Adventures of a Starving Artist

Break Forth - Day 3

2012-01-29T22:57:00.003-06:00

First off, let me say how much easier this conference is when the weather isn't -30C on its warmest day! Today was lovely with sunny skies and mild weather. I took time to take a few walks overlooking the river valley - just beautiful!

Outside the Shaw Centre, primary location for Break Forth.

Our day started with two songwriting workshops on writing congregational worship songs by Brenton Brown and Paul Baloche. There was lots of great practical information to be gleaned. I'm too tired to write coherently about it tonight, but I've really experienced a lot of songwriting inspiration this weekend - kind of excited to see what comes of it all.

I finally made my way over to the exhibit hall and bookstore today. Most of the exhibit booths featured colleges and summer camps, which isn't very useful for me, but I managed to get a free book, so who can complain?

The final worship session was vibrant! Robin Mark lead a Celtic-driven set of his own songs. It was so awesome and joyful - I was craving my tambourine on "Days of Elijah"! I took notes on a few songs I'd like to introduce at The Gathering.

There's lots of follow-up to do when we get home - posting photos, reviewing our notes, researching new songs - but I can already feel good things coming from this weekend. I'm so glad we came this year. I can't wait to see how it's all going to seep into our music and ministry!

Break Forth - Day 2

2012-01-28T22:19:00.005-06:00

What an awesome day!

We started with worship lead by Brenton Brown (who wrote "Everlasting God") and a message by Anne Graham-Lotz. The worship sessions are a mixed experience. I want to actually worship, but as I'm in the room, I also want to observe. Watching these guys at work is like sitting in a masterclass for worship leading.

Thousands worshiping at Break Forth!

Our first small workshop was "The Holy Imagination" by songwriter Audrey Assaud (who wrote the amazing "Winter Snow"). She discussed the negative connotation that the imagination sometimes has in religious circles, but went on to show how our imaginations can be powerful tools for creating art and songs that can transform lives.

Gerald and I spent our lunch hour indulging in pub food and a long brainstorming session about our Infinitely More CD. We can see the pieces falling into place, and it's really exciting.

After lunch, we attended "When Everything Changes" by Robin Mark (one of our instructors from yesterday). He spoke about facing times of drastic transition in our church communities, and how we can face them with honour and integrity.

My final workshop was presented by GMA Canada. I became the hundred-question-girl because there was so much practical information. It gave me lots of ideas that we'll be able to implement this year.

As we walked into the evening assembly tonight, there was a band playing music and livening up the crowd. I don't know if this was planned or spontaneous, but all the volunteers were dancing and clapping as they welcomed us and checked our wristbands. Some were waving flags, and a couple of the dear, little old ladies were raising their hands to get a high 5. It was so sweet and joyful!

Tonight's worship was lead by Paul Baloche, and it was incredible. He played two new songs including "The Same Love" - this song broke me down! He recorded a "bootleg" of new songs for his students at the conference, so we have a copy to bring home. I can't wait to bring this to our congregation.

Our speaker was Tony Campolo, and he was excellent! Funny, dynamic, and super smart. He spoke about Jesus's mission for his time on Earth, and how that can guide and sculpt our lives today.

Tonight, Gerald and I are recapping the day, taking notes on how to use all this great knowledge, and having late night snacks - these are long days, after all!

Break Forth - The Protester

2012-01-27T22:59:00.004-06:00

As I approached the Shaw Centre for tonight's opening session of Break Forth, I saw a lone protester in front of the doors. You hear about people protesting Christian events, but having never experienced it first hand, I approached with caution.

He held a sign that said "Homophobia Kills" and "Stop the Hate."

Tonight's lone protester...

I figured a lot of people would snub him, so I decided to go up and ask him about his sign. He told me he wasn't protesting the conference, but he wanted to make a statement about the Evangelical Church and their attitude towards homosexuality.

I listened to his full statement, and then asked if he was a member of a church. This was where things got interesting.

He answered "Yes, and I'm on the board of my church," and he started to turn away from me.

"Great," I said, "What denomination is it?"

"The largest denomination in North America - the Protestant denomination."

At this point, he actually walked away from me.

I asked why he was walking away from me when I was just trying to talk to him. He told me he had a message to share. When I pointed out that I was trying to learn more about his message, he said "My message is for all people, not just one person."

Dude! Really?

Okay, here's why this moment really got to me:

In recent years, I've become fascinated by lost opportunities.

We see it all the time from all sides of the argument - the students who drove around Vanderbilt campus yelling at students to repent but didn't bother to ask their names; the anti-abortion activists who shout slogans at passing motorists who can't answer back; or the church who hands the visitor a welcome card but doesn't bother to say "welcome."

Why do we think lives will change

just because we stand at a distance

shouting bumper-sticker slogans?

This man tonight lost a great opportunity. I fully support his mission to point out the very real dangers of homophobia. Like racism, this is simply a form of hatred. It doesn't matter which side of the issue you stand on, hatred has no place in Christianity.

But what was he really trying to accomplish?

Did he think someone would walk past his sign and have a epiphany?

Did he think he might actually uproot the complicated tendrils that lead to hatred?

As I felt his attitude to my simple questions, and his resistance to my openness, I couldn't help but think that he was there just to be seen, and that made me mad.

What if he'd made the effort to actually welcome people to the conference?

What if he'd stopped to talk to someone who has genuine struggles with their feeling about homosexuality and homophobia?

What if he'd stopped worrying about everyone seeing his sign, and instead, concentrated on reaching people one on one?

Then, perhaps,

dialogue might have happened,

stories might have been shared,

and lives might have been changed.

And that was a lost opportunity...

Break Forth - Day 1

2012-01-27T22:14:00.001-06:00

Awesome start to Break Forth!

Today was the All Day Intensive Workshops. Gerald took songwriting and I took worship leading.

My day started with Paul Baloche. He spoke about the things we can do to put ourselves in the best place to lead worship - private worship, relationships with your congregation, and using scripture as praise.

Paul Baloche on leading workshop.

The next two sessions were lead by Robin Mark. When he goes into a church for a concert or worship event, he doesn't bring his band - he works with the church's musicians. So he spoke about leadership and working with teams.

For the second session, he brought us through the story of Hezekiah, and the importance of prioritizing worship, no matter how large or small our congregation.

Our day ended with Brenton Brown. He compared leading worship to offering hospitality, and now that mindset can affect the way we treat both our teams and our congregations.

Gerald had the same instructors for his day of songwriting, so after 6 hours of training, we met to compare notes and stories.

This evening, Break Forth officially opened with a huge worship gathering. One of the things that impresses me most about this conference are the hundreds of volunteers that make everything run so smoothly. As they helped stream the thousands of conference participants into the hall, one volunteer was smiling and singing a little blessing song over everyone that walked past her. Nothing showy - just friendly and sweet.

The worship was lead by Break Forth organizer, Arlen Salte. The amazing band opened the set with U2's "Where the Streets Have No Name" which segued right into a praise song called "We are Free." The song incorporated band, a spoken word/rap artist, and a vibrant choir. It was a great collaboration of musical sounds and styles.

The moving worship set prepared us for speaker, Erwin McManus. I wasn't familiar with Erwin's ministry, but I loved the article he wrote for the Break Forth magazine, so I was looking forward to his message tonight. And I wasn't disappointed!

He spoke about the value of beauty and creativity, not just in the world, but in the church. How does God feel about beauty, and how would the world feel about the church if we genuinely embraced the creativity of all individuals. McManus has a fascinating life, and his talk was really inspiring.

There are concerts tonight, but tomorrow promises to be a long one, so we're settling in for a relaxing night, and gearing up for a great Saturday!

Twas the Night Before Break Forth...

2012-01-26T22:25:00.002-06:00

Pre-conference check list:

- registration printed

- Twix bar in my purse

- Contigo water bottle filled

- notepad and pen ready

- iPhone fully charged

- map and directions fully understood

- business cards in my pocket

One good night's sleep and I'm ready for Break Forth!

New photos!

2012-01-24T21:29:00.001-06:00

Gerald is watching the Raptors tonight, so I've been adding photos to our sites.

You can (finally) see photos from our fall concert at St. John's York Mills Church on our site and our Facebook page.

Edmonton!

2012-01-23T22:58:00.000-06:00

We're here!

Safe flight - good movie on the plane - no luggage lost.

For the next few days, we'll enjoy Edmonton and visit with friends.

On Thursday, we'll check into our hotel to start Break Forth bright and early Friday morning.

Whoo-hoo!

Sunday Goodness...

2012-01-22T22:41:00.003-06:00

We started our day at Church of Our Saviour in North York. This church has great musical leadership, with a songwriting minister, Dennis Dolloff, and his wife, Lori, as organist and choir director. We met early to rehearse with the band for the congregational songs, which was great.

The Church of Our Saviour band!

In the service, Dennis generously shared his pulpit and gave us the full sermon time to present a musical message. We focused on the theme of relationship with God, singing songs about calling out to God, and answering God's call to us.

Our time at this evening's Gathering was wonderful! We were competing with the football game, but we still had a great group who sang and worshiped. We were able to find some beautiful musical moments, and the message was excellent.

After the service, we made sure all the details were in place for next week. Tomorrow, we head to Edmonton for the Break Forth worship conference. Our friend, Susan, will lead the band next week, Anne will give the message, and Drew will lead the prayers - Gerald and I wish we could fly back just to sit in the congregation!

Now, we're packed, the house sitter is set up, and we're ready to go! Praying the weather doesn't get too cold...

The Voice in Red

2012-01-15T19:48:00.005-06:00

Gerald leading the Gathering band in rehearsal.

This morning we returned to Church of the Messiah to lead a dynamic repertoire of music - a classic hymn, a contemporary hymn, praise & worship, Gospel, and our original psalm setting. Over the past few months, COTM has become our second church home.

After the service, an elderly gentlemen asked me, "Do you choose the music for the service or does Tay (the parish priest)?"

I explained, "Tay gives us the readings, we choose the songs, and then Tay reviews them and sometimes makes suggestions."

He replied, "Well, I love the repertoire! It's so uplifting and inspiring!"

I said, "Great. If you hadn't liked it, I would have blamed Tay!"

That exchange totally made us both laugh, but I really loved the compliment. I'm honoured that so many of the senior members of the congregation have pulled us aside and told us how much they love the music. These are men and women who have sung decades of classic hymns accompanied by organ and choir. We're not their tradition, and yet they've connected with our music.

To me, this is just proof that the message of the music can override the genre.

This evening, we had an awesome time of worship at The Gathering. There was a wonderful and natural flow to all the songs, words, and prayers. We sang Psalm 31 as set to Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah," featuring church chimes, sax, and lots of harmony.

We debuted Gerald's song "The Voice in Red" - a poetic, moving song about hearing the voice of God in the midst of society's noise.

I love Sundays.

We've rehearsed, created, shared, and tonight, we relax...

The 12 Angels of Christmas - Day 12

2012-01-06T09:22:00.001-06:00

Happy 12th Day of Christmas!

Today is also known as Epiphany, which is the day we celebrate the arrival of the three Kings or Magi. In our family, we'll celebrate 12th Night with a family dinner and lots of festivities.

For my final 12 Angels post, I decided to share my choir of angels with you. For the last few years, we've opted for a Victorian style Christmas tree. In Victorian days, trees were smaller and were prominently displayed on a table in the front room of the house. (If you've visited our CD table this year, you'll recognize the table cover!) This photo shows last year's tree, dripping with my Nana's vintage glass beads and lots of homemade ornaments collected over four generations.

