Help Me Save a Life
Nov 15, 2009 Communication, Devotions and Thoughts, Me
For the past two years I have been supporting the “Nothing But Nets” campaign. The campaign raises money to provide mosquito nets that protect from Malaria with the goal of wiping out the disease on the continent of Africa.
Between now and Christmas I want to raise enough money to buy 1000 nets. At $10 each that makes a total of $10,000
Wow, you might say that’s a lot of money but think of it this way.
Between now and Christmas is around 45 days. That means if you saved 22 cents per day between now and then you would have $10 for a net.
I figure that I have about 2000 people I am connected to between facebook personal page, fan page and twitter. If only half participated we would reach the goal.
How you can help:
1. Donate: I have created a netraiser team called Fork In the Road. You can help support me by making a secure online donation. Click here to donate.
2. Forward, Retweet, Repost: Send this on to your friends in your social networks. Get them to help.. who knows we could pass 1000 nets easily.
3. Start Your Own Team: Why not start your own effort with your church, youth group, or among your social media friends. It doesn’t matter who raises the money, just that they get raised.
For more information on how YOU can participate in Nothing But Nets, please visit www.NothingButNets.net
Thanks for your support!
Tags: application, camp, CD, Christmas, Church, Click, facebook, fork In the Road, help, Malaria, Methodist Church, Mosquitos, Music, Net Raiser Team, Nothing But Nets, people, Team, twitter, Wave, work, youth
Why the New Blog Layout
Nov 12, 2009 Communication, Me
If you visit forkintheroadmusic.org you will notice that the page template has changed. For a while I had used the arras theme, which I really liked as far as asthetics, however it did not work best for my site. This is for a few different reasons I think
First of all I think my idea behind my blogging has changed. When I started I wanted to be a resource center for worship leaders. I wanted to write articles about leading worship, provide backgrounds etc. It was all business though, no personal. Over the past few years I have sensed the power in being personal. I still want to provide resources, instrumental reflections, and gather thoughts from worship leaders, but that is only one part of who I am. I also love talking about family, communications, my pets, church, and my favorite chili recipe.
Second I want to become more mobile. I have found that when I have to wait until the end of the day to write a post, I generally run out of time or forget about it. However if when an idea strikes I can write it, and post it then that’s better. I can now take photos and upload thoughts directly from my phone using either the wordpress app or posterous. The new layout allows for this easier by not requiring the thumbnail images each time, and looking uniform when updated from posterous.
So what do you think? I’d love your feedback!
Tags: blog, fork In the Road, Layout
Appreciating Your Worship Team: Social Media
Mar 15, 2009 How To, Youth Worship
There are many ways to let your worship team know you appreciate them. Some of these include sharing a meal together, or even giving a CD as a gift. One more I way I thought of today is to use social media.
The beauty, and sometimes curse, of social media is that whatever you put up, most anyone can see. Services like twitter and facebook are a great way to get a message out to alot of people at one time. Why not use this means to show your appreciation to your worship team. This morning our youth band led worship and did a great job. As I was getting in my car I just posted a short twitter that said “Couldn’t be more proud of the youth band, they did a great job.” My goal was that when this posted to my facebook account that some of the youth band members would see it. What happened was that other church members who were there also chimed in and left comments like “Yeah they were great.” So my simple twitter/facebook update actually prompted others to show their appreciation too.
Is this the only way to show appreciation… no. But here are some of the benifits I have seen:
1. It is immediate- A handwritten card may be more personal, but by the time you write it, mail it, and they receive it, 3 days could pass by. I was able to send out this message immediately.
2. It is global- Write a note to one person showing your appreciation and that one person will see it. Write it on something public like twitter or facebook and many people can see it, and chime in too.
3. It encourages others- When you share your appreciation on a public site like facebook then it prompts others to share their appreciation too.
4. It’s easy- No pens, envelopes, stationary, or desk was involved.
5. It gets to the point- When I write a letter alot of times I end up rambling not knowing what to say. Using a text or twitter makes me say what I want to quickly and concisely.
