Getting Ready For Easter

There are also opportunities to come and participate.

Easter Choir:  Performing at the Easter Service.  Practice begins this   Wednesday at 7pm  in the Mayfair room.
Rehearsals:  March 10, 17, 24, 31.

Orchestra Rehearsals: March 14, 21, 28, 31

For more information call 931-4949
or email us at cornerstone@sasktel.net

CD Review – Steven Curtis Chapman, Beauty Will Rise

CD Review
Steven Curtis Chapman, Beauty Will Rise

Out of personal tragedy comes this very remarkable release from veteran artist Steven Curtis Chapman.  Its been a long time since an album has affected me quite like this one has.  In terms of production it has a very intimate and raw feel.  They seem to have left some of polish off of this one, and yet we are rewarded as listeners with a warmth and honesty that comes through in every note.  Musically it is also excellent.  The songs are also really well written, and very creative.  It isn’t a standard rock band style of album, instead taking a more minimalistic approach to instrumentation and arrangement.  Somehow they seem to do more with less.  Lyrically, it has some very dark moments, and there is a tremendous honesty in grappling with both personal pain, and the problems of pain and suffering in the world.  In the face of such big questions Steven continuously goes back to God.  The personal tragedy is somehow enlarged to look theologically at the whole world through the eyes of God.  What’s amazing in this album is that we don’t get answers, instead we receive glimpses, glimpses of the glory of God and His work and His plan.  It’s really remarkable and precious to be able to listen to art like this and have your picture of God enlarged, and be instilled with a greater sense of His glory.  This is a great dose of hope.  I don’t know how he could even sing and play this, yet he does it with such integrity and artistic excellence.  Take time to really stop and listen to this album.

Reviewed by Lorn Gieck

Tim Milner Concert

Cornerstone Church, and Free 100.3, are excited to be bringing in Canadian worship artist Tim Milner for an evening of worship on Sunday February 28th at 6:30pm.  Tim Milner is a Covenant nominated worship leader with many years of worship leading and teaching experience.  Posters are coming to you in the mail and we would appreciate it if you could put them up in your church. Tickets cost $15 and are available at Scott’s Parable and the Cornerstone Church Office.  For more information you can contact Cornerstone Church at 931-4949 or email cornerstone@sasktel.net . You can also find more information about Tim Milner at www.timmilner.com or www.myspace.com/timmilnerband.

Quality

In the past month or so the Music & Arts department has been talking about the issue of quality.  And by quality, we were talking about it  with respect to attaining a certain degree of  high standards; an approaching of excellence in our trade as musicians.   It all started at a Music & Arts Committee Meeting where we had a chance to reflect a little on how valuable we perceived quality to be.  In that discussion we found that as Arts leadership in Cornerstone, we feel very strongly that quality is important.  We talked about how it demonstrates our investment and commitment to what we do.  It shows that we have a certain healthy amount of satisfaction in what we’re doing.  Often as musicians if we don’t do our best we’re faced with a certain amount of anxiety.  We don’t feel right about giving a substandard effort.  Being fully prepared is a freeing thing.  Our quality standards also reflect on our motivation on service: If God is who we are serving, and God is Holy and magnificent, we should bring to him our very best.

As I though about this more I was reading in Leviticus at the time, and Chapter 22.17-31 gives the Lord’s instructions as to what kind of offerings the Lord finds acceptable.  It lists the kinds of animals and all the possible imperfections that cannot and should not be brought before the Lord.  In verse 31 the importance of quality it is linked to the Holiness of God, and we are to be faithful in bringing our best sacrifices to him.  In verse 32 it says, “Do not treat my holy name as common and ordinary.  I must be treated as holy by the people of Israel.  It is I, the Lord, who makes you holy.”  And so we bring the best to our Lord.

There is an amazing miracle in this.  We cannot attain perfection, and perfectionism can be a trap for artists.  It is up to God to accomplish the work of cleansing us, to make us a suitable offering.  He makes us Holy.  The work of Christ makes us holy,  makes our offerings pleasing to God.  So if we start with a heart offered to Jesus, motivated to serve him, then God will find pleasure in our service of Him and His kingdom.

Its been great to see the worship teams embrace this as we’ve been talking about it.  One of the questions that came out of the discussions was why are we talking about this now?  Is there a problem of quality?  I’m happy to say no, not at all.  I think our musicians are really good, and we’re blessed with a lot of talented people.  But that doesn’t mean we stop pursuing, or stop  challenging ourselves in our pursuit of following God where he calls us.

