HELP ME PROMOTE MY CHRISTMAS ALBUM

I have a 15 year musical relationship with 2fish, a band that features the music of Kevin Saunders and myself. We are in the final mix stage and getting ready to release our Christmas CD this fall. It is entitled 'Mystic Ramblers'. We'll be launching a new website in tandem with the album release.

This project involved several quiet miracles and provisions for the journey.

Danny Brooks is a Canadian phenom who came with guest vocals on 2 tracks. See www.dannybrooksmusic.com

Dan Cutrona provided keyboards and creative support. Dan began touring with and performing/recording with artists such as Joe Cocker, The Bee Gee’s, Billy Preston, Donna Summer, Al Green, Deniece Williams, Dion, Petula Clark, Cliff Richard and others. Dan also focused his work in the Contemporary Christian music field, working with artists such as The Archers, Amy Grant, Sandi Patti, Bryan Duncan, Larry Norman, Randy Stonehill, Phil Keaggy, Andrae Crouch, Kelly Willard, Keith Green, and Shelia Walsh. In the mid-‘90’s Dan, through his record label, worked within the worship community, and was blessed to do recordings and play live with Bob Fitts, Kevin Prosch, David Ruis, Delirious, Brian Doerksen, Don Potter, and Graham Kendrick.

If you're like me, I have a limited appetite for Christmas music. It's nice to listen to for a couple weeks and then it sits idle until next year. When we decided to do a Christmas CD, we set the bar high.

First, it needed to avoid the tin pan alley sound and feature songs of Christmas that do not usually get covered frequently (or at least not interpreted our way). We settled on We Three Kings, Go Tell It On The Mountain, Do You Hear What I Hear, Good King Wenceslas and Joy To The World.

Secondly, we wrote Christmas songs that contain the themes but could be played year round. I think you'll agree when you hear them.

Third, we wanted a true variety album. We wanted to tip the hat to musical styles that have influenced us without sounding like karaoke. There is a Baskins-Robbins display that dips into blue-eyed soul, rock, blues, gospel, bluegrass, reggae and middle-Eastern influences.

This one is hitting Canadian Christian bookstores this fall. Watch for it in the catalogue and in-store play.

If you write a blog, do music reviews, promote concerts or are looking for Canadian Content for radio and satellite, please contact me at revkevinrogers@hotmail.com . I would love to send you a promotional copy and talk about the project.

THE STRONG LEADERSHIP TEMPTATION

It seems that we Evangelicals are enamoured with principles of leadership. We place high value on strong, natural leaders with Type A personalities.

But is this God's intention?

Read John H. Armstrong's article here:

http://johnharmstrong.typepad.com/john_h_armstrong_/2011/08/effective-leadership-looks-very-little-like-what-we-often-think.html

FAITH TO END POVERTY

I was recently commissioned by PAOC to be an Ontario representative on the steering committee of Inter-faith Social Assistance Reform Coalition. Their website is found at http://www.faithtoendpoverty.ca/


The Interfaith Social Assistance Reform Coalition was born out of the hope that together a coalition of faith groups could contribute to new public policies based upon greater justice and dignity for citizens of Ontario  marginalized by poverty.

The central message shared by religious communities throughout the world, inspires people of faith to respond to our neighbours in need.

ISARC values

• Human Dignity. The right of all people and their communities to be treated with justice, love, compassion, and respect, and their responsibility to treat others likewise.

• Mutual Responsibility. The obligation of communities to care and share with their people, ensuring that basic needs are met.

• Social Equity. The right of all people to adequate access to basic resources, to full participation in the life and decision-making of their communities.

• Economic Equity. The right of all people and communities to adequate access to the resources necessary for full lives, including access to worthwhile work, fair employment considerations, and our communal responsibilities to use such resources responsibly.

• Fiscal Fairness. The right of all people, communities, and institutions to fair fiscal treatment and the responsibility of all to contribute fairly for the well-being of all.

• Ecological Sustainability. The obligation of communities to practise responsible stewardship of the earth and its environment, so that creation might be preserved for generations to come.

The Quick Fix with Gwen and Maxi

Makes me want to cry.

KEN STUPAK HONOURED

Winnipeg Police Chief Keith McCaskill is shown giving 'Volunteer of the Year' award to Ken Stupak. The banquet for volunteers was held on April 18th.

Ken is the PAOC chaplain at University of Manitoba where he has served for a couple decades.

The award was given for outstanding service and dedication. Over the past 12 years Ken volunteered 2600 hours with Victim Services.

GLIMPSES OF GRACE

Glimpses of Grace:


Reflections of a Prison Chaplain


By Donald Stoesz


Book can be ordered at www.donaldstoesz.com


Donald Stoesz is a Mennonite Pastor and a prison chaplain in service at the Bowden Institution (Annex).

His intention, in writing this book, was to share insights drawn from his experience, with other people working in the prison system. He has, in fact, written a book of interest to anyone who would like to know more about the nature of prisons and prisoners. Most of us have a flawed understanding of jails, drawn from movies not always noted for accuracy.

When the general public knows that a crime has been committed, it is glued to newspapers and radio until someone is arrested for the crime, and brought to court. Once the prisoner is behind bars, the populace will go on to the next hot story.

There is more to know about the losses and heartache caused by broken families and bad choices, drug use and alcohol, and this author has brought them to our attention. He does not excuse the offences of the detainees, his job is to listen, share the personal journey of the prisoner and offer whatever spiritual guidance and grace will be accepted.

The book consists of 120 vignettes, each one-page long, and covering a wide range of interactions and situations. These are well written, and interesting with names and personalities changed for privacy sake. A pertinent Bible quotation ends each page.

Stories and circumstances show that people we may think of only as “convicts,” are real people. They are, of course, people with dreams and hopes. They don’t want to be forgotten by family, and they love having visitors. They are men who wish their situation was different than it is. The reality and their responsibility in that reality is sometimes forgotten, or ignored. Some people, most often Christians, find a ministry in visiting offenders in prison. They receive training, and then take part in the community with worship and conversation. Romance has bloomed in prison, but sometimes creates problems.

Many religious groups are represented in the prison population. There are Christians, Muslims, Hindus, Jews, Native Spirituality and Wiccan. There has to be understanding by staff of differing beliefs and practices.

We also read here about Disassociation and Segregation, better known as “the hole.” Some prisoners find a measure of safety in such a place, the irony of a prison within a prison.

Reverend Stoesz leads us quite gently to a better understanding, showing us that everyone he meets and counsels has his own story, his own excuses, and his own needs. Very often the circumstances of their life and upbringing have been appalling. Still their violence and bizarre behaviours demand incarceration. Very often the only thing the chaplain has to offer is sympathy, a listening ear and the love of God. Bowden Institution is “just down the road,” how little we know about these “neighbours.”



http://www.albertalocalnews.com/reddeeradvocate/lifestyles/columnists/Bowden_Institution_inspires_prison_chaplain_122667759.html
Peggy Freeman is a freelance writer living in Red Deer.

INCOME LEVELS ACCORDING TO RELIGION

Pew Research has released a new study that ranks income levels according to one's religion. It's interesting that Christians for the most part have lower incomes in North America than some of the other religious categories.

There is also a strong tie between education levels and income. Read the New York Times article here:

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/15/magazine/is-your-religion-your-financial-destiny.html