I love clustering my angels around the nativity and under the tree. The ones you see above represent a range of special people and events in my life.

Most times in Scripture, angels appeared as a solo visitor, but not on that first Christmas night. As someone who sung in choirs for 20 years, it makes all the sense in the world to me that all the angels would want to appear on that first Christmas, sharing their talents and making a joyful noise.

As we leave the Christmas season and enter into the fullness of 2012, may we always strive to work together, sharing our talents and creativity to bring light to a dark work, and proclaiming the Good New that started at Christmas!

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To celebrate the twelve days of Christmas,
I'll be posting a new angel every day.
This series is inspired by my Dad's "The Twelve Creches of Christmas."

The 12 Angels of Christmas - Day 11

2012-01-05T09:20:00.002-06:00

Photo by Rev. Hollis Hiscock

When my Dad, Rev. Hollis Hiscock, first arrived as rector of St. John's York Mills Church in Toronto, he looked around the large churchyard and had a vision. He imagined a dramatic rendition of the first Christmas story with actors on various stages sharing scenes from the story, and an audience traveling the path like pilgrims.

I was honoured to be invited into this creative dream, and for 10 years "The Real Christmas Story" was produced outdoors every December, thanks to a team of over 100 actors, singers, set-builders, tour guides, and other volunteers. We even shot a documentary that aired nationally on Vision Television for several years.

Our creative set designer, the late great Warren Hughes, designed a separate stage for each scene of the play, inspired by the colourful images of children's storybooks. For the angels, he said,

"I want a bright vibrant painting of angels on a starry night. I'll leave spaces for the actors faces. They'll be dressed warmly behind the set, but we'll just see their bright happy faces, their cheerful voices, and their Marilyn Monroe wigs for angel hair!"

The angel scene became an audience favourite, with many children returning to watch it twice. This photo brings back great memories for me. I loved my role in the creation of "The Real Christmas Story," and I love that we were able to share the Gospel in this creative, community-centred way for so many years.

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To celebrate the twelve days of Christmas,

I'll be posting a new angel every day.
This series is inspired by my Dad's "The Twelve Creches of Christmas."

The 12 Angels of Christmas - Day 10

2012-01-04T13:14:00.006-06:00

Today's angels come as a pair. We found them at the altar rail of the Anglican cathedral in Montreal this summer while on our East Coast Tour.

There are many things I love about this duo. I love that one is male and one female, implying an equality of the sexes in worship and in service.

I love that they take on different postures, one facing up in patient expectation, and the other with head bowed in humble prayer.

They both sit on a pattern of interlocking hearts, implying that all we do should be based on love, or perhaps that with God as our base, we are supported by a platform of love.

I also love that their faces are calm, suggesting that in the presence of God,

all our fears and anxieties can be wiped away.

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To celebrate the twelve days of Christmas,
I'll be posting a new angel every day.
This series is inspired by my Dad's "The Twelve Creches of Christmas."

The 12 Angels of Christmas - Day 9

2012-01-03T09:08:00.001-06:00

Today I'm sharing two of the cheekier angels from my tree - a Pooh angel and a little mouse angel.

I rather like that Pooh's wings and halo are attached like costume pieces. Makes me think that the silly old bear is participating in the Christmas pageant (what a Pooh thing to do...) I obviously love that the mouse is a joyful chorister.

I have no idea why artists and artisans turn animals into angels, but you see it all the time - teddy bear angels, cat angels, puppy angels - the list is endless.

Yes, there can be something cute about the whole thing, but if we think about it a little, doesn't it tie into the desire we have to find the holy in the ordinary? Maybe it reminds us that there are "angels unawares" moving among us.

How would our lives change if we became aware of the holiness that exists all around us?

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To celebrate the twelve days of Christmas,

I'll be posting a new angel every day.
This series is inspired by my Dad's "The Twelve Creches of Christmas."

The 12 Angels of Christmas - Day 8

2012-01-02T14:06:00.001-06:00

Today I bring you a singing quartet of angels!

I found this little choir in my friend's beautifully Christmasy apartment. Gwen couldn't remember where she got them, but their clay form and simple paint remind me of figures found in Mexico or the Caribbean.

I love their big open mouths and tightly shut eyes. I can almost hear them singing out like children - maybe not getting all the notes correct, but singing with unabashed passion of the new Christmas birth.

May we also unashamedly sing out our praises this Christmas season!

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To celebrate the twelve days of Christmas,
I'll be posting a new angel every day.
This series is inspired by my Dad's "The Twelve Creches of Christmas."

The 12 Angels of Christmas - Day 7

2012-01-01T14:05:00.001-06:00

Happy New Year!

To start 2012 with a feeling of abundance, I decided to share 3 angels today!

The top angel is formed from wax and hand-painted. I bought her from the Germany pavilion at Epcot Center in Florida, and she's traveled many times since as I've moved around.

The bottom two I made myself. The middle angel I made as a young crafter, using acrylic paint to create a stained glass look. The bottom angel I created in cross-stitch with a lace trim.

I like this cluster of angels because they represent two thing I love most:

Creativity and Travel

I was blessed to have lots of creating and traveling time in 2011, and I'm planning on plenty more in 2012!

I pray 2012 brings you all the things you desire most in life!

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To celebrate the twelve days of Christmas,
I'll be posting a new angel every day.
This series is inspired by my Dad's "The Twelve Creches of Christmas."

The 12 Angels of Christmas - Day 6

2011-12-31T09:04:00.001-06:00

I found this angel in chains at a garden store this summer, and the image fascinated me. Her face and posture mix gracefulness and strength, yet she's been confined like a circus commodity with the chains, crate, and 'sold' sign.

It reminded me of the way we all try to contain things that we find too large or too powerful in our lives, even if these things are good and positive - love, change, passion, talents, relationships, even God...

I thought this was an appropriate angel for New Year's Eve:

What chains have bound you this year?

What powerful and positive forces are you trying to contain,

only to your own detriment?

I encourage you to spend some time in silence or prayer today, examining 2011, and seeking a freer 2012.

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To celebrate the twelve days of Christmas,

I'll be posting a new angel every day.
This series is inspired by my Dad's "The Twelve Creches of Christmas."

The 12 Angels of Christmas - Day 5

2011-12-30T17:03:00.001-06:00

Some angels need rescuing.

While crushing ribbons and wrapping paper into the recycling box one Christmas, my eyes caught a glimpse of a wing. This little angel - created only with a sliver of wood and a slip of paper - had been tied into the bow of a now-unwrapped present. I grabbed the little ornament, untied her from the bow, and found a waiting branch on my tree.

Christmas can get overwhelming with flashing lights, boisterous parties, and crowded shopping malls. This little angel reminds me to keep an eye out for the gentle, delicate details - the soft moments by the tree, the email from a long distance friend, the chance to smile at someone who needs a ray of light...

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To celebrate the twelve days of Christmas,
I'll be posting a new angel every day.
This series is inspired by my Dad's "The Twelve Creches of Christmas."

The 12 Angels of Christmas - Day 4

2011-12-29T19:02:00.001-06:00

My angel collection began years ago. I remember reading an issue of Guideposts magazine that focused on angels, and I became fascinated with their place in art history. I loved how they could be beautifully represented by artists from any background with any material: paint, wood, needlepoint, clay, paper, feathers, reclaimed materials - the list is endless.

That issue profiled a woman who had been collecting angels for years and I thought, "What a good idea."

I haven't counted my collection in recent years, but I'm sure it's around the 100 mark. This Mexican angel was a gift from a friend. I love her sweet, thoughtful expression. Too often, we only think of angels as represented in European Medieval or Victorian art. This little one reminds us that angels appear in the art of many cultures, and are represented through their unique world view.

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To celebrate the twelve days of Christmas,
I'll be posting a new angel every day.
This series is inspired by my Dad's "The Twelve Creches of Christmas."

The 12 Angels of Christmas - Day 3

2011-12-28T09:01:00.001-06:00

Stained glass windows have been telling stories of faith for hundreds of years. 4th and 5th century churches filled their windows with colourful slices of thinly cut alabaster set in wooden frames. Stained glass as we know it dates from the 7th century, where it was used to add beauty to worship spaces. Stained glass windows were also a tool for telling Bible stories in largely illiterate societies.

On this year's East Coast Tour, we had the chance to visit many beautiful churches. This tiny window was a detail found in the Anglican Cathedral in Montreal, Quebec. The larger part of the window showed Jesus healing the sick. "Feed my lambs" is a reference to Jesus's command in John 21. The dates at the bottom show that the window was given as a memorial. I love this angel for the vibrant colours, and for the reminder to care for those around us.

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To celebrate the twelve days of Christmas,

I'll be posting a new angel every day.
This series is inspired by my Dad's "The Twelve Creches of Christmas."

The 12 Angels of Christmas - Day 2

2011-12-27T16:53:00.003-06:00

There's a house in Burlington that's covered, and I mean covered, in Christmas lights. It's the kind of house that becomes a destination on a Christmas drive.

The lawn, walls, roof, driveway and backyard are smothered in Santas, reindeer, snowmen, and every Christmas image you can imagine. There's a full nativity in the middle of it. The motorcycle in the image above commemorates the memory of a lost family member.

Above the lit arches that frame the driveway is a lone angel, reminding us that these thousands of lights would pale in comparison to the sight of the choir of angels seen by the shepherds that first Christmas night.

*************************************

To celebrate the twelve days of Christmas,

I'll be posting a new angel every day.
This series is inspired by my Dad's "The Twelve Creches of Christmas."

The 12 Angels of Christmas - Day 1

2011-12-26T19:36:00.006-06:00

To celebrate the twelve days of Christmas,
my Dad is writing a blog series called
"The Twelve Creches of Christmas."

Inspired by this, I've decided to write my own version, called
"The 12 Angels of Christmas."

The nativity angel, dedicated in memory of Steve.

Today's angel is one I had made for the nativity
at St. John's York Mills Church.
Dad has also featured the nativity on his blog, so you can read the story here.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

2011-12-25T19:30:00.003-06:00

How silently, how silently
The wondrous gift is given!
So God imparts to human hearts
The blessings of His heaven.
No ear may hear His coming,
But in this world of sin,
Where meek souls will receive him still,
The dear Christ enters in.

O Little Town of Bethlehem, by Phillip Brooks.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

May you feel the peace, love,
and deepest blessings of the season!

Christmas Eve:

2011-12-24T23:15:00.002-06:00

Two hours of morning carols at a seniors home....

Rehearsal...

Carol singing...

Family worship at St. John's York Mills...

Candlelight worship at Church of the Messiah...

Late dinner tonight...

One more worship service tomorrow morning...

There's no other way we'd rather spend Christmas.

The Twelve Creches of Christmas

2011-12-23T19:25:00.002-06:00

To celebrate the twelve days of Christmas, my Dad,
Rev. Hollis Hiscock, is blogging about
The Twelve Creches of Christmas.

Starting Christmas Day, he'll feature a daily creche from a variety sources.

You can follow his blog here:
Moss From a Rolling Stone

Blue Christmas...

2011-12-20T19:14:00.003-06:00

Today, in our family, we remember those struggling this holiday season with
grief, depression, loneliness, addiction, or suicidal thoughts.

We encourage you to reach out to anyone in your family or your community who may be having a rough season.

