Sunday, November 23, 2014

Considerably less than 30 days of praise...artist that I personally know.

My original intent was to go through the Shuffle thingy on my Ipad until I landed on an artist that I personally know and then write a little about him or her.  I actually, probably, maybe do know enough people to have written a blog everyday in November...I've just been too busy to do so. For that reason, I'm combining some artist on one blog...beginning today.

Back in the late 1990's early 2000's I was ridiculously blessed with a fantastic Youth Worship Band where I served in Gulfport, Mississippi.  It was a perfect storm kind of thing.  For whatever reason, the local high school band kids made up a sizable portion of our student ministry so there were a lot of musically inclined kids.  And again, for whatever reason, I had an unusually large and active group of middle schoolers move into the high school ministry about the year 2000.

I had always wanted to reformat our existing mid-week Bible Study into a full-blown youth worship event but it takes a critical mass to do that.  About 2000 it happened: We had the numbers, we had some exceptionally musically gifted kids and we had just moved into a new building where we had a dedicated youth space.  Our mid-week numbers at least tripled that year and then more than doubled the next year when we outgrew the youth room and took over the church sanctuary for the next 3-4 years. We went from 10 kids on a Wednesday night to about 45 to about 125 in a three or four year stretch and I believed then (and now) that God used our Youth Worship Band- the 605 Band- much more than He used me.

I don't remember exactly, but I think the "worship/music" aspect started with me playing the guitar and one of those exceptional 9th graders, Jana, learning and playing guitar and singing.  Sometimes Tyler or Bill would play Djembe.  Both were amazing young drummers.  Several other girls helped sing- Elizabeth, Monica, Elan and Eden and others. I think we did that most of that first year with me gradually turning it over to them.

When we moved into the sanctuary the next year I asked my friends Tim and Sandy to take over training the band and we expanded to include occasional Keyboard, full drums, another guitar, sometimes a Bass and and Electric Guitar and at times, about 5 female singers. I remember at some point that year feeling like Tim and Sandy were leading and the kids were just sort of filling up space, so I asked them to step aside and let the kids sink or swim.

The rest is history. Divine, providential, really cool, history.

The band flourished.  I mean, they struggled on their own for a few months but by the time the next year rolled around they were simply amazing.

I remember one night, I think some of the kids or maybe one of the parents asked if Allie could sing a "special".  I had never heard her sing before.  I think she sang, "Heart of Worship" and I was blown away. What a voice!  And she and Jana sang together like they were created to do so.  Our drummer, Tyler, was world class.  Our Bassist, David was great. Our main male lead vocal, Ben, was a bit of a wild-card but most of the time he did his part well. Justin would sing sometimes too and mostly played the electric guitar. Allie added Keys to her repertoire and Jana mastered the guitar.

Over the years Justin and Tyler also played in some side bands as did the girls.

And if I ended there, it would be a good story.  But it get's better.

Jana, I'm sure is still a great guitar player and vocalist although she's pretty busy these days with a brand new baby girl.  She married a Nashville guitar player who is in a band most of the free world would know if I were to name-drop.

Justin is a worship and student pastor.  He's still singing and playing guitar and he's married and has a baby too.

I don't know if Tyler is still playing drums or not but he's from one of the most musically gifted families I know. He's married and has a baby!

David is a Funeral Director.  What??  The picture of a cool Bass Player giving comfort to grieving families is almost too much!

I once took Ben to Ukraine on a mission trip. Earlier this year he married a Ukrainian girl he met in college at South Alabama!  His parents, Tim and Sandy, continue to be great friends and supporters.

And Allie- the voice- She had a song featured on Grey's Anatomy and just released her 2nd or 3rd album, this one with a Welsh partner named Al Lewis.  You can find her on Itunes at Lewis & Leigh (Leigh is Allie's middle name).

Always last, but not least, I'd be remiss if I didn't mention that we had a few technical geniuses running sound boards and computers for us, mostly Scott and Brandon.

The Original 605 Band; pardon the pun, but they were so instrumental in my ministry in Gulfport. They not only led us to the throne every Wednesday night but they were the "draw"- they were the reason so many kids attended every week and when they attended they experienced God through worship and hopefully they heard the Word and saw it being lived out in their peers and leaders. I couldn't script a more fruitful and fulfilling 4-6 year stretch of church youth ministry.  I'm still in contact with some of them; I'm not in contact with a few of them... but they will always have a most important place in my heart.

 Ben
 Bill
 David
 Jana
 Justin
 Scott
Allie
Tyler

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