Church services for 31 May, 2009

What a great day in the life of York St Church of Christ. Can you feel it? We had two great services, centered around an encouraging and confronting message in our series txt:me - from 2 Timothy about the importance of reading the Bible.

10am service
Blessed be Your Name
Majestic
I Can Sing of Your Love Forever
Welcome
Jesus Messiah
When I Survey
Communion / Prayer / Reading
Sermon
Your Love Oh Lord


The first thing I would like to comment on is the great sense of fellowship and nice atmosphere I sensed as I walked into the practice Sunday morning. I am not sure if I could put my finger on it, but I felt an answer to our prayers about unity and binding the teams together. It was such a great environment to work in. That opened it up to a manageable practice, even though we had some stressors, like limited time, dealing with a large team, and new members.

Encouragement on the tying together of the songs (very important to flow of the service), the crafting of the songs, and what were those piano chords in the hymn? Amazing. They really lifted the song to someplace else. You all are such excellent musicians.

In Majestic, there were some brilliant moments from lead guitar and drums. An encouragement to continue to be free to let loose more!

I also liked the orderliness of the practice, where the worship leader led strongly, the team followed and put their flavour on it. This is an example of when all things go right.

The only suggestion is for the sound to be set up earlier (but it sounded great in the service). This will be addressed as we look at changing the format and times of the practices.

Thanks for a great worship experience. BTW, I think I'll put "I Could Sing of Your Love Forever" back on the song list!

6pm service
Beautiful One
Mighty to Save
You'll Come
Welcome
Pour Down Like Water
Consuming Fire
Prayer/Communion
Sermon
You'll Come

I think that the new song went down well, didn't it? Well done for doing it, it's always hard to introduce a song that many of the congregation doesn't know. Although the practice was quite hard work with 3 new players, thanks for a great sounding team. It was good FOH during the service. And data, wise, you were so invisible (which means you did job perfectly!).

Nice work linking the songs together, that was smooth. Be encouraged to delegate more too, to give the different flavours. There wasn't much of the two duelling guitars that could have been explored more, I think. Only really an academic thing, as there wasn't anything lacking in the service.

Thanks to the drummer, on loan from another church. Amazing. I really hope that you can play with us again. Thanks to the bassist, I hope that you felt as home as you sounded. It sounded like you had been doing this with us for ages! And nice to have a trombone! Great job, sound-wise I'm glad we fiddled with different ideas because the last one was the best idea. You gave a nice flavour to the team.

Be encouraged that you all don't have to do this in your own strength. Although you all have gifts that can stand up perfectly well on their own, the real weapon you have is Holy Spirit, interceding and sometimes playing for you. Well done on worshipping while playing too.



I am pumped after a great day of services and worship to God. I know we are heading in the right direction. So hang on to the ride! Have a great week.

Church services for May 24, 2009

The following is a comment on the 10am service only. The 6pm service was a Youth Takeover Service, run by the Youth ministry. It was a great service, and the worship team is reaping the benefits from this team, for sure!

10am service
Immortal Invisible
Awaken the Dawn (Sing to the Lord)
Jesus Messiah
Welcome/farewell church member into ministry
He Knows My Name
Prayer/communion/reading
Item: Word of God Speak
Sermon
Video
Show Me Your Ways

This week marked the start of a new sermon series: Txt : me. This week is "All Scripture is God Breathed and Useful" from 2 Timothy 3:16-17. The words up on the wall worked well, I thought. And that with the item (beautifully presented) and the video about using the Bible really enhanced the whole theme.

Song-wise, what a great choice. I felt that using the congregation to sing without the musicians "Jesus Messiah" made the congregation really "own" the words, that is it connected at that point. Great leading by the worship leader.
I was really happy with the music worship overall, I thought the band sounded full, you played the songs well, and the vocals were also full.

A couple of suggestions that I made on the morning I'd like to remind you again. First, watch the sound of the acoustic guitar. In that ensemble it is really a mid-voice and needs to be mellow and rich rather than bright in sound. And watch the position of the mics, I think they need to be closer to your lips to receive the signal. There was feedback problems because they were too quiet. And be aware of how to link the songs together. Silence between the songs really kill the atmosphere. All you need is to have the guitar, keys or piano mask the sound before someone else starts the next song.

Having said all that, they are only little points, and all in all it worked well.

I must say that the tech side of things were just great. Thanks for the positive attitude when someone (that is ME) didn't mention that there was an item and you had to do some last minute scrambling. Apologies for that. Over the last year the linking between the music team and the tech team really are forging well, and I think we can see the fruits of that. So thanks, you are just as important in the worship team as the up front guys.

Blessings to you, have a great week

Church services for May 17, 2009

REMEMBER ALL-IN NEXT WEEK 2-4pm

The following will be a comment on the 6pm service only. The 10am service was led by Ballarat Family Church while some of us went on a road trip (BTW it was awesome).