If you need help,
we encourage you to reach out to someone -

a friend,
a teacher,
a family member,
a priest or pastor,
a health care worker,
a therapist,
a hot line, prayer line,
or 911.

We're praying that you feel peace today.

You are so loved!!!

Ready for Christmas!

2011-12-18T23:47:00.007-06:00

Today was incredible!

We started the morning with Church of the Messiah's Christmas pageant. The church looked beautiful with all the decorations. Instead of a traditional type of pageant, adults performed monologues to tell the stories of different witnesses to the first Christmas - Herod, the innkeeper, Mary, etc. In between each monologue, we sang the Taize chorus "Wait for the Lord." The monologues really humanized the Christmas story, reminding us of the variety of reactions we can all have to the same event.

Tonight was the Christmas Carol Service at St. John's York Mills. We really worked hard to blend the traditional lessons and carols format with the range of creativity we have at St. John's. The music featured organ, choir, handbells, and our Gathering Worship Band. Pre-service, we played a jazzy version of "What Child is This," featuring saxophone. For a congregational song, we played the Caribbean-inspired hymn, "The Virgin Mary Had a Baby Boy" featuring lots of percussion and even a trombone.

We couldn't have Christmas Carol without singing "Silent Night," but we wanted to give it a little twist. Gerald played a classically-inspired version of the melody, while I told the tale of how Silent Night was composed for guitar. As the story ended, Gerald played a simple arpeggio, and I sang the first verse. On the second verse, the congregation joined in, and we added chimes, band, organ, and choir. Just beautiful!

Gerald had the idea of singing the classic "Little Drummer Boy/Peace on Earth." complete with the opening clip from the original Bing Crosby/David Bowie video. Our choir's bass lead sang Bing, and Gerald was Bowie. It was wonderful to look out and see the smiles during the video.

Gerald leading the band in our pre-service rehearsal.

We also sang Gerald's song "My Heart is the Manger." This is truly one of my favourite Gerald songs ever, and it was awesome to include it in the service. After the service, I was flooded with positive comments about the song. When we do our Christmas album, this song will be first on our list.

We've been singing Christmas music for over a month now. It's been good, but as of today, I am officially, 100% in the Christmas spirit!

Bring on the eggnog!

Why I might annoy you this Christmas...

2011-12-15T22:17:00.003-06:00

The store was feeling the crowded energy of Christmas shoppers.

I noticed two women in line ahead of me, getting agitated with the sales clerk. At first I thought they were together, and then I realized they weren't - their only connection was their mounting frustration with this lone salesperson.

One woman was waving her twenty dollar bill in the air and saying "It's just not worth the savings" with increasing vigour. The other was pacing back and forth, tapping her wallet on the counter and saying, "I'm still waaaaiting." over and over. Finally, the first woman just walked away, with a final "It's really not worth the savings." The other let the clerk check out her purchase, but only with voluminous sighs worthy of a community theatre melodrama.

It was finally my turn, so I smiled at the clerk as he dealt with my purchase. But he was so beaten down, so embarrassed, that he wouldn't meet my gaze.

This wasn't a bad person or a lazy worker -

just someone overwhelmed on a busy day

in a crowded store.

As he finished my transaction, I tried one more time. "I hope your day gets better." He finally looked up and caught my eye. I gave him my biggest, goofiest grin. "Hope your day gets better, " I sing-songed.

He laughed, I smiled, and that was when I decided...

This Christmas, I'm going to be the

perkiest,

happiest,

most joyful

customer you've ever seen.

I'm going to smile at everyone - and I mean everyone!

I'm going to let you cut ahead of me in line.

I'm going to ask you, "How's it going?" before you check out my purchase.

And if things get too crazy, I may just break out in a round of

"We Wish You a Merry Christmas" while you're crashing your shopping cart into mine.

Extreme times call for extreme measures. You may find my approach silly or annoying, but giant-sized Grinchiness must be met with freakishly fantastic festiveness!

My challenge to you: How are you battling the Grinch this year?

Loooooong Day!

2011-12-04T22:22:00.001-06:00

Today is our longest day of singing for the year.

9:30-10:30 am - set up and sound check

10:30-11:30 am - lead music for morning worship at Church of the Messiah

12:00-3:00 pm - Christmas carolling at Allan Gardens Christmas Flower Show

3:30-5:00 pm - band rehearsal for The Gathering

5:00-6:00 pm - The Gathering worship service

And tonight - shhhhhhh.....

Great people, great music, and our carolling even made it on tv!

Good day, indeed!

The pond at Allan Gardens.

Every church really IS a small town...

2011-12-02T23:35:00.005-06:00

Tonight, we sang our 3rd annual Gospel & Christmas concert at St. Barnabas Church in Peterborough. As we arrived at the church, I couldn't help but remember the snow and bitter cold that greeted us on last year's visit!

Our Christmas product table, featuring ornaments made by moi!

Early in the evening, we sang Gerald's song, "Every Church is a Small Town." As we were singing the first verse, a family arrived, late for the concert. They made their way to the front and began helping their elderly mother from her wheelchair into the pew.

As all this unfolded, the audience stopped listening to the song, and turned their attention to the family. Some gave them a welcoming smile. Others had a look of concern over the mother's failing health. Others left their seat to help the mother find her way into the pew.

"Oh no," I thought, "No one is going to hear Gerald's song!"

And then I realized, "Oh my goodness,

we're watching Gerald's song!"

It was amazing! Here we were, singing this message about every church being as loving, caring, and giving as a small town, and right before our eyes, we were seeing that message in action.

I shared my thoughts with Gerald on the drive home.

He said, "You know, I had the exact same thought process."

How beautiful and rare when Life imitates Art...

Post-Birthday Bliss

2011-11-28T17:31:00.002-06:00

Yesterday, we celebrated the start of Advent,
and the start of another year of Me!

I can't think of a better way to spend my birthday:

- singing in the morning at Church of the Messiah

- relaxed afternoon

- leading evening worship at The Gathering

- Thai food with all the family

- lots of chocolate, and a new MacBook Air!

Today, we're just relaxing...

And now that my birthday's over,
we can sing Christmas carols!

Infinitely More concert!

2011-11-25T23:28:00.002-06:00

Tonight, we brought our East Coast Tour concert to St. John's York Mills.

I don't even know if it's fair to still call it our "tour concert." It was developed on tour, but since then, we've added new songs, and continued to tweak and tighten the transitions. I think I would just call it "our concert" now.

Either way, it was a fun night with an appreciative crowd. There were lots of photos taken, and I'll try to get them up soon.

We're starting our busy season now. Our product table was full of Christmas specials, and after Sunday, we'll be able to sing Christmas carols at home!

New photos!

2011-11-23T22:38:00.004-06:00

I've just posted a new photo album featuring pics from last week's
Kerr Village Tree Lighting.

You can visit the album here.

Kerr Village Tree Lighting

2011-11-18T23:18:00.002-06:00

November 18, and we've just completed our first Christmas gig of the season!

We braved the cold and wind to sing for tonight's Christmas tree lighting in the Kerr Village area of downtown Oakville. Outdoor gigs are always a challenge, but never more so than in near-winter weather. The wind blew over our music stands, so I sang the whole set holding on to Gerald's stand to keep it in place. The weather played havoc with the sound, knocking out the guitar feed several times. And the cold cut through all our clothing and turned Gerald's guitar-playing hands into fleshy knots.

But there's something special about singing Christmas music! Despite the chill, everyone seemed happy and appreciative - we even had some little girls dancing at the foot of the stage.

The point of the evening!

About halfway through the set, Gerald turned to me and said, "Let's do Lean on Me." Not Christmas, but whatever. As we were singing it, a woman approached Mom at the CD table. She had a large bandage covering part of her face. "I've just finished cancer treatment. Part of my nose has been removed, and this is the song that got me through it." She bought our hymns CD, and Mom gave her a few angel ornaments, just because.

This week, we received encouraging news about someone we know who's fighting cancer. I can't help but think that we heard this woman's story for a reason tonight.

We got lots of photos tonight. I'll post them later - when I defrost a bit!

NOVEMBER CONCERT!

2011-11-13T20:38:00.005-06:00

We're bringing our East Coast Tour Concert to Toronto!

Mark your calendar and join us for a great night of
music and inspiration!

Break Forth!

2011-11-09T14:35:00.004-06:00

We're attending Break Forth!

Last year, we attended this awesome worship conference, and it was just incredible. 3 full days of learning from some of the best leaders in worship skills and songwriting, with 15,000 people from all across Canada.

To see photos from last year, click here.

We'll be booking some concerts in the Edmonton area for January 24, 25, and 26. If you're interested in booking us, please visit here.

Wild Sunday...

2011-11-06T22:59:00.002-06:00

Today was hardly a "day of rest" for us,
but it was definitely a vibrant and memorable Sunday...

- a sermon from the Bishop

- tech issues from a buzzing mic

- a baby-dunking baptism

- John Lennon's "Beautiful Boy"

- liturgical dance

- Gerald's mouth trumpet on "Oh When the Saints"

The font at Church of the Messiah. Yes, the baby went completely under!

- band rehearsal moved to a new room for the day!

- Marvin Gaye's "What's Going On"

- Communion at The Gathering

- Gerald's stunning new setting of "In Flanders Fields"

- awesome band that can play beautifully with an unplugged rehearsal

We each pinned a poppy on the cross as we gathered around the altar for Communion.

Thankful for a full day, and a well-earned tired.

Flowers from the altar guild at Church of the Messiah - thank you, ladies!

My Dad got a cover story!

2011-11-02T11:32:00.005-05:00

My Dad, Rev. Hollis Hiscock, has written a great article for
Silver and Gold magazine called

Is Faith Still Alive?

It's made the cover of the magazine!

You can find the magazine by clicking here.

The article is on page 8.

Yay, Dad!!!

My Rehearsal Buddy...

2011-10-29T22:05:00.003-05:00

The puppies always want to be around us when we're rehearsing.
Sometimes, they bring a ball and try to join in our 'game.'
Other times, they ask to get picked up.
They love it when I hold them while I'm singing.

Tonight, Sebastian asked to get up while I was working out the harmonies for Gerald's new song.

If I can ever teach him to sing a third harmony line,
we're buying a bus and taking the show on the road!

New photos!

2011-10-27T16:55:00.000-05:00

I've just posted our photos from Saturday's Music Team Workshop!

You can see them on our Infinitely More Facebook page here.

Music Team Workshop

2011-10-22T16:05:00.004-05:00

Today, we lead the first-ever combined Music Team Workshop at St. John's York Mills. We invited members of the choir, morning worship team, and Gathering worship band for a time of learning and fellowship.

Gerald teaching the importance of a great song idea.

Patrick, the church's new organist and choir director, spoke about his plan for the morning worship program. I introduced the idea that everyone - whether a player or a singer - is not just a musician, but a 'worship leader.' Gerald taught a great segment on songwriting, focusing on the importance of a great idea and a great hook. We also shared our plan to start a monthly Christian songwriting group, which was met with lots of enthusiasm.

After we worked everyone's brains, we all relaxed with a feast of Thai food. Some people borrowed training DVDs, some shared ideas from the workshop, but mostly there was just lots of chatting and laughing.

I'm so excited that we've been able to introduce workshops to our church's music program. I think they're a great tool, not just for teaching skills, but especially for building community.

I'll let you know when I post photos...

Those Autumn Leaves...

