Thanks to all who came out for the Branches and Table for Two concert this past Friday! It was a fun night full of great music and a surprise ‘streamer’ ending as Branches rocked their energetic song ‘Inventor’s Daughter.’ We had just over 100 people show up to support the bands, and we hope that this number can grow even more as we look to do more concerts in the future. Stay tuned for our next concert here at Shoreline – you won’t want to miss it!
At Shoreline we like to keep up with what’s going on in the community around us, and this week we have a very special event taking place. The annual Monterey Jazz Festival is coming up this weekend, and the lineup is set to be killer! Artists who will be performing will include Herbie Hancock, India Arie, and Huey Lewis and The News – just to name a few.
The Monterey Jazz Festival has a long history here in Monterey, going back to 1958. It’s the longest running jazz festival in the world, and goes well beyond just one weekend a year. Their organization provides training and camps locally throughout the year, and strives to bring the very best in jazz to the Monterey Fairgrounds stage for each festival. This is all happening right down the road from Shoreline, so if you’re a jazz lover be sure to check this world renowned event out! For more information, visit www.montereyjazzfestival.org
Come check out the band Branches, who will be playing a free concert here at Shoreline on Friday, September 9th. Doors open at 7:30 p.m. and music will begin at 8:00. Shoreline’s own Table for Two will be opening for Branches, so don’t miss this fun time of free live music! Shoreline is committed to providing venues where people can enjoy the creative talents that God has blessed others with, and to providing great opportunities for the community to get involved. Come on out and support these bands as they share their original music!
Check their music out here:
Jared Anderson has penned several major congregational worship songs, including ‘Rescue‘ and ‘Amazed.’ He’s best known for his work with New Life Church and the Desperation Band in Colorado Springs, but also writes solo projects for which he tours. In spite of the great turmoil that his church went through several years ago, Jared kept his passion for worship. When asked about it, he says “it just became clearer and clearer to me personally that I was meant to write worship songs that people in the pews can sing.” His latest song, ‘Great I Am,’ is a powerful result of that passion as it declares that none can stand before the awesome power of God. This song will likely be sung in churches around the country as a powerful proclamation of the great I AM, and we’ll be incorporating it into our worship times here at Shoreline as well.
To preview the song before we start playing it, check it out here:
A Music Ministry thought from Jonathan:
Trying to keep track of the many kings that ruled Israel and Judah when reading through the books of 1st & 2nd Kings can be a dizzying task. We find an historical account of the various rulers of both Israel and Judah, strung together in a nearly formulaic fashion. In the beginning description of each king, the writer states their name, when they took power in relation to the other kingdom’s ruler (Israel vs. Judah), how long they reigned, and whether or not they did good or evil in the sight of the Lord. As generation after generation passed, and many kings rose and fell, the bad kings far outnumbered the good. Eventually as 2nd Kings draws to a close we find a chilling passage: “It was because of the Lord’s anger that all this happened to Jerusalem and Judah, and in the end He thrust them from His presence…” (2 Kings 24:20 NIV).
There were good kings that ruled over the people.
There were bad kings that ruled over the people.
Which one are you? When the story of your life or ministry is written, what will it say after your name and the length of time you served? It’s scary to think that the entirety of our lives and ministry may one day be summed up in one or two small sentences, but when we look at the patterns of history we find that it may very well be the case. Each of us – whether we’re out front leading worship, teaching in a small group, or playing an instrument in the band – is in a metaphorical seat of power. God’s call on our lives and instructions on how to live are clear and available to us through His word, and we will each be held accountable for how we apply those things to our leadership. Are you a humble servant in your areas of influence, or are you simply trying to use your power to elevate yourself? Are you encouraging others in God’s ways while providing them an example with your own life, or have you fooled everyone on the outside while darkness lurks below the surface? I challenge each of us to examine our own lives and take a good look at what kind of ‘king’ we are. Pray and ask God to reveal parts of your life that may be leading you in a bad direction, and work on those. And finally, be encouraged in the grace and mercy of God: king David was called a man after God’s own heart despite his great sin – but it took repentance and a change of heart within David. God’s grace, mercy, and love is there for us each and every moment, so let’s turn toward Him and strive to be good kings.
