Restoration Church

Today I am on my way to a songwriting retreat at the Nashville Treehouse, a recording studio in Franklin, Tennessee. It is a beautiful opportunity that came through a random facebook connection that led to a scholarship through Water the Tree, a nonprofit focused on empowering female songwriters and musicians. I am looking forward to a couple of days immersed in the craft of songwriting, of inspiration and creativity that flows in the presence of other passionate folks. The Art of Songwriting Retreat doesn't start till tomorrow so I am planning to tackle half of the 10 hour drive this afternoon, with hopes of not arriving completely late or utterly exhausted......but I digress Restoration Church.

This past Sunday, I found myself in the midst of a brand new faith community in Reston, VA.  The start of a multi-site campus of Floris United Methodsit Church so new in fact, that the name Restoration was only picked a few days prior to their very. first. preview service. Which really evens the playing field for this wandering, vagabond worship leader. Everything was new; from the set up and structure, to the leadership and volunteers working together to start this community in this time and place.  We met at the Frying Pan Park Visitor Center, in a spacious and sunny room only a short walk away from fields of sheep, cows and turkeys.... It was a blank slate into which we brought chairs, sound and av equipment, coffee and donuts.... can't forget the donuts!!!

Few places that I have been can match this group's level of excitement and energy. Yes, there is always some level of excitement around the start of a church plant, but the desire of the people I met on Sunday to pray for one another, to worship together, to sit at the feet of Jesus.... it was a bit holy spirit overwhelming.... in a good way! Tim Ward is a vibrant and engaging pastor, with a clear love for the people around him and the people yet to come. And I love that the heartbeat of this group is to reach deep into the community of Reston. To dig in, build relationships  and invite others to know Jesus. What if we were the church? What if?

From a sung worship perspective this was a beautiful and anointed morning. Tim and I both later reflected on our personal experiences within the context of this corporate worship time. It was more than the chairs set right and everything going according to "plan". It was the profound and limitless presence of the Holy all around us, in us, and through us. During communion I found myself singing a simple prayer in response to Tim's message, "We will live with open hearts, we will love with open arms, we are Your church, and we will live like You." Rare and beautiful indeed.

I'm not sure how to wrap up a post like this.  There's no shiny bow to put on top and call it a day. There is lots to be done... There are a million details and questions and unknowns......but what is known is that God is moving in a powerful way in the Reston community. I'm excited to be back with them in November for Preview Service #3 and witness all that happens in the short span of a couple months!

Worship Under the Stars

Give me a starlit sky, a gentle breeze, and the voices of people worshipping any day. It's where I learned to play guitar back in college, endless nights of summer camp where the middle school kids crowded onto rough hewn benches on a sloped mountain side for vespers. Where I quickly learned that wearing a headlamp to see chord charts and lyrics only drew the unwanted attention of bugs..... I have yet to find better incentive to memorize songs that a moth flying into one's face.Last night I joined Arise Campus Ministry at George Mason University for their night of outdoor worship.  We set up by Mason Pond with a backdrop of stars, candles, geese, water, and college students.  There is something so natural and life giving to move beyond our buildings to meet God without boundaries of physical walls and ceilings. We sang, read scripture, prayed, and shared in communion. A beautiful response to our hope and life found in Jesus. We are called higher and deeper.

This is a beautiful season friends. The air is crisper and brings a hint of things to come.  There is much on the horizon and I look forward to sharing more soon. :o)

Dear 22 Year Old Self

Dear 22 year old self.... I was reading through your journal today. You see I'm prepping to speak at this peace and justice conference thing in California next month. I was hoping to find your thoughts from what you saw first hand in the Holy Land, moving between Israel and Palestine. Turns out that is in a different journal....so as I read entries post trip when you were jet lagged, burdened, and praying through your last semester of college, I can't help but wish I could sit with you, hold your hand, and share. If I could time travel, this is what I would say... 

You are too hard on yourself. Everything seems immediate, and urgent, but it's not. To figure out, to decide....just breathe. Enjoy the friendships you do have and forget all those silly people that don't know how to socialize properly. The friends that matter...you still talk to them. Everything else has come in its time and season, and yes, we're still waiting on a few things, but life these days is far from dull.

You actually knew who you were. I apologize for letting us forget for a few years....took a while and many odd jobs to get back to our roots. We DO love staying at host homes of complete strangers...in fact, that happens quite a lot these days. And that whole music, sharing with people, worship thing, well, it's what we do.

Some things will never change. You will still fall love at the drop of a hat with a good looking boy with a killer smile that you will only be around for a finite amount of time. If he doesn't live in the woods of Pennsylvania, it will be the beaches of South Carolina, or the mountains of Colorado. 

And lastly, embrace the ache. It is the heart of God to feel burdened for others, for the injustice we see on earth, and to long for His kingdom. There is tension in what is and what is to come. It is wrenching and beautiful. 