Lorn
Associate Pastor of Music & Arts

Music & Arts Links

Here are some of the online resources that I go to.  If you are interested in what’s going on in the world of worship, music, art and arts technology, then check some of these out.  If you have some great places to visit, I’d love to see you post some in your comments. We’ll continue to add things as they come to mind. Pastor Lorn

Worship leadership & Administration
This is the online software we use to assist with the administration of the worship team here at Cornerstone church. http://www.planningcenteronline.com/

Canadian Centre for Worship Studies – lots of academic papers regarding worship theology, history, technology, and arts. http://www.ccws.ca/

Resources for modern worship, with online store. http://worshiptogether.com/

Sheet music resource, with musical examples, and arrangements for choir and orchestra. http://www.praisecharts.com/

This is the group that make sure the artists receive credit for writing the songs we sing in our churches.  Also has the largest database of worship songs out there.  We get a lot of our print music from their song select service. http://www.ccli.com/

Equipment
My favorite periodical, with lots of artist interviews, and gear reviews. http://www.keyboardmag.com/

Another magazine, also a helpful place for gear reiviews. http://emusician.com/

This site has a large database of user reviews for all kinds of gear.  If you want to see what everyone is saying about an item you’ll find it here. http://harmony-central.com/

I’ve always had great results from Roland keyboards.  Last year I bought a Fantom G6, and still afraid of how much power it has. http://www.rolandus.com/

If you make music on a computer, this is a great place to find quality computer audio interfaces, and studio monitors.  I have a pair of the IE30 in ear monitors; they changed my life. http://www.m-audio.com/

This is my studio recording software, with lots of great synth plug-ins, 64 bit windows support.  Its amazing what you can record with this package. http://cakewalk.com/

Clayton Unruh is on of our gifted sound techs, and just so happens to have a  studio located just outside of Osler.  Our worship team is working on a project there as we speak.  If you need to record your band this would be a great place to be. http://www.mothershipstudios.ca/Home.html

CD Review – Matt Redman, We Shall Not Be Shaken

Worship CD Review
Matt Redman, We Shall Not Be Shaken

Matt Redman’s songs have been a pretty constant fixture at worship services here at Cornerstone Church.  Probably the best known of his songs is the anthem Blessed be the Name.  Even though we have sung some of his best known songs, its been a long time since I’ve kept up with what he’s been writing lately.  I must say I am really impressed.

Musically it fits into the usual Brit-pop territory with a mixture of mid tempo rock and ballad work, played with pretty standard instrumentation.  There’s not a lot of high gloss production on this.   What does stand out is some of his best song writing, with strong melodic work, and a vocal delivery that is passionate and urgent.

The lyrics are really where this album stands out.  Matt tackles the issues of our day regarding economy and loss of hope and points us as listeners constantly back to Jesus, His cross,  and the hope of salvation.  The title track We Shall Not Be Shaken really helps to correct our focus from our modern issues, to the faithfulness of God.   This theme reappears on the song Through it All which again focuses on God’s strength and power in all situations of life.  Other highlights include Remembrance (Communion Song) written with Matt Maher (we sing a few of his songs as well) and This is How We Know which again points us to the love of God as the starting point of our worship and our will to serve the world (remember Cornerstone, our vision is to change the world).  The album ends with My Hope, a beautiful re-imagining of a classic hymn, in which I really got caught in the moment Matt was creating.

With a focus that is both current and timeless, this is without a doubt one of the best worship Cd’s I’ve heard in a long time.

Reviewed by Lorn Gieck

Worship Team Fall Training

Fall Music Schedule

Send forth your light and your truth,
let them guide me;
let them bring me to your holy mountain,
to the place where you dwell.

Then will I go to the altar of God,
to God, my joy and my delight.
I will praise you with the harp,
O God, my God

Psalm 43.3,4 (NIV)

Hey everyone, and welcome back this fall. Hope everyone had a fantastic summer, with lots of family time, exciting trips and quiet time to sit in awe at the altar of God.

It’s incredible that all of creation is under the sovereign care of our God, and that nothing escapes his notice. He is constantly revealing himself to the world, and as believers his presence is alive in us. I pray that you are constantly led by the truth of God as you search him out in quiet times as you read the Bible. Only then will you be able to find out that God is the constant source of joy and delight; that worshiping before him is the greatest experience you will know.

As we look at the fall I want us to start thinking about how the music we do works in with the mission of the church as Russ has been talking about. For example, if we are strategically targeting men, how does that influence music style and choice when leading worship on Sunday morning? It’s always a good reminder that we are not just here to sing songs, but we are here to make the name of God known, so that others can know him. I believe that you have been called, and gifted to serve the church. As you explore and grow your talents in the name of Christ, the world will take notice; not of you, not of your talent, but of our God.  Send forth your light and your truth,

Pastor Lorn
lorncornerstone@sasktel.net
931-4949

click here for the Fall Music Schedule (Sept – Dec .pdf)

Summer Music Schedule

download the current music schedule (pdf).

Check back from time to time as this schedule will be updated to reflect changes due to scheduling conflicts.

Music and the Arts in Worship – Lorn’s Seminary Project

April is typically the month of Graduation from many of our fine Canadian post-secondary institutions. What isn’t typical is that I am one of the graduates. On Saturday April 25th, I will be walking across the platform once again. I’m finally graduating from seminary. I’m very thankful for the experience, and to see God continue to teach me and grow me through Godly instructors.

So with that in mind, it seemed like a good time to share my final paper with the church. It’s already up on the Canadian Centre for Worship Studies website. If you click on the link below it’ll send you to it. Just a warning, it may take more than one sitting to get through it.

http://www.ccws.ca/musicandthearts/

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