Evernote-Their website says “Evernote allows you to easily capture information in any environment using whatever device or platform you find most convenient, and makes this information accessible and searchable at any time, from anywhere.”  I have just begun using this software and haven’t started using it to it’s full potential but it looks promising. The ability to sync online and iphone is good. I could definately see it useful when purchasing equipment and making comparisons.

Twittelator- If you are a twitter user this is a great app to have. It is my primary form of interacting on twitter. I can send photos, direct messages, and replies. It also supports the location feature so everyone can know exactly where you are. It does from time to time get overwhelmed if you are following a large number of people who update very often but all in all it does well. There is a free version and then Twittelator Pro which costs a few dollars.

Pandora- I wrote about this a few months ago for the desktop version. The Pandora program for the iphone works just the same. Enter a song or artist and it will create a station based around the sound characteristics of that artist or song. The result is a play list that is similar in style that you can listen to all day long. I have used this both on the edge and 3G networks as well as Wifi. As long as you have a signal you can listen. The downside is you cannot listen to it and do anything else on your phone. Until apple lets us run two programs simultaneously.

BONUS APPLICATION FOR MUSICIANS

Gigbaby- A four track recorder with drum machine and metronome? Yeah and all for under a buck. I wouldn’t produce any records with it but great for recording song ideas. This was not in my original list but I ran across it the other day and have loved it since.

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One of the most downloaded backgrounds on this site has been the Garden Angel Blur that I made from a photo I had taken this Summer at one of my work camps.  I thought maybe someone would like it in a color other than green… so here they are. Click on the image once to go to the gallery, and then again to view the full sized image. Then right click and save. You are free to use them for your worship services, announcements etc.. It would be cool if you would let me know how you used them.

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Our contemporary worship service as well as our traditional service follow the lectionary. The lectionary usually provides four different scriptures for each Sunday that follow a theme. In the traditional service we have typically used one for the main scripture the sermon is based on, and then atleast two of the others are read or used as a responsive reading. Up until this point in the contemporary service we have only really used the one that the sermon is based on. I was trying to think of ways to incorporate more scripture in our service that fit the style of our service. 

While I was at Youth Specialties in Nashville they used several scripture videos. (available on their resource page) The videos consisted of a moving background, generally a moving view from a car, or rollercoaster, or something like that, with the scripture laid on top and an audio loop in the background. The YS team used them very well for transitions during different parts of the general sessions. 

So I thought I would try to create something in that same style. I took a section of video on a recent trip to Houston. Using Vegas Movie Studio I lightened, blurred, and added noise to the video. Then took the Old Testament reading for the week, Isaiah 60:1-10, and placed it on top. I then used Sonic Foundry Acid to make a short audio background loop and added it on. 

So this is the result. I think we will play it after the offertory as a transition for the band to get off stage before the pastor and person reading the scripture for the sermon.

Oh.. if you use the lectionary in your church and you would like a copy without the little “Xperience Worship” tag on the end just leave me a reply and let me know. I can run it with out the tag and send it to you or upload it..

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This was my first attempt to do one of those cool fast forward time lapse videos you see around. I took a camera and set it on top of our china hutch before we ate our Christmas Dinner. Then I took the video and used Windows Movie Maker to speed up the footage. Cut it in a few places and downloaded the music from free-loops.com.  What do you think?  How would you use something like this technique in worship?

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Most weeks at our church we have simultaneous contemporary and traditional worship services at the 10:30 to 11:30 hour. Periodically for special occasions we combine services into one location. This week we combined in the contemporary service. It was nice to see some people I don’t normally get to see on a weekly basis.

Songlist-

Go Tell it on the Mountain- Our drummer does a great job singing this song and the band loves playing it so I just let them go for it.
Angels We Have Heard on High- This is a calypso version that they were doing before I got here. With all these songs they stayed fairly true to rhythm and melody so they were different but still easy to sing along with.
It Came Upon a Midnight Clear-
God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen- This version had kind of a night club bluesy type feel. Kerri did a great job on it though.
Our Great God- Ok so we took the words to the hymn “While Shepherds Watched their flocks by night” and put two verses in for one verse of “Our Great God” then did the chorus as usual. Great way to blend old and new, and now we can use “Our Great God” as a worship tune the rest of the year.

You can check out what other worship services were doing this week and for the 22 weeks before this at Sunday Setlist #23 on Fred McKinnon’s Blog

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You Version Bible- This bible app works well and offers a ton of bible translations. Most versions however are online so the app needs a connection of some sort either through the phone network or over wifi. They just began offering a few bible translations as downloads.

Pianist- Pianist provides a basic piano keyboard to play your favorite tunes. It allows you the ability to record your compositions and includes a metronome. I have used this more though for figuring out what key a song is that I hear on a CD or for simple things like that.

Piano chords-Ever forget a piano chord? This app makes it easy to play any piano chord. Just choose the root note from the keyboard and then one of 50 different types of chords and the chord is played and shown visually on the keyboard.

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Guitar toolkit-  Guitar toolkit features many tools that I need on a regular basis.  It features a Chromatic Tuner, Chord Finder, Metronome, Tuning Tones and Scales,  and supports different tunings, 12 string, bass and will reverse for left handed players. I tend to use the tuner and metronome feature the most.

IDicto recorder This recorder is great for capturing song ideas on the fly. Simple to use by just pressing record and letting it run, you can also transfer the files to your computer.

Air sharing Do you have chord sheets saved as PDF or word files? Use Air Sharing to store them on your phone so you always have them with you. It connects over a shared wireless connection.

Stay tuned for my next three favorite applications coming in Part 2

What are some of your favorite applications?

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Here are two cross backgrounds that you can use for worship slides, web pages or whatever. The original photo of the “message cross” is the big white cross at Peace Chapel of Lakeview Methodist Conference Center where I have spent many many weeks leading music for youth camps. The original picture for “Hanging Cross” was an out of focus “mistake” that turned out to make a good background. It reminded me that even an out of focus photo can be redeemed and used for good.  Enjoy.

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This year we tried to at least not give in to the carols until the 3rd Sunday of Advent. Up until then I kept doing mostly our regular worship songs. I like worship songs that hint at or lead us to Christmas like “Here I Am to Worship.”

Light of the world
You stepped down into darkness.
Opened my eyes, let me see.
Beauty that made this heart adore You
Hope of a life spent with You

The third week we did our Sunday of all Christmas music. We had the children’s choirs, liturgical dancers, special soloists and Christmas songs. Our list included Christmas Eve Sarajevo with the dancers, Born in Bethlehem by Third Day with the kids singing the first verse, O Come All Ye Faithful, What I Want for Christmas, Welcome to Our World, Christmas Time is Here, and God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen.

So here are my questions. Do you not worry about liturgical seasons and just sing all the carols you can in December? What songs did you do during this season? What songs did you do during advent?

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