Also, that bucket list with #16. Go on a cruise? You got dragged on one last year. You hated it. I can't believe that ever made it on the list.

Sincerely, Your 30 year old self

My First Immigration Vigil

As I walked through little league football practices, an ultimate frisbee tournament and family picnics Monday night, I overheard a parent say to another, "What do you think an immigration vigil is?.....I feel like I should be at it."  It was uncanny to hear my own thoughts spoken out loud......by a passing stranger no less. I'm learning through experience this fall that to "see and to listen" means to be ready....for anything. My car pulled into the Colonial Beach driveway a little after 9pm on Sunday night, after 13 some hours on the road due to a major accident on I-70 East.... which became a parking lot for the better part of an hour. By the time I made it past the accident, creeping along the shoulder, I had seen 5 tow trucks and an RV camper was still on its side covering both lanes.  Monday morning I got up, a little more stiff than usual, began unpacking, caught up on social media.....and saw an event for an immigration vigil to be held at Old Mill Park in Fredericksburg that evening, hosted by Virginia Organizing.

I made it out the door that evening a little late, but still somehow arrived early for the crowd milling around a candle labyrinth. A echoey battery powered speaker perched on a folding table brought everyone together for a series of speakers; a pastor, a professor, a doctor, and an immigrant, all who spoke words of inspiration, challenge, and shared parts of their own stories. The diverse crowd reflected a large range of ages and backgrounds. English was translated into Spanish and vice versa to allow everyone there to participate and listen.....the mood was reflective, with hope and joy held in tension with sadness at the overwhelming needs.

Afterwards, we picked up candles from the labyrinth and signs that were all various forms of "keep families together," and headed up to the street outside the park where we stood as cars passed.  We walked up to another, slightly busier street before heading back to rescue our cars before the gates of the park closed at 8pm.  I'm pretty sure I spent most of the evening with a slightly perplexed look on my face....sometimes I am not a quick processor. :o)

As the last of the candles were extinguished and the group began to dwindle I spent a few moments speaking with Aide, who had shared her own immigration story, coming to America as a teenager with her mother and sister.  Her father had come two years before, and she spoke of leaving her family, her home, everything she had known.  I thanked her for sharing and after I explained awkwardly about my upcoming trip, I asked, "What is the one question you wish people would ask you?" She paused for a long time with a furrowed brow before she said, "I wish people would ask me why I came.  Because it is different for everyone....and now that I think of it, I don't know that I have ever asked my father, who came here first, why he came."

The theme of dreams was interwoven into the night.....we are dreamers after all, and no one wants to diminish the dream that a person can live a safe life with their family. No one willingly leaves a home that is safe or a community that allows them to make enough money to put food on the table and a roof over their heads. The most challenging thought of the night for myself was that the unaccompanied minors at our border are not running TO the United States as much as they are running AWAY FROM the violence and poverty of their homeland. I cannot imagine the evil, the fear, the threat that makes staying with your family impossible. Lord, in Your mercy.

There is another story to share that has come from Monday night, a ukulele ditty that led to God opening my eyes a little wider to the people around me. I hope to share that next week......this season of preparation for my trip is beautiful, hard, and spirit filled. Amen.

Meet the Music

One of the many fun things I did while I was in Indiana this past month, was a taping of Meet the Music, a local radio show on NPR...WBOI 89.1fm in Fort Wayne.  Hosted by the fabulous and welcoming Julia Meek, it was a great half hour of music, QandA, and laughter. These folks know how to celebrate local and homegrown music. I'm thankful for the opportunity to join the long list of amazing artists who have grace the Meet the Music studio....even sign my name over a few of them. Ha! During the taping, I made sure to include Coming Home to You, Bob Ford.....and Lovers Never Known....the ONLY taping of any form of it right now. :o)

I so enjoyed my time in the studio with Julia, and I'm excited that it airs tonight!!! So tune in if you are local to Northeast Indiana or check it out online here. The show runs from 8-10 with a couple of other groups playing in there as well...my segment should be on right around 8:30. Let me know what you think of my first live radio taping! Eek! (and if you happen to miss it tonight, there is an encore on Monday night!)

Lion and Lamb Festival 2014

Lion and Lamb Festival 2014. It. Happened. For a second time. Whew! A weekend of challenge, inspiration, and amazing people spread out over a field in the middle of Fort Wayne in breezy, sunny Indiana summer weather.

Rather than give a run down synopsis or play by play, I say this.  Lion and Lamb felt a bit like coming home.  Familiar faces mixed in with the new.  Hugs and catching up interspersed with hellos and introductions.  Community and conversations and shared passions.....so much goodness, beauty, and Jesus.

I adored getting to have Madison on the cello with me Saturday night.  She somehow has the superhero power of making those around her much more efficient. The day and a half we spent together pre-Lion and Lamb, we had multiple rehearsals and I ended up everywhere I needed to be....EARLY. She is clearly awesome.