2011-10-20T22:34:00.009-05:00

A little glimpse of the changing season:

Virginia creeper

Wild rose hips

I love these colours!

Dunking the Baby

2011-10-16T22:11:00.004-05:00

We started our morning at Church of the Messiah for a service of baptism and communion. I'm a huge fan of baptism services - adults or babies, they always move me. I love the idea that we're welcoming a new "family member."

I've seen lots of baptisms - mostly babies, some sprinkle-on-the-head adults, and a few full immersion adult baptisms - but never a full immersion infant baptism!

Stained glass at Church of the Messiah

Instead of using the stone font, a large galvanized tub was moved to the centre of the worship space and filled with warm water. It was draped with a decorative cloth and became the centerpiece of the service. It was the perfect height when the children gathered to watch the baptism. After the prayers, we lead the congregation in singing "Wade in the Water" as the baby changed out of her fancy dress. As Tay prayed the words of baptism, he slowly lowered the baby into the water, until he gently covered her nose to dip her - quickly and completely - under the water and out again.

It was a beautiful image of a life changed, purified, and transformed.

In the evening, we led our worship band for The Gathering. There are some nights when it just flows, and this was one of them. Every song felt like it was in the right place at the right time. People lifted their voices and their hearts. The message was challenging and insightful. Gerald sang "If They Knew It Was Me" - one of the most powerful songs he's ever written.

Our Sundays are busy, but I wouldn't change them for the world.

Happy Thanksgiving!

2011-10-09T22:27:00.006-05:00

Cool things about today:

- singing "Don't Worry, Be Happy" as the offertory at Church of the Messiah
(yes, it fit the Gospel!)

- debuting our new original setting of Psalm 126

- thoughtful, inspiring messages by Rev. Tay Moss and Rev. Anne Crosswait

- singing "I Can See Clearly Now" with Gerald

- playing with our awesome 7-piece band at The Gathering

- glorious sunshine the second weekend of October!

Take a little time this Thanksgiving to count your blessings...

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!

I took all these photos at St. John's York Mills today.

Jesus Jam photos...

2011-10-06T21:37:00.003-05:00

... are now up on our Facebook page.

I've also added a few photos to our
"Making Music" album from our recent visit to
St. John's Weston.

Why I Love Mondays

2011-10-03T22:31:00.001-05:00

Our Sundays have become really full:

early morning rehearsal
sound check
morning service
break for lunch
private rehearsal
band rehearsal
Gathering service
Chinese food and television

Sometimes we shake it up with Thai food and a movie, but you get the picture.

I'm definitely not complaining. We feel incredibly blessed to make a living doing what we love. I'm just acknowledging the reality that for most people in ministry, Sunday isn't our day of rest. And working in music always feels like a 24-7 job.

Last spring I found myself feeling completely overworked. There's this myth out there that if you're self-employed, you can pick and choose your work hours. The real danger is that you can actually end up working every day - taking gigs when they arise, writing songs when they come, arranging rehearsals around everyone's busy schedules, and constantly tackling site updates, music selection, booking, grant applications, writing newsletters, organizing gear...

So now, we take Mondays off.

I've taken to putting a vacation reply on my email so I don't feel obligated to check it "just in case". We try to avoid any kind of house work, car repair, or errands. And the best part is if we do go out somewhere, it's usually pretty quiet because the rest of the city is having a workday.

The only goal is to rest, reflect, spend time with family, and face a day with no expectations.

If you're self-employed, I highly recommend choosing your own day of rest, ordering some hot and sour soup, and reminding yourself that "rest" can sometimes be more productive than "work".

FYI - I've dated this for Monday, but let's be honest, I'm writing it on Tuesday and just adjusting the date. Nothing this solid was actually accomplished yesterday...

Jesus Jam at Church of the Messiah

2011-10-02T22:42:00.001-05:00

Today was full so this blog will not be.

We had great services today, starting at Church of the Messiah in the morning and finishing with The Gathering tonight. Our 8-piece band at The Gathering included a violin solo on "My Heart is Filled with Thankfulness" - beautiful!

After the morning service, the children of Messiah were invited to join us for a Jesus Jam. We chose Hillsong Kids' "Let Your Light Shine" - which is crazy catchy and still ringing through my head - and invited the kids to bring their instruments and play along.

We had 2 guitarists, 1 violinist, and group of children who wanted to play shakers. The real challenge was the vast range of experience in the instrumentalists. Gerald was awesome in the way he taught the song to each child, finding ways for even the most inexperienced to feel included.

While we were teaching the song, some children were drawing on a large canvas. In the end, they all came together and played the song in our Rock Star Finale. It was a lot of work, but I think each child was able to learn something.

I'll be posting photos later this week...

New Video!

2011-09-26T19:10:00.002-05:00

When we were in Newfoundland, we visited the church where my Dad was baptized. I'm a sucker for singing in an empty church, and the results are here.

Back to Church Sunday

2011-09-25T21:13:00.004-05:00

What a full and rich day!

Today was "Back to Church" Sunday in the Anglican Church - a day when people are invited to return to the church, or just visit for the first time.

This morning, we played the always friendly St. John's Weston. We shared the music for the service with the music director, Marianne Gast, so the congregation got a good mix of organ, piano, choir, and our guitar-driven sound. This church has a tight but welcoming community, and it was awesome to hear them sing out!

St. John's Weston

In the evening, we played with our worship band for The Gathering at St. John's York Mills. We had an awesome team with piano, keyboard, percussion, guitar, 3 vocalists, and saxophone.

To emphasize the theme of 'community', we sang Gerald's song "Every Church is a Small Town," which was inspired by events and people at St. John's. Some members of the congregation heard it at our Fireside Concert, but it was powerful to finally sing it in the church itself. I'm always so proud of Gerald when we sing that song, but never more than tonight. The reaction was potent. We received feedback at the church and even via Facebook, and I can honestly say - it's been humbling.

As a planner and an organizer, I find there are times when the business side of being a musician can get distracting. But then there are days like this, when we get a glimpse into how much our music, our art, can affect the lives around us. It's a more-than-gentle reminder of the real priorities of the 'job'...

Burlington House Concert

2011-09-24T23:05:00.004-05:00

Earlier this year, my parents decided they wanted to host an Infinitely More house concert. Our original plan was to sing in the garden, but between recent rains and a neighbour's crazy lawn mower, we made a last minute decision to move indoors.

The living/dining room was actually a fantastic setting. We turned the dining table into a product table, our SoloAmp provided the perfect amount of sound, and the audience sat in a cozy cluster of chairs. During the intermission, everyone wandered out on the deck to enjoy the sunshine and refreshments.

Our house concert set up...

We performed the show we developed on our East Coast Tour. We've been focusing on worship services for the past few weeks, and it felt great to do the show again. And it's always fantastic to have an audience who's ready to smile, laugh, and sing along.

One of the audience members took lots of photos, so I'll post them as soon as I get them.

The Challenge of Choosing Worship Music

2011-09-13T20:51:00.005-05:00

One of the great challenges of being a worship leader is choosing music for the weekly service.

How many songs?
Fast songs?
Slow songs?
Not too many slow!
Old songs?
New songs?
Didn't we do that last week?
What's the scripture reading?
What's the sermon theme?
What's the liturgical season?
That song has too many verses!
That team member hates that song!
That key is too high/low, has too many sharps/flats, needs a capo for the guitar and a transposed chart for the sax player...

I've heard the process compared to a doing a jigsaw puzzle, walking a tight rope, and being a DJ.

Gerald using his iPhone to tune his guitar.

Today, I've been in all day planning mode. Still a few gaps to fill, but mostly happy with our choices.

Of course, tonight I may have some kind of worship concert dream and then have to redo the whole list in the morning!

And still, it's one of my favourite parts of the job...

Remembering 9-11

2011-09-11T22:36:00.001-05:00

How can we worship today and not think about the events of 10 years ago?

I remember watching the second plane hit.

I remember walking outside, and the streets of downtown Toronto being freakishly quiet.

I remember our church gathering that night to pray, sing, and worship.

Today, we led worship at Church of the Messiah in the morning, and at The Gathering tonight. Both services were wonderful and vibrant in their own unique way. We're at Messiah for the next few months, and we're excited about partnering with this creative congregation. This was our first Gathering since July, and it felt awesome to be back at it.

Gerald sang his song "Angels in the Dust" at both services. He wrote it after meeting a first responder. The man had spent a month in the rubble - searching for survivors, and then for victims. We've sung the song a number of times over the years, but singing it today was a whole new experience.

Today felt so personal - hearing the memories of others, recognizing healing, and sharing the trials of forgiveness. Feeling humbled and blessed tonight...

Blog Scooped!

2011-09-05T19:08:00.003-05:00

I've been scooped!

Paula Fredericks collects blog posts that reference house concerts. She picked up my post about our Bedford house concert.

You can see it all here.

Tour Day 31 - Home

2011-08-31T19:04:00.003-05:00

Safely home!!!

An amazing month. It'll take a while to process it all.

A few notes:

6138 KM
5 provinces
11 performances
3 ferries
2 new songs
100+ photos
12+ hours of video
3 guitars we wanted to buy but couldn't afford
countless hours of visiting, chatting, sharing, and eating

A huge thank you to everyone who has shared this adventure with us!

We truly appreciate your prayers and your support. I'll let you know when the rest of the photos and videos are posted.

For now - family, puppies, laundry...

Tour Day 30 - Montreal

2011-08-30T23:52:00.003-05:00

- awesome brunch

- stunning Anglican cathedral

- lots of walking

- free espresso tasting and demo

- amazing public art

- lots of photos

- exploring the underground city

- all you can eat sushi

- reflecting on the past month

- packing for tomorrow

One more day of driving and we're home. I can't believe it's been a month.

There's so much to process, and we'll be taking lots of time for that over the next few weeks.

For now, I'm just ready for a safe drive tomorrow, and a happy reunion with our puppies!

Tour Day 29 - Back in Montreal

2011-08-29T23:28:00.001-05:00

I know lots of areas are suffering today from Irene, but things seem thankfully untouched here in Edmundston.

So now, we're very much on the way home.

After two long days of driving, we decided to spent the next two nights of our tour just as we began - in Montreal.

We had dinner in a fantastic Italian restaurant with a super-cheap lobster special and platters of pasta. When the violinist visited our table, he played my request of La Vie en Rose. What a glorious start to the evening!

As we wandered the streets of Montreal, we found a sprawling music store called Archambault. It was huge! The first floor and basement contained CDs and DVDs. The Gospel section and the Swing section were side by side - it's like it was designed for me!

The second floor contained thousands of music books, sheet music, scores, and even more CDs and listening stations.

The third floor contained instruments and gear, so this is where we spent most of our time. In every city we visit, Gerald always tries to find locally built guitars, and there are lots in Montreal. We found some great handmade Boucher guitars, including a big-sounding, tiny guitar that we took turns playing. It's rare we both fall in love with the same guitar, and it was difficult to leave her behind.

Gerald also tried a Daddy Mojo. He had seen them online and was very curious. The body of the guitar is a wooden cigar box. Each one is handmade, and the sound is bluesy. They look outrageously cool, but Gerald decided it's more a guitar to look at than play.

One of my favourite memories of tonight: playing a two-guitar version of Brighter Happy Day in the guitar room.

I haven't been playing guitar in our shows lately. I think I want to change that...

Tour Day 28 - Hurricane Irene

2011-08-28T23:16:00.004-05:00

We got the email first thing this morning.

