I remembered this weekend how many stories we are privileged to be a part of - stories present, past and future.

My thinking this morning is triggered by the excellent time I had leading worship and speaking at the Cambridge Vineyard Reunion this past weekend. The community now expresses itself on a beautiful 14 acre, Jesuit monastery property in the middle of the city. Hundreds came to a big outdoor tent, carnival and weekend blowout to celebrate the microcosms of community that have been born from that one epicenter. Myself and the other senior pastors of the community through the years spoke, and we had beautiful times of worship - with kids bouncing and playing everywhere.

I saw people I haven’t seen in many, many years, some who were signs and wonders in themselves, others who are presently part of the community, and still others who’ve left the community through the years for many reasons. Black, white, Indian, pierced, young, old - all have been linked in significant ways in a story we called a church.

I was reminded that we are all part of a bigger Story into which the tributary of our daily stories run. We have a long story we’re a part of — it’s a human story, a covenant story and a guiding story. We bumble and stumble over each other and our penchants daily. Embrace both the glory and gory moments, run into the grace that surrounds historical process with all its bumps, and be thankful for shades of real community along the way.

Found this over at Terry Storch’s blog. I laughed. Scroll down and pick one at StrongBad Email, or or just pick “Crazy Cartoon.” Making sense can be over-rated.

I’m headed out on a flying bus today to Ontario to see old friends at a church reunion event. Travelling has lost it’s novelty. When it turns in the the air though, I love the moment when the blue sky is out my left window, and the green earth is out my right.

Heaven to the left of me, earth on my right; and I, in the middle.

I’m doing an event in Cambridge, Ontario this weekend, and song selection is becoming increasingly difficult for me the past few years. Every worship songwriter experiences it — others songs are great and usable - but then we hit the wall.

There is the wonderful palette of rich, contemporary worship songs to draw from, and there is the aged palette of rich, traditional hymns to draw from. But I’m looking for something different - songs that I can authentically sing from my gut, in a way I love to sing to God.

Personally, I want to sing thick, poetic lyrics, capturing themes of love for God, the glory of God, the mystery of living in His presence, the essence of community, presented in a “now,” accessible, passionate way. Revisions of hymns into fresh renderings, such as the Passion Hymns CD represents, are life-giving. But I’m still questing for something more. I’m loving Redman’s, Tomlin’s, Doerksen’s, Crowder’s, Giglio’s and others work in this - it just feels like an cultural edge is before us and its time to deepen significantly - even as we seek to be accessible as worship songwriters.

In the moment, I feel as though we’re lost in the postmodern need for lyrical simplicity (glorious as simplicity is) in all our present music, or the Church has no grid for it.

Either I use straightforward, pop lyric poetry, or hymns, or inaccessible songs. I’m trying to bridge that gap in my own writing, and join the vanguard of those who are doing the same. I want to embed ancient prayers, creeds and stories in accessible worship songs. Can it be done? I’m trying. Who else is?

THE EVENT:
We had a great time celebrating Coram Deo at St. Mary’s Roman Catholic Church in Prince Edward Island - it was everything we hoped it would be.

The gorgeous sanctuary was filled with about 300 folks from all over the island, representing about 10 streams of the Church, Catholic and Protestant, gathering for a night of worship and prayer together.

It’s one of the top 10 concert halls in the world based on acoustics, so the sound of the most acoustic pieces was incredible.

THE SOUND:
The acoustic nature of the Coram Deo ensemble works well in these settings (though a bit of a sonic challenge - special kudos to Terry, Phil and the impeccable sound crew for their labor of GodLove).

My Jesus, I Love Thee began the night, played by Matt Frise on the violin from the balcony; a 3-part male vocal rendition of What Wondrous Love filled the dome with a quality of worship expression only a spiritual can evoke.

We did a fresh acoustic/organic version of my rendition of Apostles’ Creed (We Believe) and a host of other contemporary and traditional hymns filled the night.

THE CONTENT:
Here’s a .pdf of the Song/Prayer Sheet for those who’d like to see: PEI SongSheet.

For me, the highlight was in the prayers we prayed in unison together - prayers of Orthodox, Celtic, Jewish and British origin, all brimming with living poetry.

THE IMAGES:
Here are some images from the night, though the lighting was dim for the sake of atmosphere: Flickr: Photos from danwilt

THE BAND:

Dan Wilt: Leader, acoustic guitar and hammered dulcimer
Will Bernard: Co-leader, acoustic guitar
Lindsey Roszell: Lead and background vocals
Matt Frise: Violin, whistles, Latin prayers and percussive sound effects
Jacob Murphy: Upright bass and belly laughter

THE RESULT:
Worship… unity… bridge-building… engagement with God and one another.

It was taste of what many of us who attended loved - a night of ancient/present/future worship.

Can you feel the electricity in the air? It’s a crackling expectation, sense of possibility and the subtle perception that the next moment could bring a miracle to the surface, God encountering us, and us encountering God. I feel like that today. Even though I am just working away at my desk.

I’m thinking. Bubbling in the soul is honesty, ready to burst through the surface enrobed in the soul language that each is uniquely designed to speak in. I was just checking out a site by a friend of mine, Billy Somerville (www.myspace.com/cannonwill). Another human being doing his thing, faithfully.