It was a special time to reconnect and share with many midwest friends.  I debuted "Lovers Never Known" and shared about San Diego and the border.  There were moments even in the crowd of hundreds that I could hear a familiar friend's laughter....thanks Peggy!

Most of the weekend passed in a quick blur of music and people and conversations.  Quite peaceful to be led in worship Sunday morning, an opportunity for all of us to be still, sing together, and share in communion. Many, many thanks to all those who contributed, participated, and came out to Lion and Lamb this year..... a beautiful and set apart time at the table.

From South Bend (The Mini Tour)

Earlier today I sat in a Panera somewhere in the greater South Bend, Indiana area, celebrating the fact that I made the amazing decision to get a bowl of broccoli cheddar soup with not one, but TWO french baguettes. Totally beats the debacle of a couple of weeks ago where I tried my first sourdough bread bowl and decided that a)I much prefer the baguettes and b) the bread bowl was a little more bread than my tummy wants. Then I spent the afternoon playing with ponies, dollhouses, and multiple rounds of candyland with my little friend Ella.

It has been a full and enjoyable last few weeks full of gigs, friends, Lion and Lamb Festival, traveling to parts of Indiana I haven't been to before, and meeting awesome people. I also had a really awesome case of midwest summer allergies hit my first few days....but since then it's been smooth sailing.

This past weekend has been a "mini-tour", with two house shows and Sunday morning worship this morning. I spent Friday evening on a back patio in Argos, with a great group from Argos UMC. I met Dewey Miller in the lost iphone escapade of 2013....so we go back quite a ways.

Last night, the house show was in a barn/garage out in Dyer, right down the street from the infamous "shoe corner". It's quite literally a random corner at the intersection of two roads that people leave their shoes on. It gets cleaned up and the next day more shoes have already appeared. Interestingly enough, I drove past the driveway to the house, got to that intersection to turn around and thought to myself, "there are way more shoes on the side of the road than what could be considered accidental." Lo and behold, a roadsideamerica.com attraction!

I arrived after midnight to South Bend (turns out Dyer, Indiana is IN A DIFFERENT TIME ZONE!) and was up and at them this morning at Clay Church where my good friend Brian Durand is now Senior Pastor. I played with Kevin, an amazing upright bass player, and when we opened the service with Coming Home to You, I could almost imagine what it would have been like to play that song with my Grandpa. Bittersweet as the theme of the morning was on family.

There have been lots of other little things going on which I hope to share more of this week. A public radio show taping, t-shirt designing, lion and lamb. Tomorrow I'm headed back to the Fort for a few days to finish out my stay playing at Taste of the Arts next Saturday, the 23rd in downtown Fort Wayne. Talk again soon!

Shrek: "Am I in the Show?" Recap

And so Shrek, Fiona, Donkey, the Dragon, and all the various Fairy Tale Creatures once again live happily ever after.... at least until the next community theater production. :o) Well, that's a wrap on Shrek folks.  Two months of singing, dancing, and practicing led up to a final performance weekend.  I think it was estimated that somewhere over a thousand people came over the course of five shows.  We ran Wednesday through Saturday night, with an additional Saturday matinee.

I met some fabulous people this go round....us fairy tale characters, we stuck together! And I adored little four year old Britton, who became my little buddy on stage. In our production, Tweedle Dee's sidekick....was Elsa. She was absolutely adorable. My favorite moment of the entire run, came backstage during a final dress rehearsal, as Britton holding my hand backstage asked, "Am I in the show?" Yes, Britton, you are in the show. :o)

The only unfortunate occurrence for myself, was confidently walking down the back steps of the house, late in the evening after opening night, and devastatingly slipping and falling on top of my right foot. After I caught myself, unfolded my foot from under me, and ate the dried mango I was still holding, I hobbled into the Shed to prop it up and ice it well into the night.  Luckily I only twisted it and bruised my toes, BUT dancing in heels for the Three Blind Mice became incredibly difficult. :o) I persevered, only changing one section of moves to "shimmy" in front of my fellow mice as they jump kicked, landing all their weight on their normal, uninjured right legs. Good times.

Playing Tweedle Dee was incredibly fun.  I built my own "belly" sewing together two t-shirts (one that fit, and one that was a couple of sizes bigger) with the sleeves cut off. I layered some 2xl red scrubs and a yellow polo, added an oversized, mostly hot glued bowtie and a red baseball cap.  It took FOREVER to find the pieces that would fit together, and the belly was awfully hot to wear...but I loved the kookiness.  Let other girls be the princesses and cute fairy tale characters, I'll take the weird, delightful ones any day.

Community Theater is such a special experience. To think of all these incredibly talented, kind, creative people all being in the same place, to bring to life a story through words and songs, to take the time and gifts to plan the staging, the lighting, the costumes..... I feel grateful for the journey.  I don't know if I will have another couple of months that will overlap with auditions, rehearsals, performances and so this summer feels unique and set apart.....and of course I did it with a musical that featured ogres and crude humor. Everyone likes a good farting joke.