I arrived in Los Angeles today for the 2011 Taxi Road Rally. I’m here with 2,000 other songwriters, musicians, producers, poets, and dreamers. I’m also here with grammy winning songwriters and producers.
In early spring of this year, I was praying in the church before leaving for the day, and clearly heard the Lord asking me to write songs for the church.
I have all the tools, all the skill, and all the encouragement of my family and friends. Now, all I need is the discipline to get to work…
Here is the setlist of songs the band and I used on the St. Brigid Confirmation Retreat “Emmaus”. If these songs led you into prayer, I encourage you to pick them up at iTunes and continue praying them over the next several weeks. The band and I were blessed to be with you at Covecrest. Peace to you my friends…Greg
Friday night…
Lean on Me- Bill Withers; Fires – Theme song from Matt Redman; Your Grace Is Enough – Matt Maher; Marvelous Light – Charlie Hall; How He Loves – Mark McMillan; The Stand – Hillsong; Open My Eyes – Jesse Manibusan
Saturday morning…
Days of Elijah – Robin Mark; Holy Is The Lord – Chris Tomlin; Everlasting God – Brenton Brown; Mighty To Save – Hillsong (Fielding); Open My Eyes – Jesse Manibusan
Saturday afternoon…
Big House – Audio Adrenaline; Our God – Chris Tomlin; I Will Follow – Chris Tomlin; Fires – Matt Redman
Adoration…
He Is Exalted – Twila Paris; Worthy – Matt Redman; Revelation Song – Phillips Craig and Dean (written my Jamie Riddle); How He Loves – Mark McMillan; Dwell – Casey Corum; How Great Is Our God – Chris Tomlin; Tantum Ergo (Traditional); Divine Praises (Adapted by Matt Maher)
Sunday morning…
I Saw The Light – Hank Williams; I Will Follow – Chris Tomlin; Your Grace Is Enough – Maher;
Two years ago I was at a conference for Whole Community Catechesis, where I got to hear Steve Angrisano present a musical workshop. One of the takeaways from his session was the expression “Near Faith Experience”. You know, it’s where you are at a retreat, or at mass, yet not really present to Christ and what is happening. I think NFE’s happen occasionally when you work in full time ministry. I find myself, after three masses and four rehearsals this weekend, having had a NFE. I know what the Gospel was about, I barely remember the second reading. The First reading from Ezekiel escapes me completely, and I heard it three times!
Lord, grant us the grace to enter completely into the liturgy when we serve You there, to remove the distractions, and love You with everything we have. Lord, I know that when I play and sing, it’s for an audience of One (Three, in Trinity). I love you, and I can’t wait to meet You in the liturgy again. Greg
Next Wednesday, I will be embarking on a new undertaking. The youth minister I work with at Holy Trinity is a great friend, and we have decided to start a Podcast. It’s going to be fabulous, so stay tuned for the details… “The G.O. Summit” is coming soon…
I’m back on the blogging trail after a few weeks of events. As I drove in this morning the one consistent thing about the last few weeks has been how awesome the hospitality has been wherever the band has played. Back in early August, I was invited to play the appeal mass at Queen of Angels Catholic School in Roswell GA. The entire staff was a joy to work with. The best part is that two of my dearest friends, Ken and Terry Kenan, are staffers at the school and greeted us with an amazing spread of food and treats. The food was amazing, but the part that stands out was how it was made. You see, I know that they made all that food with love. They used eggs from their chickens, tomatoes and veggies from their garden. In addition to all that they had prepared for us, they sent us away with care bags full of more goodies. I know that when we left for the drive home, the guys reviewed the day and overwhelmingly felt loved and appreciated.
Two weeks ago, we were asked to play over in Griffin GA at New Life Church for their weekly Rock The Block session. Every Thursday, the church gathers in the parking lot and welcomes everyone in the community for food and music. The band and I loaded up with minimal equipment, and no expectations for the night. We were just on an adventure to pray, sing, and enjoy an evening of ministry. Here’s a photo of Lenny working with an interesting kick drum setup…
After we got set up and sound checked, one of the parishioners came up and led an opening prayer for an anointing on the evening’s worship. Just as we began our worship set, we could really feel God moving through our hearts. Just as we began, our host Ronnie took this photo…
I am convinced that it’s God reaching down to us. During our dinner break, we were treated to a spaghetti dinner with the best sweet tea Griffin GA has to offer. At the end of the night, the guys and I were loading up the truck and we were approached by different people that live in the neighborhood that heard the music and came out to enjoy the evening. This was the second night after the brutal GA heat subsided to a cool snap that made the evening perfect. We received many hugs as we packed up our gear and said goodbye to our new friends.
This past Saturday, the band and I played the Wide Open Worship event for the Southside of Atlanta, and were once again offered a dinner with the community. The guys and I had a chance to sit down and enjoy each other’s company before beginning the music sets for the evening.
