● New survey every week! SOur surveys are now just one question, and will only last one week. You'll need to read the set up in the survey question box to see what we're doing, but I hope it will be fun to watch how these weekly surveys play out. Please go to our home page and take the survey, and check back at the end of the week to see what the results are.
● Check our Worship Blog List! We've compiled.an extensive listing of worship blogs for our Creator Leadership Network members. These blogs are from people involved in thinking about and doing worship in a wide variety of environments: geographic as well as stylistically. It's easy: one click and read to your heart's content. Just click here and look in the left hand column.
● Train up your music/worship committee! Hugh Ballou has started a training site, and we've made arrangements so that you, as a CLN member, can get it almost free. Hugh's 3 week course is designed to turn any committee--even your church committee--into a high performance team in just 3 weeks! I can't imagine any church that wouldn't benefit from this training, and you can get it almost free by just entering the code "Creator" (without the quotes). Just go here and enter the code "Creator".
A reminder...
● Article compilation CDs - We have 3 collections of back articles in pdf format on CD Rom. The Choir and Leadership collections ($19.95 each) contain over 40 articles, while the Worship collection ($24.95) contains 60 articles--that is less than 50 cents per article, post paid in the US.
Here's some of what is included on each CD...
● Choir: 101 Great Choir Ideas/The Incarnational Work of the Adult Choir/Choir Committment: The "Real" Cost/Letter to the Singer in the 4th Row/Understanding Your Head Voice
● Leadership: Creating and Sustaining Healthy Teams on a Church Staff/Identifying Tensions over Musical Style/Ministry and Women: Ambassadors of the Spirit/Pastors and Church Musicians/The Church Musician as Transformational Leader
● Worship: A Theology of Worship/Don't Plan a Service...Create a Moment/Eight Common Elements of Worship Renewal/The Worship Driven Church/Worship Planning: What is the Foundation?
You can order them by clicking here and looking in the left hand column for "Featured Products."
● Choir Members Issue has shipped! This issue is specifically designed to be for choir members, for use at a choir retreat, or for motivation and education. Thanks to all CLN members who ordered advance copies. We're nearly sold out! If you want multiple copies of this issue--The Choir in Modern Worship--we still have some available for $3.50 per copy. That's a savings of $2.50 per copy over our cover price. Just click here to order copies for your choir.
In that issue is a review of a great new book that I think you all should consider having: Imagine That - Discovering Your Unique Role as a Christian Artist. Here's what our reviewer, Marcia McFee had to say:
Manuel Luz deftly weaves his considerable experience as an artist with insight from his faith journey to offer this provocative book. We create, he says, because as imago dei, we cannot help it. Worship artists will find much in this volume to ponder for their own spiritual formation and worship teams will find it a user-friendly discussion-starter with its list of probing questions at the end of each chapter. Luz’ “practical theology” of the arts and foray into the identity and role of artists within the church has real depth yet communicates personably and powerfully. Highly recommended.
I agree.
And...there is much more in that issue. Not a subscriber? Go to our home page and look for the very special offer.
● Do you know about Lifewater International? Our friend Dan Stevens runs this great organization. Lifewater equips partner organizations and works with them to empower communities in developing countries to gain safe water, adequate sanitation, effective hygiene, and the knowledge of Jesus’ love. Check them out at www.lifewater.org, or email Dan for more information about how you can help at dstevens@lifewater.org. Tell him Vern sent you.
● New Project Update! A new service of Creator is on track to launch after Labor Day. You'll want to take advantage of this new project... We've continued our VIP calls, and the project has grown beyond our original dream to be even bigger and better. We're planning to let CLN members in on the secret in the first September MME...Don't miss it... Set your calendar reminders for the first week of September and stay tuned...
On to this week's MME...
● Doug Lawrence continues his series of 7 Questions. This week the questions give you a rubric to individuate your church's vision (my blog post at www.dotdotdotblog.com touches on this as well--don't forget to go and read "Descriptive or emotional" and leave a comment to get your free Creator subscription. Read it now: just click here.
This week, think about how your church is uniquely serving the kingdom...and please tell your friends and and colleagues about Creator, and MME too.
Blessings,
Vern Sanders
Publisher
Creator Magazine
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