(Nashville, TN) March 13, 2009—Word Entertainment is slated to release two Women of Faith albums on March 17, including A Grand New Day from the Women of Faith Worship Team, and New Every Morning, a compilation featuring songs centered around the theme of God’s mercy being new every day, with songs by Mandisa, Avalon, Francesca Battistelli and Meredith Andrews.

Continuing their unique partnership with the Women of Faith organization, Word’s releases will serve as the official audio/CD for the weekly conferences, which draw thousands of women each year. Garnering Dove award nominations for the past two years, the Worship Team continues to be a successful part of the Women of Faith team.

In addition, Word is set to release two additional female-targeted projects on March 17, including Duets 2, a follow-up to Sandi Patty’s hit Duets album, as well as Women In Worship, a 20-song collection featuring today’s most popular worship songs, sung by women and for women.

For more information, visit www.wordlabelgroup.com.

Word Entertainment, a Warner/Curb company, is comprised of Word Distribution, Word Music and Word Label Group’s Word Records, Fervent Records, Myrrh Records, Canaan Records and Word Music Publishing.  Leading the industry with over 50 years of music making history, Word Entertainment represents some of Christian entertainment’s top brands, including award-winning artists Diamond Rio, Point Of Grace, BarlowGirl, Mark Schultz, Randy Travis, Selah, Natalie Grant, Aaron Shust, Big Daddy Weave and Francesca Battistelli, in addition to Big Idea’s successful VeggieTales video series.

Spent quite a bit of time at the church last night working on the new set for our new sermon series titled “DISCIPLE”. We had originally wanted to project the letters “DISCIPLE” onto the back wall with people’s faces inside the letters like this.

Due to some funding constraints on projectors that would make this work we decided we just couldn’t swing it. We finally landed on Plan C which diverted away from the aesthetics directly related to series title and just a general look, which will be incorporated into worship slides and other graphics.

After 8 hours at the church last night, we got it all done. I created some wiring components to allow us to plug some regular lights into our light battens and control them from the board. We then hung paper lanterns and balls and panels to create a general look of randomness and color. We ended up with this:

UPDATE: Just received this picture from one of the people that was helping. She took it with her phone as we were putting things up. Nothing lit.

That’s me up on the lift. I’m waving at you (not really, but if I knew she was taking a picture I would have been!)

What do you think?

Bart Millard of MercyMe has been working on a new album and you can now order it for when it becomes available on August, 19th, 2008.

The title of the album is “Hymned Again” and as you can imagine is an additional dose of Bart singing some of the favorite hymns of the church.

Bart Millard, the voice of MercyMe, crafts one of the most musically innovated CDs of the year with Hymned Again.

Following in the footsteps of his successful debut release, Hymned No. 1., Bart delivers bold interpretations of familiar hymns with a fun, up-tempo and spirited musical journey showcasing his signature vocals.

Here’s the track listing:

1. Leaning On The Everlasting Arms
2. Down At The Cross
3. What A Friend We Have In Jesus
4. I Saw The Light
5. I Stand Amazed
6. Victory In Jesus
7. Stand Up, Stand Up For Jesus
8. Brethren We Have Met To Worship
9. Grace That Is Greater
10. What A Day That Will Be
11. Jesus Cares For Me

How many of your favorites are on there? Which hymns are your favorites that you’d love to hear Bart sing on his next album?

Another album I’ve been listening to is “This Is My Story” by David Frush.

David serves as the minister to junior high students and the student ministry worship leader at The Heights Baptist Church in Richardson, TX.

This album delivers and transports you to an atmosphere or worship, I’m sure he does a fantastic job of leading worship for the students at his church. The album is a collection of songs you’re both familiar with and new ones that will expand your love for our Savior and worship him with your own story.

As I listen to more and more albums, one thing I really appreciate in the production of an album is that the vocals aren’t lost in the music. David’s lyrics and singing of these great messages stand out loud and clear. I’m sure that’s a residual benefit of so much experience leading worship, but it’s very much appreciated in this album.

“This Is My Story” Track Listing

1. Here Is Love
2. Song of Creation
3. All I Know
4. Just As You Are
5. Wait
6. Your Mercy Falls
7. Amazing Grace / Hallelujah
8. Prodigal Son
9. Children of Zion
10. Speak to Me
11. Eye of A Child
12. This Is My Story
13. Bonus Track: Here Am I

Some of my favorite songs I’ve bolded above. This is not necessarily an album you want to listen to get yourself pumped up. But it’s the perfect album to have playing in the background while working or while you’re actively approaching a spirit of prayer and worship.

David’s guitar work is generally good throughout the album, but I specifically enjoy the tone and tempo of it on the title track “This Is My Story”. Also, for anyone that has children, you’ll probably love “Eye of A Child”.

