Hey everyone – check out what my friends have to say about jazz, art and what they hope to get out of this Friday’s happening…come down and make some new friends!
Elmwood Jazz Night/Open Art Studio from Relevant Worship on Vimeo.
7/29/2011
7:30-10 PM
Coffee/Desserts served
Everything is FREE!
Lafayette Ave Presbyterian Church – (Elmwood and Lafayette)
716-886-6635.
Pastor: drew@elmwoodjesus.org
Presented by Relevant Worship Ministries
A thundering drum roll , a moving and robust saxophone solo , or the sound of weeping piano keys. When I’m on the road with brothers McClurg , at the end of the night I can be found back in my room with my mini dvd player unwinding to some mellow jazz.What i love most about this kind of music is the spontaneous spirit it possesses. When these musicians play together and off of each other in a call and response type of musical conversation , they are trying to capture the spirit of the moment. When they play it is unique for that given night and for the crowd they are playing to. These ideas are very similar to how I approach doing a worship set. I try to be fully alive to what God wants me to do for each night . I go wherever the Spirit wills, to sing melodies of my heart,as they’re placed there by the Holy Spirit. This takes a lot of trust on the bands part , to be attuned to where my brother or I may lead the music. Eugene Peterson translates the book of Revelations letter to the church in Philadelphia to read : ” Are your ears awake ? Listen to the Wind Words the Spirit blowing through the churches “. These are challenging words for me and my fellow worship leading brothers and sisters. It is calling us to not always rely on a plan , but to listen to what the Spirit is saying in the moment . I think it’s not the unknown that scares us , but the not-knowing where we’re going . I pray , that in those moments , trust would burst forth from your heart , and you would sing confidently a new song to the Lord. You may find there is a well that springs forth – from your depths – through your mouth – and covers like water , the souls of those in your hearing . Stay tuned next week I will be showing a video of how my friends and I are using jazz music to bring together community .
I wanted to write to let you know about the story behind the title track of our new EP ALIVE.
We’re from the city of Buffalo, where it snows 7 months out of the year. We’re home of the Buffalo Bills who have lost 4 Superbowls. Yes, it can get depressing and cold and some people say the city is cursed.
We wanted to write a song that would encourage and inspire our congregations.
The song sings:
This is a call to all the dead and disappointed
The ones who feel like they are done.
This is a word to all the ones who feel forgotten
you are not
A few weeks after we finished the song, I was back in downtown Buffalo doing a prayer walk with a group of friends. There was this homeless guy, John, that we run into often on the streets when we’re prayer-walking. I asked him how he was doing and he exclaimed with a smile, “I’m ALIVE….I’m not dead yet!” When he said that it reminded me of the chorus of ALIVE….that no matter how down and disappointed and cold we all get….that no matter how bad our circumstances, there is always hope to hold onto. That inside we’re still ALIVE, ALIVE, ALIVE and we’re singin!
I hope this song awakens that same feeling in you!
chris