We'd been watching the reports of Irene, and could see her heading towards New Brunswick. We wondered would happen with our St. Andrew's concert. Even if we could make it into the area, would anyone want to venture out to see us.

When the concert was canceled, we were disappointed but not surprised.

We got in the car and drove. We thought we'd be able to get out of the storm range, but then we heard it's going to hit as far west as Quebec.

So we're hunkered down in Edmundston, NB, and praying for all in Irene's path...

Till the storm passes over,
till the thunder sounds no more,
Till the clouds roll forever from the sky;
Hold me fast, let me stand in the hollow of Thy hand,
Keep me safe till the storm passes by.
Lyric by Mosie Lister

Tour Day 27 - Bedford House Concert

2011-08-27T23:24:00.003-05:00

We awoke to another large day - brilliant sunshine with nary a breeze in sight.

Our first stop was the Halifax Folklore Centre - a brilliant music store! As we played guitars, Gerald told me the story of the last time he was in the store. He was playing one of his original songs when he realized a man was listening to him. The man said "Nice song."

It was Garnet Rogers, brother and musical partner of Stan Rogers.

The highlight of this visit was playing a 1938 Gibson - well worn with a sound to reflect its long, full life. They said it wasn't for sale, unless the right home came along. You know, like if Amy Grant called looking for a birthday present for Vince Gill... then they might consider selling it.

Lunch was a wonderful patio experience with a high school buddy of Gerald's. Love hearing stories of the-teen-who-would-become-my-husband!

Tonight we drove into beautiful Bedford for a house concert. Tom and Elaine have a great living room for a concert - high ceilings, open floor plan, and a willingness to move their furniture around. Most of the audience knew each other, so there was a really warm feeling in the room.

Just before the show, a woman walked up and said, "Remember me?" It was my godmother!! I haven't seen her in years! Apparently, my Mom knew she was coming, but didn't tell me, which was awesome! So good to see her!!

The whole night just felt wonderful! The music felt alive, and people responded really positively to our new song, "Infinitely More." We had lots of time in the intermission and after the show to visit with people, and it was great to hear their stories. There's something so special about singing Gospel music in some one's living room.

Watching the weather reports of Hurricane Irene tonight and wondering about the fate of tomorrow's concert ...

Tour Day 26 - Halifax

2011-08-26T21:20:00.003-05:00

Writing from beautiful Halifax!

After a deep night's sleep on the ferry, we had a bright day for driving. Our Saturday concert is in Bedford, so for tonight, we found a great little boutique hotel in Halifax. We were referred to a fantastic restaurant called Jane's which featured treats like teriyaki scallops and rhubarb cordial.

For this whole trip, we've been heading east, finding new places every day.

Today was the first day we started driving west.

Still two concerts this weekend, but home is in sight.

Well, two concerts, assuming Irene doesn't bust up the party...

Tour Day 25 - The Ferry!

2011-08-25T22:02:00.000-05:00

I swear I'm 10 years old when I'm on a boat!

We had an excellent morning in St. John's - awesome brunch with friends, easy packing, and a beautiful drive out to Argentia. Tonight is the long ferry ride - 14 hours!

When we booked the ferry, there were no cabins left. The ship has sleeper chairs, but really, who wants to spend the night that way? We were added to the wait list, and I called several times, but still no cabins. We boarded at 5:00, and I went straight to the purser's desk to ask one more time. I literally cheered when he gave me the key. I think I won the prize as most enthusiastic customer of the trip!

Our room is tiny but efficient - 2 beds (4 if we used the upper bunks), 3 piece bath, desk, table, 2 closets, and a TV.

As soon as we settled in, I went exploring. This ship isn't as snazzy as the Blue Puttee, but it still has a great gift shop, games room, kids zone, internet cafe, and 2 restaurants. There's a brightly coloured lounge with wifi and wrap-around windows. I had a lovely hot chocolate and people watched. I also watched the sunset from the deck. Windy and damp, but really beautiful.

I love being on a boat!!

Tour Day 24 - Final St. John's Jaunt

2011-08-24T22:11:00.003-05:00

Today was our last full day in St. John's, and we couldn't have had more perfect weather!

After swimming through a pile of emails, we headed out to lunch with our friends and hosts, Paul and Carol. We went to a fantastic little cafe near St. Thomas' for great food and vibrant conversation.

Gerald and I then struck out down Duckworth St. for another jaunt through downtown. I bought a little antique at Livyers, one of my favourite treasure spots in the city. We just followed wherever the streets lead, poking our heads into shops, cafes, and other hideaways.

In the late afternoon, we took the winding road up Signal Hill to Cabot Tower. There's lots of history in this area, but for us, it was all about the views. (You can see photos here.)

When I first moved to Toronto, there was something that always felt odd, but I could never put my finger on it. I met a girl from Victoria, and she mentioned how much she missed the ocean.

It's true.

When you grow up looking at the ocean every day, it somehow shapes you. You spend your days next to something truly beautiful, and truly dangerous.

When you live by the ocean,
you're constantly reminded that the world is huge,
and you're just tiny.

Gerald and I found a great little pub downtown for an evening feast of cod tongues, scrunchions, cod, shrimp, and scallops. With the exception of the light fixture crashing from the ceiling at the next table, it was a pretty nice place.

We took an lingering drive around Quidi Vidi Lake, which looked beautiful in the sunshine. Quidi Vidi Village is a little fishing community right inside St. John's. It was always an ignored part of town, but a few years ago, people realized the beauty of living by the water, and lots of new houses have popped up.

We finished the day with more socializing, and some packing. Tomorrow, we head to Argentia and take the ferry to North Sydney, NS.

Praying we get a cabin!!

Tour Day 23 - St. John's & New Photos!

2011-08-23T22:22:00.002-05:00

Today featured classic St. John's weather -

...rolling fog...

You could just see it sweeping across the city.

With the chance to see the ocean gone (you couldn't see hills, much less anything past them), we settled in for a big screen movie and an afternoon of just relaxing. We have a busy weekend coming up, so we're really trying to rest up now.

We spent the night feasting and laughing with family. It's such a rare treat to spend time with them - I'm soaking in every moment.

The relaxing day also gave me a chance to post some photos!
You can see them all here.

Tour Day 22 - St. John's Downtown

2011-08-22T21:05:00.003-05:00

Thanks to a day of glorious sunshine, we were able to spend the entire afternoon downtown!

Highlights:

- Watching Gerald play speed chess and kick butt!

- Sipping lattes at Hava Java.

- Finding awesome music/worship books at Afterwords.

- Getting a private bodhran demonstration at O'Brien's Music.

- Buying an Irish penny whistle at O'Brien's.

- Seeing fantastic artisan work at different shops.

- Enjoying a "Newfoundland Roll" at a sushi restaurant.

- Walking around the gorgeous downtown, enjoying the sights, and seeing a familiar face or two.

Posting photos tomorrow - I promise!

Tour Day 21 - St. Thomas' & A New Song!

2011-08-21T23:11:00.003-05:00

Today, we spent the day singing at the church where I was baptized - St. Thomas' Church in St. John's. How awesome to walk into this beautiful building! We haven't been here for years, and it always feels like coming home.

St. Thomas' - The Old Garrison Church

The church is currently celebrating its 175th anniversary, and as I sat in the pews, I was flooded with memories of the 150th anniversary, celebrated while my Dad was rector of the parish.

We sang two songs for the morning service, and at the coffee hour, we were hugged and loved by many dear friends!

This evening, we did our concert. It was so wonderful to sing for so many familiar faces.

One of the highlights of the show (at least for us!) was debuting our new song, Infinitely More! This is the song Gerald starting writing back in Cheticamp, NS. We finished the bridge yesterday, added harmony, and sang it tonight. It felt so good to sing it in public, and we received a lot of encouraging feedback.

That wraps up our Newfoundland concerts. We have shows next weekend in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, but for the next three days, we can just putter around the city and spend time with family. Hope the weather cooperates!

Tour Day 20 - Kenny's Pond

2011-08-20T23:48:00.002-05:00

As I'm writing tonight's post I'm indulging in a dark chocolate truffle flavoured with Newfoundland berries. Outstanding!

For a while now, Gerald has been mulling over the idea of having a signature song for Infinitely More. The first pieces came in Cape Breton, and today, the final lines came together. We spent the morning writing the bridge, and we're so excited! We're going to do a final polish tomorrow afternoon, and if we feel confident, we may debut it tomorrow night.

This afternoon, we visited the beautiful Kenny's Pond Retirement Residence for an afternoon concert. We were in a beautiful room on the sixth floor with an amazing view of the pond, and stretching out to Signal Hill.

An ad for our concert in the elevator of the retirement residence.

We had a great crowd who sang and laughed and really enjoyed themselves. After the show, we were invited to join in the spread of coffee, tea, sweets and other delights. What a gorgeous place! Gerald and I considered putting in our applications, but figure we still have a few years before we take that step.

I've been organizing our photos and video from the last week, and I'm going to post some stuff tomorrow or Monday. I'd do it tonight, but we've been asked to sing a few songs at St. Thomas' tomorrow morning, so it'll be an early rise.

My word, this truffle is good!!

Tour Day 19 - Church of the Good Shepherd, Mount Pearl

2011-08-19T22:43:00.002-05:00

We've been itching to get to downtown St. John's, so we took advantage of the sunny weather and headed down for the afternoon. There's no way you can cover all the bookstores, antique shops, cafes, and artisan nooks in one day, so we paced ourselves by just hitting a section of Duckworth St.

We dropped by Fred's Music, where we played an in-store concert on our last visit, about 7 years ago. We were shocked when the guy behind the counter remembered us by name! Fred's is a huge supporter of local music, so we had a great chat about local artists, including Newfoundland's newest friend, Russell Crowe.

Our afternoon ended with a cappuccino, sipped overlooking the Narrows.

There are only 2 things I really miss from home on this trip:
our puppies, and our espresso maker!!

Our concert tonight was at Church of the Good Shepherd in Mount Pearl. It's a fairly new church (the congregation is only 25 years old) with a beautifully open sanctuary and a modern touch in the stained glass.

Tonight was one of these nights when we feel really fortunate to do what we do. There was something awesome moving in the room. We felt very connected to the audience, and we could tell by their singing and their expressions that they were feeling the Spirit too. It sounds flaky when I try to describe it, but it really was potent.

At the CD table, I was able to have some good chats with people. It was awesome to see some great family friends!!

We've been taking lots of photos and videos this week. I'm going to try and post some this weekend. No promises, but I will post a link once they're up.

Tour Day 18 - Salvage to St. John's!!!

2011-08-18T22:08:00.002-05:00

Today's weather was exactly what I ordered: sunny, big sky, bit of a breeze.

We left Eastport and made the beautiful drive to Salvage. We drove slowly to take in all the beauty that surrounded us. The sky was huge, bright, and scattered with puffs of white. The water was the colour of new denim. The greens, browns, and greys of the landscape shimmered in the sunshine.

It's on days like this that people spontaneously decide to abandon city life and live 'round the bay.

Salvage is truly picture perfect. It could be a set created by Hollywood to portray the classic fishing story of Newfoundland.

Our destination was St. Stephen's Church. It was in this beautiful wooden church where my father was baptized. The church was empty today, so we spent a fair bit of time in it, looking at all the details and imagining the generations who have walked its aisles.

We decided to shoot a little video (which I'll post soon), so I sang a verse of "This is My Father's World" - I couldn't resist the double meaning.