More photos and video after the jump

The video below is of David Frush and Jourdan Burks leading worship at The Heights Baptist Church in Richardson, TX.

Pictures Used with Permission from Leann Callaway

If you’d like to learn more about David Frush you can visit his MySpace site at www.myspace.com/davidfrush and his website at www.davidfrush.com

Many of you have probably seen this video with Fee where a good intentioned cymbal player really wants to join the worship band.

Our Worship Arts ministry at our church decided to make our own spoof of the spoof to encourage people to try out for our own ministry.

Shortly after beginning to attend our church I was cast in a drama that’s sealed my fate forever. I’m now “that guy” that appears frequently in dramas with a very similar character type. Interestingly enough, “that guy” is very close to how I really do act most of the time.

What do you think? Did I scare you off? Did you at least laugh?

Not directly related to Christian music, but since we also cover things related to worship I had to share the artistry of Camron Ware. I’ll let him introduce himself in his own words from his website.

My passion and joy in life is creating worship environments using light and projection. I’ve grown up loving pictures, colors, and the emotions they create. For over five years, I’ve had the blessing of being the Lighting and Projection Designer at Irving Bible Church. I have enjoyed seeing God take the passions and gifts He gave me and use them through me to create entire worship environments.

As someone who’s had personal interest and experience in theater, concert and event lighting, Camron’s work is absolutely beautiful. More importantly it does what should be the goal of anyone when leading or helping deliver a worship experience; transform the user’s experience and transport them to a worship experience that connects them with the One deserving worship.

Visit Camron Ware’s website, client flickr gallery, personal flickr gallery or this article about his work on Collide Magazine.

Chris Clayton’s album “all these things and more” releases today for purchase. He will also be having an album release party on June 13 in Grapevine, TX if you’re in the area here are the details:

CD Release Concert at 121 Community Church

840 Mustang Drive
Grapevine, TX 

June 13, 2008  — 7:30 PM
(Doors open at 7 pm)

Admission is free

For more information on Chris Clayton and to pre-order his CD, check out www.myspace.com/glimpseproductions  and www.chrisclayton.org

My mom participated in a National Youth Congress that took place in Estes Park, CO a LONG time ago. To this day though she still talks about how beautiful the area was. I love being out in nature, so I can imagine how nice it would be to combine that with immersing myself in Christian music at this event.

If you’re a musician, band members, singer, worship team member or worship leader then there’s probably loads of reason you’d be interested in this event.

Watch the video below that was put together by GMA from Gospel Music Channel’s coverage of last year’s event.

Visit the Music in the Rockies website for all the details and to register. Now, I just need to figure out if they need someone to live-blog this event for them. Hmmmm….

I picked up a load of new CD’s from my local Christian book store this weekend. Here’s the list of albums I picked up. I got a great deal on them out of a bargain bin where they were packaged in bricks of 5 CD’s each.

1. Sanctus Real – the face of love
2. Jonny Lang – turn around
3. Go Fish – snow
4. The Cross Movement – Gift Rap: A Hip Hop Christmas
5. Derek Webb – one zero (acoustic)
6. Caedmon’s Call – In the Company of Angels II: the world will sing
7. Jill Parr – Me again
8. Leigh Nash – blue on blue
9. Paul Wright – Wright or wrong these songs are Paul’s
10. The Swift – Singing Back to You
11. Sullivan – Cover Your Eyes
12. the jtb – Everything is Nothing
13. pfr – The Very Best of PFR
14. Leslie Phillips – The Definitive Collection
15. David Meece – The Definitive Collection
16. Steve Camp – The Definitive Collection
17. Petra – The Definitive Collection
18. Wayne Watson – The Definitive Collection
19. Randy Stonehill – The Definitive Collection
20. Guardian – The Definitive Collection

I’m absolutely pumped for the albums I’ve bolded above. Some of my favorite artists or artists that I’ve been wanting to listen to more and get to know. Derek Webb and Caedmon’s Call are obvious, along with PFR. Love Sixpence None the Richer, so grabbing Leigh Nash’s solo project was a nice find. Always interested in Petra and Gaurdian, but can’t believe the Guardian album didn’t include “I Found Love”, “Sweet Mystery” and “The Captain” from their “Miracle Mile” album.

Some of the people I didn’t bold above I’m not real familiar with, anyone know some of the artists and let me know what I can expect from them?

This is old news I guess now but I’m just now catching up. They performed this song last night for “Idol Gives Back” on Wednesday night but U-verse failed to realize that “Idol Gives Back” is part of the American Idol series recording.

Luckily they performed it again tonight and I got to see it.

Aside from being surprised, could you tell which singers didn’t appear to be too excited to be singing the song? What do you think? Am I reading too much into facial expressions?