaching them to worship!

If God has done all of this in us, I'm confident that He has much more ahead of us. Let's keep doing the work God gives us to do, keep our hearts submissive to Him, and resist the efforts of the enemy to distract us from our purpose. It will be an amazing year!

I love you!
Joe

BPC on YouTube

Don Chapman has posted some of the video footage that he took Wednesday night. He's making you famous!

Sundays coming!

If the rehearsal we had with the band last night is any indication of what Sunday is going to be like, it's going to be a great day! Let's be praying and preparing for Sunday morning. I'll see you there ... early!

We Missed You Joe!

It was a great rehearsal, but there was something about it that was missing. Oh, and this Steve Smith guy? He's tough. He made us sing. Big time. We had to stand up, sit down, stand up, sit down.... do this thing with our lips (that personally makes my nose itch uncontrollably). Then he made us go on the risers and stand in some order that produced a really neat sound. And then we had to sing again, but this time we used some sound effect coming through stage wedges that totally threw off the groove. He worked us hard, through all of the songs, sometimes doing them over and over. Then he made us sit down and we watched this really cool YouTube piece on Laminin (Google it. Its cool). The neat thing that I took away from, the video, was not so much the shape of the protein (as I had seen it), but the fact that someone named it Laminin (Lam=lamb?) I had a big duh moment, but it was all good. Anyhoo, please come back soon. And don't forget the colors of BPC this Sunday.

Release your inner praise.

4th Man Standing Event

Several of the musicians in our church (Kelly, Brian, Andy, and Luke) have a band, 4th Man Standing, that's playing quite a few gigs around town. They have an event scheduled tonight that we are all invited to. Sounds like it will be fun! Here's the scoop ...

8:20 PM Thursday - Tammy has just been released from the hospital. Steve says she's doing great.

Seth Riggs

Here is more info on Seth Riggs. This is from a site that is selling some of his instructional materials under the American Idol name. Just click on the image to the left of this text to go to the page.

If you are interested in the instructional stuff, there is a link on the page where you can order the material. If you want to know more about it, Kathy Sanders, has purchased it and can give you her opinion.

Color Scheme

There has been some confusion about the outfits that we're asking you to put together for the fall. Let me see if I can bring some clarity to the issue.

1. We are asking that you create an outfit that combines BLACK with ONE of the three colors in color swatches that you picked up. For example, you might wear black pants and a solid shirt or t-shirt in one of the colors. Ladies, you might wear a black dress with one of the colors used as an accent, maybe in a belt, or in an accessory item; or you could go with black jeans and black top with your chosen color used somewhere for contrast. Or, you might wear a dress that is one of the colors, and use black as the contrasting color. You might even find a way to use black and one of the colors as the contrast, with another of the colors as an accent.

2. You may pick whatever FABRIC that you like. Do not feel like you have to match the fabric sample in the color swatch. Just match the color. Pick a fabric that you like and that you think looks good on you.

3. Keep in mind that we are not attempting to look dressy and formal. We're just going for uniformity while maintaining individuality within the color scheme. So feel free to go casual or hip and cool. Keep your "Brookwood Look." Just stay within the color scheme.

4. If all else fails ... it's okay to go with all black.

We are all artists and love being creative. I'm looking forward to seeing what your creativity puts together.

Rehearsal Notes

Excellent rehearsal last night. I love sectionals. I can't remember a time that we've learned 4 new songs so quickly. Now it's time for the polish. Please, work this week to fine tune your knowlege of the songs we're singing, and to ingrain the message of the songs into your spirit.

Our goal is to be "off book" at rehearsal next week. We'll be working on the risers for part of the session allowing the sound engineers to work with micing. It will be important to not have to depend on your music.

Thanks for being willing to learn new things!! Your willingness to do so is a huge blessing to me.

Rehearsal Tonight

Please come expecting another fast paced rehearsal tonight. After warm-ups, we'll break out into sectionals, then come back together to polish the ensemble on a few songs. We'll finish rehearsal on the risers with a top to bottom run thru. It will be fun! See you tonight.

Update on Tammy

I hear that Tammy's surgery went well. I'll let you know more as I hear it.

Tammy's Surgery

Please, keep Tammy in your prayers. Her surgery is today. I'll let you know more as I learn it.

Electric Keyboard for Sectionals

We are going to have sectional rehearsals this week. Since we do not have keyboards in all of the rooms we need to use, I'd like to see if we can borrow a couple from choir members. I'm looking for lightweight ones that are easily transported. Can you help? Let me know if you can. Thanks.