In the afternoon, we had a relaxed drive into my birthplace, St. John's! There's nothing like being home! We're staying the next week with lifelong family friends. We have 3 concerts this weekend, and then 3 play days. I'm going to enjoy every second!

Tour Day 17 - Eastpost, and New Family History

2011-08-17T22:22:00.004-05:00

I'm almost giddy remembering the events of tonight.

The Parish of Salvage is a five-point parish, and tonight we sang in gorgeous Holy Cross Church in Eastport. The sanctuary is so striking. It's build in a cross shape, with high open-beamed ceilings and lots of handcrafted details.

We had a great concert with an audience full of sweet people. We added a new song - "Will the Circle Be Unbroken" - that went over really well.

We were excited to sing in this beautiful church, but in the interest of full disclosure, we had another reason to be excited about tonight.

Salvage is my Dad's birthplace!

He didn't spend his whole life here, but I had a secret wish we might meet someone who had known my Dad's family. Before and after the show, I met a lot of people who knew my Dad in one capacity or another, which was great, but then I met Bride.

Bride knew my grandmother.

Dad's mom passed away when he was very young, so there are few family memories of her. I felt like I was touching a piece of lost history tonight. I couldn't believe it when Bride started naming the members of my family - she knew them all! She mentioned how she would visit my grandmother and her sister. She said my grandmother was a beautiful woman, and a sweet lady.

But then she shared the best piece of information - my grandmother could sing! Apparently, she played piano, and was a "beautiful singer". My heart jumped! I don't think I've ever heard this about her before. I have great memories of Mom's mom (my Nana) singing in the church choir, but it was awesome to hear that about Dad's mom too! I felt my roots get deeper and stronger.

It's hard to put my feelings about all this into words. I was so truly blessed by tonight. Really looking forward to spending a little more time here tomorrow...

Tour Day 16 - Indian Bay

2011-08-16T22:49:00.003-05:00

For a province that's had a terrible summer, we've really been blessed with a lot of great weather since we arrived.

Today was not one of those days.

Between pouring rain, wet twisting roads, and watching for moose, it was a slow drive to Indian Bay.

But the drive was well worth it. We're staying the night with our good friend Rev. David Coffin. We met David years ago when he was the rector in Botwood, and he's got a great spot here in Indian Bay - beautiful community, and a rectory with a stunning view.

Tonight's concert was sponsored by the church but held in the Lion's Community Center - a large space with a great stage. We had a fantastic crowd who sang along and gave us a lot of encouragement.

David is a great singer, so in the second half of the show, we invited him up to sing with us on "This is My Father's World." As we've been driving through the gorgeous east coast provinces, this hymn has come to us many times. Little did we know that it's also David's favourite hymn! He and I each sang a verse, and the three of us sang the last verse with harmony. Awesome!

With Rev. David Coffin, after the show.

I'm always challenged standing at the product table after the show. Yes, we want to sell CDs, but we also hear many stories of the challenges people are facing. Last night was no exception. It reminded me of the stakes of what we're doing up there on stage.

There's an old adage in ministry:
Treat everyone like they're hurting, and most of the time you'll be right.
So true.

After the concert, we stayed up late chatting and sharing stories. We'll never become millionaires working in ministry, but after a night like tonight - good friends, good stories, good food - our life is rich indeed.

Tour Day 15 - Treasure Hunt!

2011-08-15T21:44:00.006-05:00

We started the day with a creative meeting. As today marks the midpoint of the tour, we figured this was a good time to check in with each other, review our program, and make plans for the next set of shows.

We also watched some of the video we shot in Leading Tickles. I'm hoping to cut and post a few songs soon.

The weather this afternoon was perfect, so I headed out and found a walking path where the old railway used to be. I have so many memories of playing on those tracks as a kid - walking on the rails and picking up stray spikes.

A plate from the long gone Newfoundland Railway.

The path lead me to a hidden rocky beach. I had to climb down through some long grass and stinger nettles to find it, but once there, I felt like a 10-year-old.

Spoils from my treasure hunt!

I found all kinds of treasures - luminescent white shells, coloured stones worn smooth by the waves, and buffed pieces of sea glass. One of the pieces of glass was from an old Javex bottle which, according to my online search, was manufactured in either 1956 or 1966 by Dominion Glass.

Javex bottle sea glass.

Our final night in Botwood was spent the best way we could spend it - sitting outside, enjoying a great meal with my awesome family.

Tomorrow, back on the road...

Tour Day 14 - Scrunchions, Frogs, and Risque Worship

2011-08-14T22:36:00.002-05:00

This morning, we returned to St. James' Church in Botwood to sing for their morning service.

We decided to do Gerald's song "All The Things I've Broken" because it really fit the sermon, and "Just a Closer Walk" because, well, it's fun. During the sharing of the peace, the organist asked if we would also do the offertory, so we added "Give Me Jesus."

At St. James', they sing a lot of their liturgy to energetic music, so the whole service had a joyful, but still worshipful, feeling.

The rest of the day was devoted to relaxing with family. We took a spin down to the museum and gift shop on the old airbase. Out on the base, the Salvation Army Church was holding an open air service. The speakers and band were set up in a grassy area. The place was packed with cars, and most people either sat in their cars or just stood outside. Kind of reminded me of a drive-in movie. The music was fantastic, of course. Had I known they were doing the service, I probably would have attended. I really love seeing worship outside the walls of the church. I'm sure some people find it cheesy, or maybe even offensive, but I think that's why I find it daring, exciting, and even a little risque.

For dinner, we visited a great restaurant and indulged in Newfoundland specialities - fresh cod, scrunchions, and partridge berries. The weather today was just stunning, so after dinner we visited my cousins' for a bonfire, complete with smores and catching frogs (led by my 9-year-old cousin).

I just love being here. I really wish there was a shorter commute between Toronto and Botwood.

When someone invents teleportation, let me know...

More photos!

2011-08-14T13:38:00.002-05:00

I'm on a roll!

I've just added the photos from this weekend's concerts in Botwood and Leading Tickles, NL.

You can view them here: www.Facebook.com/InfinitelyMoreBand

Tour Day 13 - Leading Tickles, NL

2011-08-13T23:02:00.001-05:00

We left Botwood after an early supper to take the rolling, scenic drive to Leading Tickles for tonight's concert.

Leading Tickles is a gorgeous little town, especially on a sunny day like today. The town is actually on an island, and the water, views, and hidden feeling give it a special quality.

I've had a few people ask me about the origin of the name "Leading Tickles". Locals just call it The Tickle, but I haven't learned any real history yet. If anyone has any, please leave a comment!

A few years ago, the Anglican church was burned to the ground. With a lot of donations and hard work, a new sanctuary was erected. I would call this new church modern-traditional. It looks like it's been there forever, yet it's bright and new with all the modern fixings.

Unloading gear at St. Nicholas' Church

Our audience tonight was wonderful! They sang along when invited, and even when we didn't invite them, I could see people singing and worshiping quietly in their pews.

After the show, we were hosted to a fantastic spread of homemade sweets and treats.

Tonight was our only night drive of the trip, and I don't mind saying we prayed for a moose-free trip all the way home!

New photos!

2011-08-13T22:24:00.002-05:00

I've just posted our Cape Breton photos on our Facebook page!

If you haven't visited yet, please visit our page for lots of tour photos and video. You can see our content even if you're not a Facebook member:

www.Facebook.com/InfinitelyMoreBand

And if you are on Facebook, please *like* us!

Tour Day 12 - St. James' Church, Botwood

2011-08-12T22:39:00.002-05:00

What a fantastic night!

As I mentioned yesterday, it was great to actually have a full rehearsal in the church. We left our gear set up overnight, so when we arrived at the church tonight, we just had to do a few last minute adjustments, and we were ready to go.

We had a great audience, and it was wonderful to see so many familiar faces in the crowd.

My uncle is a songwriter, and a few years ago when they visited Toronto, we all sat for a night and played songs for each other. A few weeks ago, I found the lyrics he'd left us, but we couldn't remember any of the melodies. So we picked a lyric that spoke to us, wrote new music, and surprised him with it tonight in the concert.

The song is called "Peace, Joy, and Love" and the chorus is based on Matthew 7:7. We wrote a gentle and lyrical melody that really seemed to fit the words. When we were singing it, I couldn't look at my uncle, but when we were done, I could tell he was pleased, which made it all worth while.

After the concert, there were tea and buns and lots of fellowship. My little cousin, Christian, came back to help me at the product table, and there were lots of hugs and laughs all around the room.

Looking forward to singing in Leading Tickles tomorrow night!

Tour Day 11 - Rehearsal

2011-08-11T20:47:00.002-05:00

It's nice to finally be settled in one place for a few days.

After a relaxing morning, we visited the church where we'll be singing tomorrow night. We had the luxury of actually setting up all our gear and doing a full rehearsal in the sanctuary. After a few days of driving, it was great to touch and tweak all the songs. We usually get about an hour or so to set up for a concert, so it was fantastic to have several hours to really adjust our sound and get used to the acoustic.

Tomorrow, we'll have a quick sound check, set up our CDs, and then have the concert. After the show, the church is hosting a reception right in the sanctuary, so we're really looking forward to a great night!

If you're in the area, here are our weekend shows:

St. James' Anglican Church
Botwood
Friday, August 12
7:00pm

St. Nicholas' Anglican Church
Leading Tickles
Saturday, August 13
7:00pm

An offering will be taken at each concert.

Tour Day 10 - We're in Botwood!

2011-08-10T22:01:00.002-05:00

I don't have the exact mileage in front of me, but so far, we've driven over 1700 KM on this trip. And we have the gas bills to prove it!

Today was another full day in the car as we headed east towards my Mom's home town of Botwood. My extended family still live here, and the town is full of great memories for me.

Our drive today was clear and easy. We spent a lot of the time listening to music and singing along. We've been giving ourselves different vocal challenges, like trying to learn both an upper and lower harmony on the same song. Other times, we just switch into silly songwriting mode, improvising ridiculous lyrics and trying to crack each other up. Yes, over 1700 KM and counting...

We always love trying local and unusual food on our travels, so today, we tried moose burgers. They had a really distinct taste - kind of gamey, I guess? We liked it, but I don't know if we'd order them again.

I'm so happy to be in Botwood now! We'll be here for several days, and we have concerts Friday and Saturday night. It's so awesome to be around my family. The next few days are gonna be good!!

Tour Day 9 - Taking the Ferry

2011-08-09T22:48:00.002-05:00

We're in Newfoundland!!!! Whoo-hoo!!!!

Today started with more fog and rain, but it didn't affect our travels. We arrived in North Sydney at lunchtime and boarded the ferry for an afternoon crossing.

I haven't been on the ferry in years, and the new ships are great - big windows, plenty of comfortable seating, cafes, a restaurant, and even an internet cafe. We found a lovely table by the window where we could work on some music. It was a loppy crossing, and lots of people were having trouble, but luckily, I have good sea legs. Actually, we found a few sleeper seats, and the swaying of the ship lulled us into a great afternoon nap. It made me think of the story of the storm when Jesus was asleep in the bottom of the boat. Maybe he was lulled to sleep by the swaying of the ship too...

We've settled in for the night in a great hotel with a fantastic view of Port aux Basques. We have a good internet connection here, so I've just posted a bunch of photos on our Facebook page.

Tomorrow is another long drive, and then we settle for a few days.

