Well. I guess it’s a good year to have Rollo Dilworth at Connection and the NPU Gospel Choir for the opening night of Midwinter Conference. I live in Colorado, and could not journey to Chicago for the 15 year Anniversary Concert on Saturday night. My loss. Apparently, it was quite a night of worship. 

If you were there, please respond with your comments and reports on this blog. We’d love to hear more. 

“This was one of the most incredible nights for me – not just musically, but in my whole life,” declared Dilworth, who has guided the choir since 1996 and has been asked to direct choirs around the world. “I will be forever changed!

The audience’s appreciation was expressed throughout the evening’s performance, beginning with extended applause as the choir entered and punctuated throughout with shouts of “amen” and hands raised in praise. Afterwards, audience members described the evening as “amazing” and incredible!”

Read the whole article. And… make your plans to be with us in Chicago for Connection and/or Midwinter Conference. Rollo is teaching 2 workshops and leading an event choir at Connection. He is our guest artist, along with the NPU Gospel Choir, for the opening evening of worship at Midwinter.

SANTA BARBARA, CA (November 17, 2008) – Grief - but mostly gratitude and joy - permeated Montecito Covenant Church’s (MCC) first worship service since the devastating fire that destroyed homes and forced the congregation to meet offsite.

Read the rest of this Cov News story.

Our friend Don Johnson and his church, Montecito Covenant, are in the midst of tremendous loss. 

SANTA BARBARA, CA (November 14, 2008) – At least six members of Montecito Covenant Church have lost their homes in a massive fire that already has destroyed eight buildings and 14 faculty residences in neighboring Westmont College and threatens the Montecito church as well.

Read the rest of this Cov News Story, and please pray for Don, the church and the community of Santa Barbara, California.

CHICAGO, IL (November 11, 2008) – Early Bird registration for CHIC 2009 is now open. Read this full Cov News story for more details and info. Check out this promo video.

Hey everyone. We have a chance to preview one of the Connection speakers.

Shane Claiborne spoke on Sunday at Quest Church in Seattle, and Eugene Cho posted pictures and Mp3s on his blog. 

So check out the pics and clips, and make your plans to be in Chicago, January 31 - February 2. We’ve invited Shane and the other speakers for general sessions to speak to us on the theme of undone. This relates to our work as artists and worship leaders, because…

It is an interesting thing to come in contact with the divine, for God seems to undo the things we have spent so much time doing. The brilliant thing about that encounter is that after God has undone our work we are empowered to do all of the undone work of the Kingdom.

Skye Jethani on the Cult of Mac. Quite a stretch and almost disturbing. Idolatry is, and always has been, a problem. But just because something is beautiful, functional, fun, a great value, popular and better than all other things of its kind… Is this any reason to accuse the said-thing of being an idol? Or the lovers and users of such a thing idolators? I think not. What do you think?

Our friend Rich Johnson, director of UMin, leads a non-profit called Spark Ventures. They’re hosting 4 Miles to Hope– November 13, 14 or 15 in Chicago. Learn more and think about joining in in a dangerous act of worship.

Don’t forget about this.

Have you seen one of those upside down video messages yet? Tim Peterson made this one, and we used it last weekend at Crossroads. 

Zondervan has purchased Bible Gateway and plans to expand the concept. This already-handy resource may become more dynamic in the coming days.

And for all of us with an affinity for the contemplative: Let’s meet in Cambridge, England, September 2009 for this!

Please don’t miss this Reflection: A Vision of a New Day written by Catherine Gilliard and posted in the Covenant News Report.

Read the rest of this entry »

MUSKEGON, MI (November 4, 2008) – A member of Forest Park Covenant Church is organizing a trip to bring free dental care to the Youth Haven Bible Camp in Beattyville, Kentucky.

Read the rest of this Cov News story.

Are you or your church involved in acts of worship outside the sanctuary? Reply to this post, and tell us what you’re up to.

Rich Muchow has some interesting things to say in this recent article, A Little Less Conversation: How much should a worship leader talk?

For instance:

I believe my role as a worship leader is to serve my senior pastor’s philosophy of ministry. I trust that the Spirit of God is leading him, and through the Spirit he leads me. That means what I do on the platform should be shaped more by his philosophy of ministry than by my personality or worship style preference.

Also:

… when I lead weekend services at Saddleback, I am free to speak whenever I want for as long as I want. If I feel led to speak, I speak. But it also means my pastor has the freedom to ask me to speak less when he feels I’m going too long.

Any thoughts from this community on the topic of worship leader speak?

We hope you heard: The ECC is offering a pre-Midwinter Connection event for church leaders who serve in the areas of worship, youth ministry and ministries of compassion/mercy/justice (CMJ). All the participants will gather together for 4 general sessions with speakers and worship, and there will be a special and diverse menu of worship and arts related breakouts throughout the weekend. Read the rest of this entry »