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.
Shoreline’s Open Mic Night was a great time of sharing original music, cover songs, and poetry. From country and folk songs to electronic musical experimentation, the creativity displayed by the performers was quite entertaining! At Shoreline, we value the arts and various expressions of the creative gifts God has given each one of us. These nights together are perfect for trying out your new original music and for gaining experience playing in front of a medium sized audience. We hope that these nights can be fun and valuable for the Monterey community of musicians and poets.
We want to thank each performer and attender for their time dedicated to this event, and we look forward to seeing you there next time! Put it on your calendar – the next Open Mic Night at Shoreline will be Friday, November 4th. If you’d like to perform, please contact music@shorelinechurch.org.
The Australian worship band Hillsong United has been known for their high energy rock worship songs that have been youth group favorites for years. However, as the members of this band originally led by Joel Houston got older, their music took on a wonderful diversity. Their latest album release – which is their first studio project in many years – is quite a departure from the ‘standard’ Hillsong sound. In many ways it’s much deeper and much more soulful, and their deep drum builds add passion and creativity to songs like Take Heart and Father. In classic Hillsong fashion, the songs contain some great guitar lead lines, and the addition of electronics and synths make them all the more enjoyable to listen to.
The theme of this album is the hope and love that we have in the aftermath of the cross. Usually the word aftermath is used in reference to following a catastrophic event – and what bigger event in history is there than the crucifixion of Christ? There is great pain in this event, yet there is also great joy because of what it meant for all of humanity. It’s with this in mind that the album Aftermath was written, and it does a great job of portraying both the dark and joyous emotions that are encompassed by the aftermath in which we live.
We’ll be singing some of these songs at Shoreline in the near future, so pick this album up and add it to your worship collection – you won’t be disappointed!
Join us for our second Open Mic Night of 2011! This is a family friendly event where people of all ages share their talents in songwriting and poetry. It will take place at 6:30 in The Garage (youth room) – snacks, coffee, and tea will be provided. The atmosphere is fun and relaxed, and everyone is welcome. At our last event we had nearly 100 people in attendance, and about 17 performers. Make sure to get there early to claim a seat!
At Shoreline we value the creativity that God has given artists from all walks of life. We want our church to be a place where people feel comfortable expressing that art, so come on out and support the musicians and poets who will be sharing. There are still a few performance spots left, so if you’d like to perform please contact music@shorelinechurch.org.
See you on Friday Aug. 5th!
If you’re a fan of the blues, you don’t want to miss Monterey’s yearly celebration of blues music! Each year at the Monterey fairgrounds, dozens of artists come together for a weekend of live blues music. This year celebrates a quarter century of festivals, and is sure to be a blast. It will be held on the weekend of June 25th – 27th. Visit www.montereyblues.com for tickets and more information.
Here at Shoreline we like to stay current with what’s going on in the community, and for the last several years we bring in our very own blues band to lead us into worship. Sam Cannon, one of our Music Ministry’s guitarists, will be leading us with his blues band on Sunday morning, June 27th. Please don’t miss this fun time of worship through a classic musical style – it’s sure to be a fantastic morning!
