Update / Current Status The following will probably turn out to be long. Just FYI, I posted a comment on dates after this one (well before in time, but it shows up after this one). Figured I'd mention that in case someone didn't feel like reading all of this. Yes, there are TWO new entires today! :)
It has been a while since I've posted anything, and some of the last posts were more logistical in nature. Discussing how we are expanding, etc., but not what is going on in service. Erika is usually pretty good about posting on those things though, as well as Jaime! This lack of posting isn't because nothing has been going on... far from it. Things have been awesome. Its just that I've been very busy and haven't sat down to reflect. My other blog takes very little time to update, and is more just "hey that was interesting." - so I keep it up to date. Anyway... here goes!
Worship has been getting more and more intense. As a whole, I believe the team is morphing into what God wants it to be. More and more people are taking their positions. This is not a reflection on anyone being better that anyone else, it is just a matter of people moving into what they are called to do. Everyone on a team is important and makes up what that team is all about. When someone leaves, or should someone leave, the team would be a different team. Not always worse or better, but different. So, the reason we do what we do, is because of ALL the people that make up the team. I can say that with confidence, having been on a number of worship teams, and always having been in a "supporting" or "background" role. I'm certainly glad other people are called to lead worship as the Worship Leader, because I am certainly not!
I believe one of the big changes is that Michael is now leading. He has become established as "the Worship Leader". We used to run a "format" where a number of people lead, all depending on who sung which song. Musically we were getting very good, but I started to worry about the worship. I felt we weren't flowing real well. (I may have commented on that here). We decided we would instead have one or two people lead, and that way they could actually lead not just a song, but the entire service. To a great extent, the flow of worship during a service is an expression of how the worship leader is flowing with the Holy Spirit, how he/she is feeling - being led - etc, and how the band flows with that leader as well as the Holy Spirit. Having the same person lead gives them a chance to walk in that, versus it being "changed up" every song.
Michale is now leading, and it is evident that he is called, that he hears from God during the service, and that he can flow. It has been awesome.
In addition to that change, some personal stuff (which I won't go into here) has been happening in the church and in Michael's life, and it has really caused him to reach out to God. I believe that is also effecting our worship, in an awesome way. When someone talks to God, a lot, and worships in their daily lives, it shows in their "performance". When they come together to worship. Because this is evident, Pastor Rick has given Michael the OK to take the service wherever he feels it should go. The last two weeks have been almost completely worship nights! Not going long for the sake of going long, but because we all felt (and Michael heard) that was the direction God wanted it to go, and so he took us there. Incredible.
In addition to Michael leading, Nichole is also leading on a few worship songs. She'll either have one song a night, or perhaps just function as the femal lead vocal on a song or two. Nichole and Michael flow awesomely together. Michael tends to set up the song, take it where God wants it to go, and then he'll quite down and just "wait on the Lord" and Nichole will pick it up and move in it. (Yeah... this is kind of weird terminology to those who have never experienced a worship service... but it is the best way I can express it.) One of the awesome things about Nichole's worship leading is her ability to hear from God and speak words of encouragement, prophetic words, or just sing in tounges. As I said, Michael and her flow well with each other. It is an awesome thing to see/experience.
Scott also will usually lead one or two fast songs and generally gets the crowd going. He is great at "being up" in a particular song, and functions in that, within the context of Michael's leadership.
As I said, it takes everyone to form a team. The team as a whole is flowing very well and flows where Michael leads. I could probably go on way too long about each person. Bobby's direction and leadership of the team. Jaime's and Erika's flowing on the keys. Meg's viola - which is SO AWESOME and just adds so much to the worship songs (and I hope the praise songs as she starts to play more and more) - and of course Dono's sax which trades off with the viola. And then everyone else that makes up the team.
The awesome change that I see/feel lately is we have made another move. We have grown more. We have gone from a team that can worship in a song, to a team that can flow an entire service, going in the direction that the Lord wants it to go. It is an awesome thing. And one that we will hopefully be able to reproduce in Costa Rica. Not for "reproductions" sake... not that it will be the same as it is here. But that with the language difference, we'll still be able to flow and go where God wants it to go. For those people, for that night, for the situation at hand. It is a wonderous thing when you don't have to depend upon yourself, but you can depend on God and let him lead. And you are just the conduit.
I can't wait to see what the next month brings, as we beging to focus more and more on Costa Rica and the team continues to grow. They are getting tighter and tighter. And then the changes that will come in fall... and to think what next year will bring as God continues to grow the team.
It is an awesome thing and something I'm so priviledged to be associated with!
Dates Well as both Michael and Jaime have commented, You should update the Fusion-Worship blog, you haven't said anything for a long time! So... here I am. First I'll post a comment on dates, then my next entry will be more content (and longer).
A number of "Fusion Worship" expansions are currently on hold. This is a for a couple of reasons:
The Children's Church ministries are going through some changs as bible students who were leaders leave, and new ones come in. Michele (the director) didn't want to make any other changes in May. So, having Children's Church worship go to twice a month, and starting the pre-school worship is currently on hold for May.
Since we have a lot of Costa-Rica activies going on in June, and then most of the people involved in worship teams will be gone for late June/July, I thought it would be bad to start something in June, and then miss the next date!
So... we'll probably just want to "expand" these ministries until late July or August, when we all are back and can regroup!
As for the Fusion Worship Team, there are only 3 more practices before we leave! Based on that:
Dominick, who is going to Costa Rica, will be practicing and playing as the drummer, to get integrated with the team. Nick, who is not going, will be helping the sound team and resume as the main drummer when we get back.
Michael, who is leading in Costa Rica, is getting the songs translated into Spanish
Bobby has given me the song list for CR and I've sent it to Jonathan
As much as possible, we are going to try and do the CR songs for the rest of the services before we leave
I'm pretty sure we are taking the keys, as they have become an integral part
I think that is all I have to say about dates...
posted by James
at 5:40 AM
Saturday, May 24, 2003