If you like this article then consider subscribing to Fork In the Road music by email or using your rss reader. Visit my contact page for more ways to stay in touch. Follow me on twitter.
Tags: Appreciate, band, CD, Church, facebook, fork In the Road, Team, twitter, Worship, youth, Youth Band
Teaching Class Guitar Lessons Week 3
Mar 7, 2009 How To
This week was our 3rd week of guitar lessons and I wanted to get to the point of what most people want to do with their guitar, which is playing chord. I included in their worksheets a basic chord chart. I figured since we learned how to read a chord chart last week that they should do fine and I was right. I started with a basic chord progression of 1 4 5 4 1 and we started in the key of C so they played C F G F C. Then I said I would just add one chord and we would play in a different key. I asked them to learn D. Then I asked what the chord progression would be in the key of G and we figured it out G C D C G. Then I added the A chord and we played the progression in the key of D which was D G A G D. It was a great way to build on a progression having to only learn one new chord at a time.
After that we worked on strumming patterns. Started of just playing down and upstrokes 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &. Then I taught them to keep the same pattern but only actually strum at different times. I had half the class play on down beats only, and the other half play on upbeats only. We will build from that and add different patterns over the next three weeks.
If you like this article then consider subscribing to Fork In the Road music by email or using your rss reader. Visit my contact page for more ways to stay in touch.
Tags: fork In the Road, guitar, How To, lessons, work
Teaching Class Guitar Lessons Week 2
Mar 6, 2009 How To
Last Thursday we had our second guitar lesson for the class. I actually gained one student, and everyone else was there as well. I asked the question at the beginning how many practiced and most of them said they spent atleast a little time working on stuff during the week.
I took some time to review and then we talked about tuning. The previous week we tuned using a tuner, but this week we talked about tuning using the 5th fret method. I think they actually took to it easier than the tuner. That may have been because they had been using the tuner for a week and the guitars were already close to being intune.
Afte that we reviewed how to make a scale and we played the G scale two octaves all the way up. Then we went over how to make a chord. I told them that making a chord was like carving a statue of an elephant. To carve a statue of an elephant you take a block of marble and chip away anything that doesn’t look like an elephant. I then said making a chord is the same thing. We wrote down the three notes that make a G chord and then circled all those notes on the guitar fretboard. Then I showed them the fingering for a G chord and it made sense. My goal is to show them why something is not just what it is.
Finally we ended with chord progressions, and talked about what I IV V etc meant.
It was a great class. I had some requests to tape the class and put it up online. There are lots of online guitar classes out there but what do you think?
If you like this article then consider subscribing to Fork In the Road music by email or using your rss reader. Visit my contact page for more ways to stay in touch.
Tags: fork In the Road, guitar, How To, lessons, work
Sunday Songlists- 3/1/09
Mar 5, 2009 Worship Planning
This past Sunday was an interesting one. I thought that the band and vocals sounded great, were tight and was over all an awesome Sunday. Unfortunately there were many other events this weekend that hindered our Sunday morning attendance. I do have to give props to our ladies who do the stage decorations each week. When I arrived at the church 3 years ago all we had was the black curtain background. This Easter will mark one full year of using colors in different ways to decorate the stage. They don’t really use elaborate props but have come up with a quick and easy system to add some color and a different focus depending on the week. Hopefully Ill put a post up next week showing how we do our stage.
Songlist (Planning Center)
Everlasting God
My Hope is You
Your Love is Amazing (Halleluiah)
Here I Am to Worship
Praise to the Lord the Almighty (from the Wow Hymns)
In the Secret
This Sunday Setlist is posted as part of Fred McKinnon’s Sunday Setlist #32. Come on and see what other churches are doing each week, and share your own Sunday experiences.
If you like this article then consider subscribing to Fork In the Road music by email or using your rss reader. Visit my contact page for more ways to stay in touch.
