Saturday, April 28, 2012

New looks!


Over the next few days, I'm doing some experimenting with the template and format for my blog! It'll be like the weather in Newfoundland - changing every 5 minutes! (I can make that joke, being a Newfoundlander and all...)

I'd love your feedback on colours, format, and things you'd like to see on the new and improved Adventures of a Starving Artist blog!

New Video - Nearer My God to Thee

Last Sunday, we had a special night at The Gathering. Drew decided to preach Karl Barth's famous sermon on the sinking of the Titanic. The original sermon was preached just a week after the sinking, but the messages are still relevant 100 years later.



To highlight the story of those lost, especially the musicians, we ended the service with the classic hymn, Nearer My God To Thee.

You can see the video of Nearer My God To Thee HERE.

Sunday, April 15, 2012

New Video - In Flanders Fields


Last November, Gerald wrote a new musical setting for the classic WWI poem, "In Flanders Fields."

This week, we remembered the anniversary of Vimy Ridge by creating a little home video of the song.

You can find it HERE.

The Vimy Ridge memorial.
The designer, Walter Seymour Allward, is buried in the churchyard at
St. John's York Mills - our home church for The Gathering.

Saturday, April 07, 2012

Happy Easter - FREE PRESENTS!!


To celebrate Easter, we'd like to give you some presents for your cyber-Easter basket!

First, we'd like to give you a FREE DOWNLOAD of our recording of
"In the Garden."

We recorded this classic Easter hymn for my second Nashville CD, Hymns in the Key of Grace. Jazz pianist, Teri Reid, created a beautiful accompaniment and piano solo. And on vocals, I'm joined by my friend and mentor, Gaither Homecoming artist, Allison Durham Speer.

To receive your free download, please visit HERE.

As a second little present, I've created a video of "In the Garden"! I've used photos taken by myself and my Dad, Rev. Hollis Hiscock, that show gardens we've loved from Ontario, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland, and New York.

You can see the video HERE.

Please feel free to share these links and share the love!

Have a blessed and joyful Easter season!!!!

Friday, April 06, 2012

Good Friday


A day that blends tragedy, redemption, and hope.

The cross at St. John's York Mills.

We joined the congregation at St. John's York Mills this morning and sang Gerald's song, The Good Tree. This is one of my favourite Gerald-songs. It tells the "story" of the tree that became the cross that carried Christ. It was so awesome to share this song during this time of worship.

A day for silence and meditation,
but Sunday's coming...

Wednesday, April 04, 2012

Recording for The Gathering

We're creating a youtube commercial for The Gathering. It'll combine the talents of our band, tech team, and clergy to give people a sense of what they'll experience on a Sunday night at St. John's.

Today, we recorded a quick vocal for our song You Take Me Higher, using the track we recorded in Nashville. (We debated recording the band, but it was just easier to coordinate with the track.) Here's a photo of Gerald and Derwyn listening to the mix. I'll post the video when it's live!


Sunday, April 01, 2012

Palm Sunday!


The Gathering is usually a free-flowing format of music, prayer, and message. Tonight, we shook things up to celebrate Palm Sunday and prepare people for Holy Week.

Palm branches in the lobby of the church.

After our opening songs of praise, we presented a dramatic reading from Mark's Gospel, starting with Palm Sunday, and reading through to the crucifixion and burial of Jesus. At specific points, we sang a song to emphasize that part of the story. At the Last Supper, we sang the Communion hymn, "Behold the Lamb" (Getty/Getty/Townend). At Gethsemane, I sang "Gethsemane Hymn" (Getty/Townend) as a solo. As we took people through the steps of the crucifixion, Gerald and I sang verses of "Were You There" (traditional) with Gerald's beautiful guitar arrangement.

We ended with a short reflection by Drew, and some great songs about the cross. The combination of story and song was powerful.

The feedback after the service was both overwhelming and humbling. I really feel like we set ourselves and our congregation in a great place to start our Holy Week journey.

We now start our walk towards Good Friday,
knowing the story doesn't end there...