Tour Day 8 - Cabot Trail

2011-08-08T22:28:00.002-05:00

Everyone says the Cabot Trail is beautiful, but nothing really prepares you for it. Every turn was breathtaking! And despite the weather - rain all day and fog for the late afternoon - we still loved every minute of it.

Early in the day, we visited St. Pierre Church in Cheticamp. It's a fantastic and elaborate building, erected with local stone by local builders in the early 1800s. A few tourists drifted around, but when the sanctuary was empty, I sang a verse and chorus of "It is Well." What an acoustic!

As we drove through the hills, the stunning views and fascinating artisan shops ignited our own creativity as we thought of new ideas for our concert. I picked up a handmade songwriting journal and we started to play with a few new song ideas.

Tonight, we settled into Ingonish Beach for a cozy night in a fantastic, family run hotel.

Tomorrow...Newfoundland!

New Video!!

2011-08-08T16:55:00.005-05:00

One thing we didn't realize pre-tour was the sporadic internet connection we'd have in some of the rural areas. (Yes, we're spoiled Toronto snobs! We get it!)

I've posted a video we shot in Montreal. You can view it on our facebook page and our youtube channel.

Tour Day 7 - Cape Breton

2011-08-07T21:54:00.000-05:00

Today we hit Cape Breton island!

These are our vacation days before the next big chunk of the tour, so we're taking it easy, driving slowly, and taking in the beauty of our surroundings. We're doing our best to enjoy the area without getting caught in the many tourist traps of this busy region.

I'm not usually one to blog about food, but tonight, I indulged in a lobster dinner. I'm sure hundreds of lobsters were consumed in Cape Breton today, but nobody enjoyed their lobster as much as me!

Tour Day 6 - Antigonish

2011-08-06T21:03:00.001-05:00

Today was another full day of driving, with fantastic, clear weather.

We've crossed the border into Nova Scotia, and we've decided to spend the night in Antigonish. This is a gorgeous town, with stunning churches and a beautiful downtown. We unwound from our drive with a lingering walk and an awesome seafood feed.

We have wifi in the hotel, so I'm trying to catch up with my online stuff. I'm hoping to post some photos and videos tonight, but the internet isn't very strong, so we'll see how it goes.

Tour Day 5 - Fredericton Fun Day

2011-08-05T22:40:00.002-05:00

So the original plan was to play Halifax this weekend, but that concert moved to the end of the month, so we're having a few vacation days as we head east!

Today we hit beautiful downtown Fredericton. We strolled the streets poking our heads into cafes, bookstores, and patios. We spent a good chunk of the afternoon at Tony's Music Box Ltd - a great music store with good guitars and musical staff.

We wandered through the Garrison District soaking in the creative beauty of the city's artisans - pottery, glass, fabrics, jewelery, woodwork. I didn't buy anything, but seeing all that art and walking by the river just feeds my artistic soul.

We're staying on the dairy farm again tonight, so after dinner, we had a full tour of the barns. Over 100 cows and calves, learning the ins and outs of farm life. We were invited to wake at 5:00am to watch the milking, and even though my brain thinks that would be really interesting, the rest of my body refuses to comply.

We've really had a great time here - lots of chatting, laughing, and cups of tea...

Tour Day 4 - St. Thomas, Stanley, NB

2011-08-04T23:32:00.004-05:00

Tonight, we held our first concert of the tour in Stanley, New Brunswick.

Our hosts for the weekend own a dairy farm, so we're situated on acres and acres of rolling hills and farmland. Just gorgeous country!

St. Thomas's is a beautiful old wooden church with a long history in the community. We had a great audience that even included a few old friends.

Over the past month, we've been working on our live show, tweaking and changing songs, trying to make an evening that would be both fun and encouraging. Tonight, it felt like things were in really good stride. The audience sang along when invited, and several times, I noticed individuals quietly singing their favourite praise songs or hymns.

After the concert, we were treated to an awesome reception with tables full of homemade biscuits, sandwiches, squares, and fresh fruit.

I have limited internet access today, but later this weekend I'll post some photos.

Tour Day 3 - Signs of the East Coast

2011-08-03T22:19:00.002-05:00

We've landed in Edmunston, New Brunswick for the night.

A few signs we're definitely heading into East Coast territory:

- Fog so thick you can't see the road in front of you.

- Awesome place names - Saint-Louis-du-Ha!-Ha! anyone?

- Irving gas stations!

- Moose warning signs.

- Increased prayers we don't see a moose on the road....

Tour Day 2 - Montreal Adventures

2011-08-02T23:08:00.005-05:00

We arrived in Montreal last night after a good day's drive. Our plan was to get up this morning and continue our drive east, but we were having so much fun, we decided to spent the day in this fantastic city!

This morning, we visited Gerald's alma mater, the National Theatre School. (Gerald graduated from their prestigious playwriting program.) A staff member gave us a tour, and it was great to put a physical space to all Gerald's stories.

The National Theatre School.

We spent the afternoon walking around Old Montreal. Gerald was tempted by a lovely Taylor guitar at Steve's Music. We took countless photos of Notre Dame Cathedral. We ate amazing meals. We saw fantastic art and architecture, and just loved the vibe of the city.

Notre Dame - main altar and crucifix.

I visited Notre Dame years ago, and even knowing it was going to be beautiful, it still took my breath away. The paintings, carvings, stained glass - all detailed and glorious.

As I knelt at the altar rail and soaked in the overwhelming beauty, I realized that a church like this had to be designed to make us think of the glory and awe of God. This isn't an intimate worship space. It reflects the grandeur and power of a majestic God.

And as I prayed, I thought,
"This beauty is amazing, but it's truly nothing compared to the beauty of God.
And if this is overwhelming, what will it be like to stand before the glory of God?"

Tour Day 1 - We're on Tour!!!!

2011-08-01T18:28:00.005-05:00

After months of planning, booking, and mapping it all out, we've started our East Coast Tour!

Today was a driving day, and we're spending tonight in Montreal. Our first show is Thursday in Stanley, NB.

All our current dates can be found on our Calendar, but check back often as we anticipate adding a few events along the way.

We'll be continuing our Tour Angels program throughout the month. If you haven't signed up yet, please visit our Tour Angels page for more info.

And you can also visit our new YouTube channel! We've started with a video from our recent Plein Air Concert, and throughout the month, we'll be adding lots of tour video.

New photos!

2011-07-27T17:39:00.003-05:00

I've been posting a lot of new photos today.

You can see our new Elim Lodge photo album on our site, and lots of new photos on our Facebook page.

Our recent shopping trip to Cosmo Music.
No, this wasn't a purchase!

How Sundays roll...

2011-07-24T22:04:00.003-05:00

So, the start of the day wasn't fantastic: we had to make the announcement about postponing our concert, which just felt horrible. I do think it was the right decision, but certainly not one that made either of us feel good.

Happily, the day got significantly better from there!

This morning, we led worship for Chartwell Church's Kerr St. congregation in Oakville. This faithful group meets in the basement of an apartment building, gathering early for coffee, and sitting cafe style for the worship service.

Gerald and I actually led the entire service! We started with 30 minutes of music and prayer, and then presented our version of a musical sermon. We shared stories about God's hand on our lives, interspersed with songs of reflection. After we spoke, the pastor led the group in prayer for us, which was incredibly humbling. We ended with a rousing hymn, and then joined the crowd for a fantastic meal of BBQ!

In the afternoon, we met with our band to rehearse for tonight's Gathering service. Lack of a sound person added a few challenges, but we pushed on, and had a great night of music! Tonight's team included vocals, guitar, piano, bass, and saxophone.

Our pre-service song was What a Wonderful World, followed by songs like Beautiful One and Our God. We sang Psalm 31 set to Leonard Cohen's Hallelujah, and for a song of reflection, we sang Martina McBride's Anyway. Drew preached on the subject of Faith or Fear, which led to some great discussions.

After the service, we chatted with team members, confirmed details for next week's service, and then met with Patrick, who'll start as organist and choir director in the fall.

There's nothing like that feeling at the end of a great Sunday - tired, but well earned.

Kick Off Concert Postponed!!!!!!

2011-07-23T22:26:00.005-05:00

Unfortunately, we've had to postpone our concert until the fall.

Please stayed tuned to www.InfinitelyMore.ca for a new time and date.

Our apologies for any inconvenience!!!!!!

Concerts In The Park but not In The Park

2011-07-20T22:55:00.001-05:00

Hot town, summer in the city
Back of my neck getting dirty and gritty
Been down, isn't it a pity
Doesn't seem to be a shadow in the city

All around, people looking half dead
Walking on the sidewalk, hotter than a match head

That could be our theme song in Toronto right now.

We're in record highs, and there's no break in sight. So you can imagine our concern as we planned for an outdoor concert tonight in Burlington (just west of Toronto). I was really excited to book a spot in the summer concert series, as we were the only Christian act on the line-up.

But we were even more thrilled to arrive at the bandshell today and see the sign "Concert Moved Indoors Tonight"!

What a relief! The fear was that people would stay away with the heat, but the audience started to arrive, and in the end, we had well over a hundred people crammed into the hall.

We knew this would be a really mixed crowd, so in addition to our signature pieces, we pulled out a lot of well known pop and country songs. It was interesting to watch the crowd - some sang along, some smiled, and a few looked at us like, "I have no idea what they're singing about, but I think I like it." Okay, that's my own interpretation, but I like to think I'm on the money.

Doing Christian music in a non-church setting is a real challenge, especially in a city like Toronto where Christians face a lot of political-correctness, but I'm determined to keep pressing forward. I have confidence in our music, and I believe it can inspire people from all walks of life.

And I think in a city as diverse as ours, all voices need to be heard.

Elim Lodge - Day 2

2011-07-18T23:00:00.003-05:00

For the past few months, we've deliberately taken Monday as our day off. When you're self-employed, it's easy to work every day, and we found we really needed to designate a day as our own.

Today, we were blessed to spend our day off at Elim Lodge!

We drifted around the campground, enjoying the sunshine and the people, and only paying attention to the clock when it was time to eat.

This afternoon, I set up a writing studio by the water. I brought out all my writing tools: a guitar, my iPhone, my pink MacBook (complete with Masterwriter) and of course, an espresso. The stillness and fresh air created a gently creative environment.

My songwriting studio.

After supper, we gathered at the water with the rest of the campground to watch a wakeboarding demonstration - cool tricks and jumps, and they still were able to use it as a ministry moment.

Later, the weather turned and a storm started brewing in the distance. I sat outside and watched the fork lightening and the changing palette of the clouds. The air had shifted, and birds started flying for cover. It was awesome and beautiful. The storm still hasn't hit, but until just a few minutes ago, the power was out.

Storm watching...

The next few weeks will be busy with concerts and touring. I'm so grateful for this quiet and calming day...

I think I'm one of the few people who honestly loves Mondays.

Elim Lodge - Day 1

2011-07-17T22:26:00.000-05:00

We’ve spent the weekend here at Elim Lodge, north of Peterborough. This family-friendly Christian campground host activities all summer long, including daily worship and weekend Gospel concerts.

Our view!

We arrived yesterday and settled into our cozy cabin by the lake. After a fantastic BBQ feast, we had our sound check and set up our product table.

Setting up last night made for a relaxing Sunday morning. As we rechecked our sound, a few families drifted into the sanctuary. Ten minutes before the service, we gathered for prayer with the service leaders. When we left the prayer room, we discovered a packed sanctuary of over 400 people!

