Hello from Lookout Mountain! What a great month...the beach a few weeks ago and now the mountains. Well, specifically the aforementioned Lookout Mountain. I'm here in the Chattanooga, TN area playing electric guitar with my friend Kellee McCoy (the worship leader at the Chapel Service at Dawson Baptist in Birmingham). The camp we're playing up here at Covenant College is appropriately called "Summit", which has been meeting each summer for 19 years now!
I've been up here since Sunday, but updates have been few and far between, as we have to drive down the mountain to the local Krystal and their free WiFi (and Krystal Chicks...but we have to pay for those!). But I do have some thoughts to share with you...as always, these are free!
Monday, I was listening to a local radio station and heard that June 19th is widely held as the offical day for the Emancipation of the slaves here in America. Slavery seems to be a recurring theme in what God is showing me these days through my travels. My trips to Ireland and the story of "Amazing Grace" (written by former slave trader John Newton, who later became one of the leaders in the Abolishionist movement in England) reminded me how important June 19th is to African-Americans. But thinking about all this reminded me of when I was in slavery...slavery to my sin. My 'emancipation day' was March 9, 1975. That was the day when I surrendered my heart and life to Jesus Christ. While I struggle daily with the scars of my former servitude, God is still working in my life to make me into a devoted follower of Christ. Thank God for His endless mercy...I guess I could quote one of my own songs and say that "Love Never Fails".
We've been leading these students each morning and evening, and we've experienced some incredible times of worship. One of the key things I've learned is from a statement made by our guest speaker, John Hickman. He remarked how God has been meeting us in a 'mountain-top experience', but we never seem to ask why this happens in this environment. He said it's because we have been 'fasting from the world, and feasting on the Word'. Wow...what truth! God has been leading our home group back in Spring Hill in this same manner, so it's no coincidence that He's continuing this theme in my life this week.
The more I travel and the more people I meet, I have found a great commonality in how God is working and doing. How exciting to be a part of such a work. Stay open to what He wants to do in your life and 'spheres of influence'.
Love you guys! Keep praying for us!
GV
Wednesday, June 21, 2006
Monday, June 19, 2006
On the road...again!
Sorry for the delay in this update, but it's been crazy (in a good way). The last time you heard from me, I was in Florida at the student retreat for my friends at ClearBranch UMC (Argo, AL). The camp went well, but there was a frightening accident on Tuesday night. One of their 8th grade students, a beautiful young lady named Faith, was struck by a car while she was crossing the road to the beach. It looked really bad at the time, but thankfully God stepped in! While Faith has some extensive surgery on her leg (the main point of impact), thankfully she HAS a road to recovery.
The rest of the camp went well, and it was wonderful working with all the gang from ClearBranch. I'm hoping that I can be part of their retreat for years to come.
After the camp, I had a rare occurance...some time at home (got to do chores, mow the lawn, etc). I did get to play guitar down at the new satellite campus for the People's Church, down at the Spring Hill high school. Chad Jarnagin led worship and we had an incredible time. God is truly doing a great work down in our neck of the woods (and I'm glad to be a small part of it).
Ok, my next update will fill you in on the camp I'm doing THIS week. Later, kids!
GV
The rest of the camp went well, and it was wonderful working with all the gang from ClearBranch. I'm hoping that I can be part of their retreat for years to come.
After the camp, I had a rare occurance...some time at home (got to do chores, mow the lawn, etc). I did get to play guitar down at the new satellite campus for the People's Church, down at the Spring Hill high school. Chad Jarnagin led worship and we had an incredible time. God is truly doing a great work down in our neck of the woods (and I'm glad to be a small part of it).
Ok, my next update will fill you in on the camp I'm doing THIS week. Later, kids!
GV
Tuesday, June 06, 2006
Creature from the Black Laguna...
Hello from the beach!
Do you hate those kinds of greetings as much as I do? Even though summer is in full swing, most of us still go to work everyday, and to hear from someone at a beach or on an exotic trip can be a bummer. So, please forgive me for such an annoying intro...lol.
It's Tuesday and my great friend and long-time sound man Jesse Reagan and I are sitting outside the retreat center office, taking advantage of the wireless internet access. We've been here since late Sunday night, and the student camp with the folks from ClearBranch UMC in Argo, Alabama is going well.