Having to rise through the layers of insecurity and vulnerability. Turning a corner, I think, like we all must do today.

These are days for punching through. Am I just giving people what they want and need, or am I moving toward giving people what I have to give, from the gut?

A Church like that will pound with a lovehammer on sillier states of mind.

We head out to Prince Edward Island tomorrow, and had a good rehearsal today for the event the weekend. Friends making music together is a beautiful thing. We rehearsed in St. Stephen’s Roman Catholic Church, a small (but majestic) Gothic cathedral in our town to get used to the acoustics.

I find that after a pretty thorough rehearsal there’s an ease to the event that enables you to be free to rise and fall with the corporate experience with God in the room. It’s when we’re unsure of ourselves that the music gets in our way and their way, instead of making a way for us all.

I must add that the fact that we get to lead worship in one of the top 25 concert halls in Canada is a rush. Summerside Community Church gathered the other sponsoring churches and is hosting the event. They expect much of the Island’s (home of Anne Of Green Gables) church community to attend. It should be sweet acousta-worship funbuckle.

I had quite a profound experience last night. We were hosting a dinner in our home for a few fellow Vineyard leaders. I was in the kitchen, doing some dishes, when a beautiful thought came to me: “True community enfolds us in our weakness, elevates us in our strength and engages us to find our place within.”

I walked into the other room, dazed by this simple encounter with God, and as I entered a question was being asked of the group. “What is the value you most love about community?” Dr. Peter Fitch was asking the question, one of the professors here at St. Stephen’s University and pastor of the St. Croix Vineyard. I felt prepared to answer it before it was asked.

True community enfolds us, and covers our nakedness in its strength. True community elevates us, and keeps our uniqueness and individuality from being swallowed up in the identity of the group. True community engages us, and allows our “note” to blend with the other notes being played. A beautiful polyphony ensues; a texture that without us would have been impossible.

I think the most powerful element about the act of worship is that it pull us to a place we’ll call home. In a disorienting world, we are drawn to a center, an essential reality, that keeps us tethered to things that are true, and right, and lovely, and pure, and good.

Placing God at the center of our story, as He stands in the grand Story, makes the daily plot make sense. As in Celtic spirituality, we live in the joy that no matter where we wander, Christ is our home. Living in us, He Who is our home enables us to always find our center. This is hope and peace to me.

Here’s a brief on St. Mary’s where we’ll be leading.

The Indian River Festival — St. Mary’s Church

This weekend I’m leading worship in a large Roman Catholic church in beautiful Prince Edward Island. The church itself is just lovely (St. Mary’s at Indian River), and we’ll have a small acoustic ensemble going at it: Jacob Murphy, upright bass; Matt Frise, violin; Will Bernard, acous. guitar; Lindsey Roszell, bgv; and myself on acous. guit. and hammered dulcimer. Should be a blast. It’s a Father’s Day worship fest.

We’ll mingle ancient prayers with contemporary worship tunage, and season everything with fresh arrangements of hymns. Those buildings are echo-y, so we have to figure out how to sonically handle all the tumblerumble in the hall.

Will blog more on how it goes.

I thought this was well-written, and reflects many of my own sentiments in the on-going emergent conversation. I’d rather have my loyalties questioned than find myself linked with loyalties I don’t have. I don’t think brand names such as “Evangelical” are particularly helpful when it comes to Christ-followership. Alliances and immediate families are rich with accountability and synergy - but they don’t ultimately determine who one was, is, or is becoming.

emergent-us: Our Response to Critics of Emergent

I’ve been in a conversation with God for all my life. I’ve been in a conversation with the Church for less time. I’ve been in a conversation with like-minded and like-hearted Christians for even less time. Now, I think I’ve been talking to myself for 15 minutes.

I hope to find my way into the broader emergent Church conversation on some level, particularly in the arena of worship. I’ve now lead worship for over 15 years, taught in upwards of 100 events and seminars, and have been working for Vineyard Music for years. After so much songwriting, leading, recording and talking, I’m finding that I’m just now coming to understand what it is I deeply believe about worship.

I want to elevate the idea that the most basic human impulse is actually “worship,” and that Iranaeus was right when he said “The glory of God is a human being, fully alive.” I want to elevate the idea that worship is expansive, and encompasses all of life. I want to elevate ideas that celebrate the ancient forms of worship, merging with the present forms of this generation. I want to elevate the reality that the human family has a divine heritage; a mingling of earthly dust and Divine breath.

If I can stay close to God, throw my stick in the brightening fire, and do so on the level of shaping worship leaders and forms for the next 500 years, then life will be good. Oh, and if I can convince my breathtaking wife and luminous kids that I’m the best husband/dad on our little planet - well, that wins the day more than all this macro-world changing.

I’m stepping onto the wide, wild terrain of blogging today with the help of my good friend and MasterBlogger, Jeremy Wright (Ensight - Jeremy Wright). He’s got a new blogging book coming out, too, and you can find it on Amazon at: Amazon.com: Books: Blog Marketing: The Revolutionary New Method to Increase Sales, Growth, And Profits. I’m grateful for his help setting up this small world I’ll call my own.

You are cordially invited. And so, it begins.