New Time

A new time has been entered into. For the first time, I’m involved in a form of paid ministry. Now the transition shouldn’t mean too much – my attitude towards ministering in the church shouldn’t shift from ‘ho-hum’ to ‘fully-committed’. Hopefully that commitment and devotion is true for every Christian as a co-worker in the gospel (Phil 1:5). But the blessing of being provided for a little means that it frees me up to invest more hours and energy into the role.

So what is it I’m doing?

The elders of my church in Napier asked me to do a 10-hour internship in music ministry this year at the church (10 hours paid, but a lot more than that in reality!) I’m now a month in and it’s been hard grind getting all the administration organised and systems set up to allow the practical aspects of the music on Sundays to run smoothly. I’ve got an office at church which I head out to every Friday to do the admin things. Basically my job description is to enhance the music ministry at the church – and myself and another guy who has a lot more years of ministry and life experience are co-leading the music side of things. 

I’m also in a new flat in Hastings town, with a Kenyan guy also studying at Bible College. And yes, I’m still studying at college – right now doing Level 6 and focussing on Missions and Biblical Counselling. 

 

But this practical experience in church ministry, being discipled under some godly and wise men of God, and learning how to love and care for God’s people and put this theology I’m learning into practice – is an even more amazing blessing from God I’m privileged to have! 

Beyond this year – who knows? The Lord will make the paths clear (Prov 3:5-6).

This year. It’s music, and the blessing of learning to minister in a local church – God’s great instrument for changing hearts and lives in the sinful, broken world. And specifically, to lead God’s people at Onekawa in sung worship of such a great and glorious God! What a joy!

I also have a blog I’m writing more focussed on the worship through music & song-writing side of things which you can visit, and even subscribe to and follow (http://benjimusic.co.nz/blog)

Months of Music

In February I wrote a post called 'Days of Music' (you can view it here) which was an insight into the recording process of making an album.


Now we're five months on, and a lot has advanced in that time. I'd thought I'd write another post, just to keep you all informed on the album's progress and give some insight on how its all done. Just to refresh - the album is called 'To Him Be The Glory', and has 12 congregational worship songs aimed as accessible and easy to pick up songs for churches.

Matters Sorted:
Since recording week, the album cover and booklet have been designed. A website that has all the resources for each of the songs has been made. Plans have been more firmly formed for a Church Tour next January/February where myself and a few more accompanying musicians will be hopping around the North Island in a van for three weeks, serving churches in whatever way we can and taking some of these songs out there for people to learn and be blessed by! Also just recently, someone to distribute of the CD to stores and ITunes has also been organised.

Mixing:
With the music itself - the songs have gone through a process called mixing. This is where some guy (in this case Tom Mepham, the album producer and designer) sits at a computer for long, long hours, going through each song - changing lots of levels in volume, sound, and feel for all the different instrument parts. After some time, the songs begin to sound much better - there's balance between the different instruments and the voice, and you can hear everything more clearly (so it's no longer just lots of 'noise'). At least as much time is spend mixing each song as recording it. Often more time actually. And tomorrow, yes tomorrow - the final mixes will be finished for these 12 congregational worship songs!

Mastering:
Then next week they will be sent for some mastering. This is the next step in a song's process. What happens here is that another guy (not Tom this time) will sit at a desk and work with the songs. He'll not so much be working with the songs individually, but with all of them together collectively. It'll be the final touch to help bring consistency and flow and balance between all the tracks.

Manufacturing:
Finally, at some point in the next month or two I'll send off the CD for some actual manufacturing. They'll be sent to a place who will replicate 500 copies of the album complete with booklet - ready to go out, and people in New Zealand to be blessed by it. I'll aim for releasing the album Mid-November this year.


So it's been very exciting and a really interesting and learning experience to see this project unfold. Prayer continues to be the foundation for every aspect, with a number of prayer supporters out there holding the project before the Lord and asking Him to use it for His purposes and receive the due glory from start to finish. And God has opened so many doors and answered prayers already! But above all it's just been a privilege, thrill, and joy to offer myself in surrender for God's service - and let Him do what He wants with these songs that He's given me the ability and passion to write.

Days of Music

This last week has been in one word – enjoyable. Though we’ve worked hard, for around or over 12 hours each day (went to bed around two this morning), you can’t exactly call what we’ve been up to “work”. 

The last week Tom and I have been recording an album of worship songs that’s been years in the planning and making. It’s exciting that’s it’s finally becoming a reality and happening. And already I’m excited about how the songs are sounding – in fact they’re already beyond my expectations.

So basically here’s how we did things.....

the Project:   an album of worship songs called ‘To Him Be The Glory’

the Location:   Creagh Cottage, on the front face of the Crown Terrace near Arrowtown, overlooking the beautiful mountainous landscape. Inspiration guaranteed. Breathtaking

the Vision:   to record and produce and make accessible songs of worship to our incredible God that declare His praise and nature – that are simple enough songs to be taken by churches, learned, taught, and used in congregational settings (so to help in this, the album will include chord sheets, lyrics, powerpoints, etc). This week was just the recording bit

the Gear:   masses of stuff. Two guys with musical creativity and adoration of God in their veins. Guitars of all types, speakers, laptops, keyboard, cables and leads, mixing gear, couches, mics, and so on. A studio space with great acoustics and even better surroundings to do it all. And a Bible. 

the Process:   (we had already laid down some scratch tracks – with the drums and piano, in December). This week it was recording in electric guitars, rythm and lead. Also acoustic guitar tracks, bass guitar, additional piano, synth and pads, a few backing vocals (utilising Jen and Amanda, the girls staying here this week), and of course those lead vocals! Some good hours mixing things as we go, and that was our long but extremely productive week’s work/play

the Additionals:   throw in a good photo shoot utilising the scenery all around, some fantastic meals cooked  by the girls including a brave but beautiful rabbit pie by lantern light at ten at night using bunnies I’d shot and skinned that morning, strong daily brews of freshly ground coffee to keep us charged through the day, a few doses of lying out in the sunshine and discussing life and the future and God and His goodness, some rugby passes, a BBQ on the patio in the sunshine, and late nights – and that’s a recording week for you

the Essentials:   good gear (which we had), a great producer/recorder/mixer (which we had, thanks Tom), good musicians and singers (which we hopefully had), some time reading and thinking about God’s Word, and lot’s of prayer 

And what’s ahead?

We continue up here in Central Otago this coming week, and will spend two to three days finishing the recording process off for the 12-track album. That includes some final guitars, lots of backing vocals to lift up the songs (including working out what most of them are!), and little details to fix.

All the production/mixing will take place later in the year – and the album will be released late this year or early next. Exciting. I just keep praying and praying that God would do what He wants with these songs, and really bring glory to Himself through them. 

Days of music 

It has been

(My heart is steadfast, O God! I will sing and make melody with all my being! - Psalm 108:1)

Musical Idea

So here is an idea for the music of the hymn 'Christ, Our Hope' I shared the words of in my last post. Sorry the quality is pretty poor, but you get the general idea of the melody anyway. I just recorded verses 1 and 3. To hear it, right click on the link below save as (to download it and listen to it).

Christ, Our Hope

Please let me know what you think? -
i.e.
Is it too complicated, too simple, or just right?
Is the melody interesting enough?
Would it get stuck in your head?
Does it compliment the words and their message?
Basically, is it excellent, good, or forgettable??

It's hard to know when you write it yourself... so I'm relying on what others think. It would be great to hear! Feel welcome to leave comments below. Thanks