Monday was taken up with the load-in and set up of all the gear, with a band rehearsal right before dinner. We then we all packed into Classroom #1 (all 150 of us! Yikes!) for a time of worship and teaching. I'm playing with some young guns from the music ministry at ClearBranch, along with rock veteran Steven 'Hamie" Hayman. Yes, Hamie is the 'Scottish dude' who played in a band with Damon Johnson a few years back. Hamie is a great singer and is fun to work with. We're having some great times of woship (with some bluesy rock jams thrown in for fun). The guys in the band are doing great too; Jordan Harnach (son of my friend and mentor Charles Harnach) is covering bass, and another Jordan (I don't know his last name) is playing drums, and Stevie Ray Vaughn worshipper (lol) Roddy Barrett is playing guitar. It's a jammin' bunch for sure. Our friend Stephanie Sparks is adding some great BGVs, too.
We actually have the rest of the day off, so we plan on attempting to pigment our albino-esque skin via exposure to the sun's rays...lol (without doing a great lobster impression).
Some great things are happening back home, too. Our small group hosted our first 'outreach' this past Sunday, a block party at the home of P150 drummer Jim and Pam Pollard. They gave away over 100 hot dogs and many folks from their nieghborhood signed the guest book. But the best story came today via Pam. One of her neighbors knocked on her door yestersday and shared how she wanted to come over Sunday, but her husband was out of town. She then began to share with Pam about a recent family loss and how deeply it has affected her. Pam was able to bring some Spirit-led comfort, all because of a block party.
Wow! Talk about a mission field! How many of us know what's happening in the lives of the people who live all around us? I know that Carol and I need work in that area. We do have those 'yard chats' while outside cutting grass (pulling weeds, more like it), but I know God would have us do more. I am encouraged that we are part of a Faith Family (the People's Church) with vision to empower groups like the people that make up our home group to find ways to reach out into the community, without waiting for the church to host an event. We plan on making this a regular happening this summer, with a block party held at each of our respective neighborhoods. Please pray that we can be salt, light, and water to the people around us.
Heck...we may even play some music...what a novel idea!
More from the retreat in a day or so. Keep praying for us, especially as I travel. While these camps and trips are helping to pay the bills, we most definitely need your support financially for the various P150 projects we have in the works, as well as helping to feed the family.
God bless!
GV
Do you hate those kinds of greetings as much as I do? Even though summer is in full swing, most of us still go to work everyday, and to hear from someone at a beach or on an exotic trip can be a bummer. So, please forgive me for such an annoying intro...lol.
It's Tuesday and my great friend and long-time sound man Jesse Reagan and I are sitting outside the retreat center office, taking advantage of the wireless internet access. We've been here since late Sunday night, and the student camp with the folks from ClearBranch UMC in Argo, Alabama is going well.
Monday was taken up with the load-in and set up of all the gear, with a band rehearsal right before dinner. We then we all packed into Classroom #1 (all 150 of us! Yikes!) for a time of worship and teaching. I'm playing with some young guns from the music ministry at ClearBranch, along with rock veteran Steven 'Hamie" Hayman. Yes, Hamie is the 'Scottish dude' who played in a band with Damon Johnson a few years back. Hamie is a great singer and is fun to work with. We're having some great times of woship (with some bluesy rock jams thrown in for fun). The guys in the band are doing great too; Jordan Harnach (son of my friend and mentor Charles Harnach) is covering bass, and another Jordan (I don't know his last name) is playing drums, and Stevie Ray Vaughn worshipper (lol) Roddy Barrett is playing guitar. It's a jammin' bunch for sure. Our friend Stephanie Sparks is adding some great BGVs, too.
We actually have the rest of the day off, so we plan on attempting to pigment our albino-esque skin via exposure to the sun's rays...lol (without doing a great lobster impression).
Some great things are happening back home, too. Our small group hosted our first 'outreach' this past Sunday, a block party at the home of P150 drummer Jim and Pam Pollard. They gave away over 100 hot dogs and many folks from their nieghborhood signed the guest book. But the best story came today via Pam. One of her neighbors knocked on her door yestersday and shared how she wanted to come over Sunday, but her husband was out of town. She then began to share with Pam about a recent family loss and how deeply it has affected her. Pam was able to bring some Spirit-led comfort, all because of a block party.
Wow! Talk about a mission field! How many of us know what's happening in the lives of the people who live all around us? I know that Carol and I need work in that area. We do have those 'yard chats' while outside cutting grass (pulling weeds, more like it), but I know God would have us do more. I am encouraged that we are part of a Faith Family (the People's Church) with vision to empower groups like the people that make up our home group to find ways to reach out into the community, without waiting for the church to host an event. We plan on making this a regular happening this summer, with a block party held at each of our respective neighborhoods. Please pray that we can be salt, light, and water to the people around us.
Heck...we may even play some music...what a novel idea!
More from the retreat in a day or so. Keep praying for us, especially as I travel. While these camps and trips are helping to pay the bills, we most definitely need your support financially for the various P150 projects we have in the works, as well as helping to feed the family.
God bless!
GV
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