The service was wonderful, with robust congregational singing, and a great message based on the book of Jonah. Gerald and I sang “Just a Closer Walk with Thee” and “Amazing Grace (My Chains are Gone.)”

After a relaxing afternoon, we gathered back at the chapel for our evening concert. This kind of audience presents a unique challenge. We knew the crowd would represent a mix of denominations, ages, and interests, so we prepared a very eclectic program. We mixed hymns, praise & worship, Gospel, country, originals, and even a Beatles song.

Selling our Blue Bag Special at the concert.

At the last minute, Gerald decided to do his 9-11 song, “Angels in the Dust”. At the product table after the show, Gerald had the chance to speak with a woman who actually found her faith because of her 9-11 experience.

It’s amazing - you never quite know how a song can affect someone.

You never know when you might be singing someone else’s story...

Plein Air Concerts

2011-07-06T23:40:00.002-05:00

Tonight, we opened the Plein Air Concert series.

The list of summer concerts and workshops, featuring our opening night concert!

Each summer, artist Susan Brown hosts a variety of musicians for a series of concerts in her lush backyard. The centerpiece of the garden is a gorgeous wooden pavilion that provides both a stage and a surprisingly good acoustic.

When we get the opportunity to bring Infinitely More into a non-church environment, we're always excited by the challenge of providing inspiration and encouragement without getting, well, too "churchy." We pulled out a real mix of songs, including popular standards like "People Get Ready" and "Lean on Me." We also chose soulful songs like Gerald's "Real Big Fan", and artsy pieces, like my "Sing Me a Song".

As we sang the gentler songs, we were accompanied by soft breezes and singing birds. Surrounding the stage were paintings, a waterfall, and candle-filled lanterns. Truly, a glorious place to sing!

Gerald filmed the concert using our new video recorder, so I'm hoping to post some video soon.

There's nothing like singing outdoors, especially in such a beautiful environment. We have another outdoor concert in Burlington this month. Hoping for another fantastic night!

East Coast Tour Kick Off Concert!

2011-07-05T11:37:00.002-05:00

Mark your calendars for a great night of music!

Featuring the music of Infinitely More, and lots of special guests!

All moneys raised will support our East Coast Tour.

Tour Angels in the $100 level and higher will receive FREE TICKETS to this event.

The Lord Giveth, and The Lord Postponeth...

2011-07-04T16:27:00.002-05:00

I'm writing this with a heavy heart.

When we heard that our church was installing a new sound system with the ability to do high quality recordings, our artistic hearts leaped with joy! The concept of gathering our friends together to do some recording was irresistible, and we started to make plans. Having an Infinitely More CD for our East Coast Tour was an awesome thought, so we booked an engineer and made arrangements for each step of the process.

But to quote John Lennon, "Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans."

We received news today that the sound system won't be in place until at least a week later than originally planned.

Ugh.

Given our tight summer schedule, there's no way we'd be able to make the CD before our tour. We've just called everyone involved to give them the news.

Obviously, by the opening line of this post, I'm disappointed. But I'm just taking a few deep breaths, looking out the back window at the sunny day, and seeking blessings in all of this.

A few thoughts come immediately to mind:

This gives us more time and resources to put towards our July concerts and our August tour.
We're not canceling but postponing. We'll still have all our great ideas and fabulously talented friends when we're able to record in a few months.
By the time we're able to record, we'll probably have a whole new set of original songs for the album.
When I think of the serious issues plaguing friends of mine - illness, grief, financial despair - I really have no right to complain about delaying a recording. I mean seriously, I make a living creating music with my husband - who am I to complain about anything???

So, keep that $15 in your pocket, and in a few months, we'll have a fantastic new CD for you to purchase!

We're making a CD!!!!

2011-06-30T20:21:00.003-05:00

You know when people talk about summer being the time to relax and take it easy? Well, they're probably not musicians!

Our summer is shaping up to be awesome and filled with great stuff. We have lots of concerts in July, and our huge East Coast Tour in August.

We're also having an East Coast Tour Kick Off Concert on Wednesday, July 27. Mark your calenders, and I'll post more details soon.

As we've been planning the tour, one thing has been weighing on us (besides the price of gas!). Even though I have 2 great CDs, we still don't have an Infinitely More CD.

Well, that's about to change!

In an already crazy summer,
we've decided to record an Infinitely More CD!!!

Our church is about to install an awesome new sound system, so we're gathering a few musician friends for a few days of worship and recording! The CD will have a mix of hymns, praise songs, and our own originals.

All our songs will be recorded live-off-the-floor, which means everything will happen in one take. It's an old school style of recording, hearkening back to Elvis, Studio B, and Sun Records. In its best moments, live-off-the-floor feels like you're in the room with the musicians. It captures the sounds and spirit of the creative moment like few things can.

We're really, really excited about this, and all the details are falling into place. I'll post more as it all comes together!

Book Review: Tithing by Douglas LeBlanc

2011-06-25T14:25:00.004-05:00

When I saw another book in the Ancient Practices Series, I jumped at the chance to review it.

I'm often challenged by the concept of tithing, and in discussing it with other people, lots of difficult questions arise:

Is tithing only an Old Testament practice, no longer required of modern Christians?
If we see tithing as relevant for today, do we practice the Old Testament's 10% or the New Testament's give-it-all-to-God?
Are the unemployed required to tithe?
What if you want to tithe but your spouse isn't Christian?
What if you're in severe financial crisis and tithing will only add to your debt?
Is tithing only financial, or does it include Time and Talents?

Unfortunately, this book answers none of these questions.

LeBlanc chooses to teach about tithing through profiles of tithers. That could work, but in the average 12 page chapter, 10 are dedicated to their personal history while only 2 are dedicated to the person's thoughts on tithing. My other issue is that most of these people are not your average tithers. Instead, they're often people who have dedicated their lives to extreme examples of giving, or living in dedicated communities that consume less.

That would be fine if this were a book on generous giving, but it's not. Unfortunately, it relegates tithing to a mere subtopic.

I really wanted to like this book, but in the end, I'm afraid I just can't recommend it.

Ugh.

I hate having to write something negative about someone else's creative project. It gives me a stomach ache.

I'm going to write a post featuring some of my favourite books - kind of a Summer Reading List. Stay tuned...

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

The First Gathering...

2011-06-19T22:40:00.001-05:00

Okay, not technically the "first" Gathering, but the first where we've been in charge.

Tonight was pretty awesome. It's kind of the different between dating and being married. The stakes are higher, the commitment stronger. We can now think about long-term dreams...

Our team tonight was fantastic, and at the risk of bragging, we chose great songs (which makes all the difference!). Drew has decided to add pre-service music, so we shook it up a bit with The Beatles' "All You Need is Love."

"All Who are Thirsty" and "Come, Now is the Time..." provided an invitation to worship, leading into the always powerful "Our God."

Gerald then brought us into a place of focus with his song, "A Prayer Will Find You" which sounded so beautiful!

Drew gave a powerful and interactive message on the role of an informed conscience in discipleship, and we sent them out singing with "Beautiful One."

We've already started to make a few small changes. The pre-service music is one. I'm also posting a song each week on the church's Facebook page. Sort of a teaser video, so people can know what we'll be singing at the next service.

And because I'm blessed with an awesome Dad,
and so many wonderful men in my life:

Happy Father's Day!!!!

BIG NEWS!!!

2011-06-12T22:10:00.002-05:00

Gerald and I have been on staff at St. John's York Mills for almost two years now. Our role has been as musicians and assistant directors of the Worship Team.

I'm thrilled to announce that we've just finalized a brand new contract:

Starting this week, we are now
the Worship Leaders of The Gathering!

We're so excited about this new position! We've completely fallen in love with The Gathering. This casual, contemporary evening worship blends the best aspects of music, fellowship, and challenging, spiritual dialogue.

With this new schedule, we'll be at St. John's every Sunday evening, which will allow us Sunday mornings to visit other churches.

We're grateful to the leadership of St. John's for entrusting us with and supporting us in this new position. We're excited about leading the band, and creating an inviting and invigorating worship experience for our team and our congregation!

If you'd like to check it out, please join us some Sunday night:

The Gathering
St. John's York Mills Church
19 Don Ridge Dr.
North York, ON
M2P 1H3
Near York Mills subway, and Yonge & 401
Free parking
5:00pm
Come early for coffee and sweets!

Adventures of a Starving Artist

Break Forth - Day 3

Break Forth - Day 2

Break Forth - The Protester

Break Forth - Day 1

Twas the Night Before Break Forth...

New photos!

Edmonton!

Sunday Goodness...

The Voice in Red

The 12 Angels of Christmas - Day 12

The 12 Angels of Christmas - Day 11

The 12 Angels of Christmas - Day 10

The 12 Angels of Christmas - Day 9

The 12 Angels of Christmas - Day 8

The 12 Angels of Christmas - Day 7

The 12 Angels of Christmas - Day 6

The 12 Angels of Christmas - Day 5

The 12 Angels of Christmas - Day 4

The 12 Angels of Christmas - Day 3

The 12 Angels of Christmas - Day 2

The 12 Angels of Christmas - Day 1

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

How silently, how silently The wondrous gift is given! So God imparts to human hearts The blessings of His heaven. No ear may hear His coming, But in this world of sin, Where meek souls will receive him still, The dear Christ enters in.

O Little Town of Bethlehem, by Phillip Brooks.

Christmas Eve:

The Twelve Creches of Christmas

Blue Christmas...

Ready for Christmas!

Why I might annoy you this Christmas...

Loooooong Day!

Every church really IS a small town...

Post-Birthday Bliss

Infinitely More concert!

New photos!

Kerr Village Tree Lighting

NOVEMBER CONCERT!

Break Forth!

Wild Sunday...

My Dad got a cover story!

My Rehearsal Buddy...

New photos!

Music Team Workshop

Those Autumn Leaves...

Dunking the Baby

Happy Thanksgiving!

Jesus Jam photos...

Why I Love Mondays

Jesus Jam at Church of the Messiah

New Video!

Back to Church Sunday

Burlington House Concert

The Challenge of Choosing Worship Music

Remembering 9-11

Blog Scooped!

Tour Day 31 - Home

Tour Day 30 - Montreal

Tour Day 29 - Back in Montreal

Tour Day 28 - Hurricane Irene

Tour Day 27 - Bedford House Concert

Tour Day 26 - Halifax

Tour Day 25 - The Ferry!

Tour Day 24 - Final St. John's Jaunt

Tour Day 23 - St. John's & New Photos!

Tour Day 22 - St. John's Downtown

Tour Day 21 - St. Thomas' & A New Song!

Tour Day 20 - Kenny's Pond

Tour Day 19 - Church of the Good Shepherd, Mount Pearl

Tour Day 18 - Salvage to St. John's!!!

Tour Day 17 - Eastpost, and New Family History

Tour Day 16 - Indian Bay

Tour Day 15 - Treasure Hunt!

Tour Day 14 - Scrunchions, Frogs, and Risque Worship

More photos!

Tour Day 13 - Leading Tickles, NL

New photos!

Tour Day 12 - St. James' Church, Botwood

Tour Day 11 - Rehearsal

Tour Day 10 - We're in Botwood!

Tour Day 9 - Taking the Ferry

How silently, how silently
The wondrous gift is given!
So God imparts to human hearts
The blessings of His heaven.
No ear may hear His coming,
But in this world of sin,
Where meek souls will receive him still,
The dear Christ enters in.