Tags: Background, band, Church, fork In the Road, Fred McKinnon, Setlist, songlists, Sunday, Sunday Setlist, Worship
Appreciating Your Band- Today is the Day
Mar 4, 2009 Uncategorized
Today I passed out a rehearsal CD to our band. I spent some money and purchased everyone in the band a copy of Lincoln Brewster’s Cd “Today is the Day”. The songs are great, different from what we have traditionally done, and the style fits our group. Plus I have a sophomore kid playing guitar who can pretty much nail all the guitar parts. It was something simple that cost a little bit of money but that i hope goes a long way. Since we recently stopped making “reheasal cds” for our team, buying them a copy of a worship CD helps them to continue to learn songs, plus increases their worship music collection.
I am not sure if we will continue to buy CDs for the team but it seems like a great way to show a little appreciation and to stay within copyright regulations as well.
If you like this article then consider subscribing to Fork In the Road music by email or using your rss reader. Visit my contact page for more ways to stay in touch.
Tags: Appreciate, band, CD, fork In the Road, guitar, rehearsal, Songs, Team, Worship
Appreciating Your Band-Take a Break and Break Some Bread
Mar 4, 2009 Uncategorized
I became the worship leader at my church over 2 years ago. After a while I felt like we were getting into a rut and stale in our music and our rehearsals. What I began to realize is that all we did was practice and lead. I decided that what we needed was a chance to spend time, not playing our instruments. So for one rehearsal I ordered fajitas from a local restaurant and treated them to a meal. It was nothing fancy, just some chicken, cheese and tortillas. We sat and ate, talked about stuff, learned about each other and we even ended up playing through some new songs, but that wasn’t the focus. The whole meal cost me around $100. The money spent is nothing compared to what has happened since.
Over the past years we have continued this tradition. Not on a regular basis but randomly. We meet together, share a meal and just chill out. Turns out I think it has been some of the most productive rehearsal times that we have had.
How often do you just take a break and do something different with your team?
If you like this article then consider subscribing to Fork In the Road music by email or using your rss reader. Visit my contact page for more ways to stay in touch.
Tags: Appreciate, band, Church, fork In the Road, rehearsal, Songs, Team, Worship, Worship Leader
Sunday Setlist- 01-25-09
Jan 25, 2009 Worship Planning
Again it was a great Sunday. Our message this week was “Fishing and Following” brought by Pastor Danny Wayman. The music was awesome too, except I forgot where my capo went on “Jesus Messiah.” Luckily I was able to correct the problem.
Here are the songs.
Fork In the Road- I brought this to the band from my first CD. They do a great job with it.
Revive Us Again- A great redo if this old hymn.
Jesus Messiah- Except for me almost starting in the wrong key because of the capo, it went well
Flower in the Field- Kerri’s Song from her first CD.
Here I Am Lord- We did a quick redo of this hymn. Fit great with our topic of following Jesus
We also used this video about if the church marketed like starbucks.
And that’s just what we did this Sunday. Be sure and check out what others did on Fred McKinnon’s Sunday Setlist Worship Carnival #27
Tags: application, band, CD, Church, fork In the Road, Fred McKinnon, Setlist, Songs, Sunday, Sunday Setlist, video, Worship
I Missed My 100th Post
Nov 28, 2008 Uncategorized
Apparently I missed one of my first milestones in the life of Fork In The Road Blog. Two posts ago was my 100th blog post. I guess that would make this 102. In this brief time of I have learned much about blogging and have apparently written some things that others have learned from and enjoyed. Here are my top 10 viewed posts so far.
Youth Worship: Worshipping without a band
Cardboard Testimonies
Free Stuff: Angel Background
Free Backgrounds
Resources
Music Ministry
Removing Distractions
How to- Make Your Own Worship Background
Free Song: Awaken Our Hearts
What To Do With a Youth Worship Team
Do you have a post on Fork In The Road that was extremely helpful or inspiring for you?
Tags: angel, Background, band, blogging, fork In the Road, Free, Free Song, Free Stuff, How To, Resource, resources, Team, Worship, youth, Youth Worship