Every Day
Lord of Lords
Welcome
Lift Up Your Eyes
Jesus Messiah
School focus:
Kids Hope
CRE
Brekky Club
School Chaplaincy
Kindergarten
Communion
You Said

Nice prep for this service by the worship leader. I thought that the service had potential to be messy with all the little parts in it, but it went as smoothly as it could, I thought. The songs enhanced the theme of schools quite well - "every day it's you I live for", "you said ask and you will receive". The transition between the "up" song of Evey Day and then into an introspective song like "Lord of Lords" went fine, I thought.
Band, wow, have you been playing together loads? It was so smooth, and nice interaction between the guitar and piano, swapping leads and voicings. The singers also sounded great, making different textures throughout the service.
How did you think the song leading and the worship leading between two people worked? Obviously we didn't plan to do that, but it seemed to work from the congregation.
Thanks for getting into the spirit of things and dressing up, it worked well! What a laugh.
I'd like to hear your responses, so email me!

Church services for May 10, 2009

MOTHERS' DAY SERVICES

This special day had two specially themed services. Tim talked on "the toughest job in the world" from Luke 2:41-52. We had chocolate gifts for the mothers in our congregation, an interactive welcome with cholcolate prizes, a funny video on motherhood and data projector pictures behind the words. Thanks to those mums who served on the day where you should have put your feet up, and to those who filled in.

The morning service had all females serving (except for the soundie, prayer and preacher!) and the night service had an all-male lineup in the worship team (except for the techies!).

10am service

Shout to the Lord

Amazing Love (You Are My King)

Welcome / choc giveaway

Mission Spot

What the Lord Has Done in Me

How Deep the Father's Love

Prayer

Communion

Reading

Sermon

Amazing Grace (My Chains Are Gone)

I have had many positive comments about the leading of this service, that it was anointed. From where I was (behind the keyboard!) it was great. Thanks for the sensitive song choice, the great leading from the piano, the nice acoustic guitar (a voice we don't often hear), and supportive drumming (which enhanced the songs well). I couldn't really comment on the vocals as I couldn't hear them, but I heard that they were lovely! Thanks for being sensitive to Tim and his leading at the end of the service. The whole service was smoothly presented throughout.

6pm service

Your Love is Amazing (Your Love Makes Me Sing)

Fear Not

From the Inside Out

Welcome / choc giveaway

Mission Spot

Lord of Lords

Prayer / Communion

Video

Sermon

I Could Sing of Your Love Forever

I Could Only Imagine

The all-male lineup worked well! The vocals blended well, and was easy to sing along with. The guitar and vocals was the best I have heard from the worship leader, and you all fitted in well in the role you played. (I'll get a mic in front of the bassist sometime!) Nice choice of songs (we talked about the song list) - a blend - and also sensitive to the leading of Tim at the end of the service.

DP, thanks for your work even though it is not your role! I hope that it helps you as you lead next time to see how that role supports yours. Sound chick extraordinare, you just get better and better.

This service left a good taste in the mouth, something is moving in this service, and it is great to be a part of. Thanks for your worship, your servant heart and your excellent musicianship.

Can I encourage you all to continue to worship, pray and read the Bible on your own during the week, and in between your time on stage (or behind the desk)? This is the main way in which this church will improve. Not to mention the overflow into your own lives!

Thanks, I love you all! Give me feedback, too, on what you thought, so we can all get better together.

Church services for May 3, 2009

Thanks for your ministry this weekend, a huge one for our church. We hosted the statewide Churches of Christ Ministers' Day, AGM and ordination service on Friday and Saturday. We were fortunate enough to have the keynote speaker, Billy Williams, speak in our morning service, At night we showed the incomparable "How Great is Our God" DVD by Louis Giglio.

Team, thanks a lot for working well together. Both services were ably led by the worship leaders, and the backups watched closely, the band did their stuff, and the techs made it happen. You all listened well and in turn, the leaders then lead with anointing and sensitivity to the congregation. Well done, all of you, in your role in the worship team machine!

10am service
Sing to the Lord (Busbee)
Hear Our Praises
Welcome
Holy is the Lord
Mighty to Save
Prayer / Communion
Sermon
God of Wonders

This service was just great. I think the team set the scene well for the speaker. Thanks for taking a punt on the new song, "Sing to the Lord". I think it is growing on the congregation. All in all, it was a smoothly produced service, and with great sensitive leading. Thanks a lot for your dedication and faithfulness.

6pm service
Beautiful One
Jesus Messiah
Welcome
DVD
Communion
How Great is Our God

This service had the "feeling". It really had the presence of God. I think that the worship leader did well wiht the interactive parts, this opened up the service to interaction throughout. And you all set the scene for a challenging message. Thanks to you all, you did a stellar job.

I pray that you all found time to worship while ministering as well. I challenge you to look for that next time as well.

Love you all!