I am blessed by the hospitality that has been extended to me and the guys in the band. Those that we have served have received us and been Christ to us. My heart is grateful…
Every decision we make has a consequence, and we all learn that fundamental concept during our early childhood. If we decide to touch a steaming hot bag of microwave popcorn, the consequence will be that we get burned, just like mom said we would. In my era, it wasn’t microwave popcorn, as microwaves weren’t invented until the late 1970′s! For me and my gen x’ers, it was the jiffy pop!
Throughout this week I have made decisions to stay up later than I should have to get work done, get by on a few good meals scattered in with junk food, and slept through my workout routine. So here’s to Friday, which is the end of my “weekend”, and I am reaping the decisions I sowed all week. I’m tired, miss my friends that I workout with, and just feel blah. Today, as the song goes, will bring better decisions. Today, we will get it balanced.The power to decide is in my hands…
For reasons unknown to me, God places the oddest people into my life. I suspect it’s to teach me something or have me grow in a specific direction from meeting them.
Two years ago I was asked by the Knight’s of Columbus to play for their annual mass on Memorial day, to honor our servicemen and women who gave their lives in the line of duty. The mass is always well attended, and was being held at the Georgia National Cemetery in Canton GA. The grounds are beautiful, and overlooks the Atlanta skyline in the distance. As I was preparing to lead music for the Mass being celebrated by Archbishop Gregory, a woman came up to me wearing a white t-shirt inscribed with “I Am Troy Davis” in gigantic black lettering. She introduces herself to me, and informs me that she’s a violinist and would like to sit in with me and play the mass. [Sidebar - most musicians would NOT be open to this kind of improvisational moment.] I confirm with her that she is is capable of playing the material and she produces her violin promptly out of the trunk of her car. I guess she travels everywhere with it, lucky me. When she came back over the area where I had setup, I asked her about the detail of the t-shirt she was wearing. She goes on to explain that there’s a guy named Troy Davis locked up in prison facing execution for a murder he allegedly didn’t commit, so I’m looking at her and thinking he must have the best PR guy in the United States. Mass went beautifully, and concluded with blackhawk helicopters flying at low altitude and high speed. Pretty awesome sending forth, and yes, Troy Davis’ advocate played well…
Fast forward to now…a fellow songwriter posts on her facebook wall a link from the NAACP “Save Troy Davis”. I flash back to the violinist. Next thing I do is pop Troy Davis into Google and start reading through some of the facts in this case. It appears that Troy Davis was convicted of the murder of an off duty police officer by the name of Mark MacPhail back in 1989. He was convicted of the murder, with no physical evidence linking him to the crime. Since the time of his trial, 7 of the 9 eyewitnesses have recanted their testimony. Troy Davis is still facing execution in Georgia by lethal injection. The state of Georgia is still planning to follow through and kill Troy Davis. I believe Davis is working on his 3rd set of appeals. This is alarming to me…
I, in turn, posted the NAACP link onto my Facebook wall. A good friend of mine, who happens to be a detective with the local county sheriff, saw my post on Facebook and began a dialogue with me regarding the case. He shared with me that many times in a death penalty case, eyewitnesses will later recant their testimony out of feeling guilty for the accused facing a death sentence. Instead of continuing the dialogue on Facebook, I wanted to bring the conversation here so we could unpack our thoughts with more detail. The death penalty is one of those areas that people get really emotionally charged about, and everyone has a strong opinion. Here’s mine…
- To establish a foundation on the lens I see the world through…First and foremost, every person (and creature, but for this dialogue we’ll stick with person so the explanation and theology remains consistent) was created by God, and we were created in His image. Every person, including the drug dealers, the prostitutes, murderer’s, and even grateful dead fans…all qualify as persons created in God’s image.
- God, and God alone, has the authority and power to take a person’s earthly life, from conception through natural death.
- Killing Troy Davis, or any other criminal in the justice system of the United States is not necessary. Killing them through lethal injection or the electric chair is inhumane and feeds our culture of death. It does not bring “justice” to the family and loved one’s left behind. We are not more secure as people by the death of a criminal already contained in a maximum security prison.
- There are many examples of criminals who have been wrongly executed. How does the state apologize for this? Is the state held accountable for murder? How about the prosecutor, or the District Attorney, or the judge? Should they receive the same punishment as the one that was wrongfully executed?
- There’s a finality of taking a life, either by accident or in a deliberate act. There’s no undoing it.
One might argue that the victim had their life taken violently away, and that is true and a tragedy. Another killing won’t restore peace to the one’s left behind. It’s just another sinful and violent act, performed and justified by the state. Another stepping stone in the desensitization of God’s people.
Open to hearing your thought’s. What do you think?
Sean and I drive into a section of Atlanta known as Little Five Points. It’s an artsy and eclectic part of town. Little Five Points is home to a great music venue called the Variety Playhouse, and is also “home” to many of Atlanta’s homeless. We are walking up the sidewalk towards our dinner destination, and a group of young adults are standing under a business awning to stay clear of the rain. A few of them see Sean and ask him if he has anything to eat. It’s obvious to me that they recognize him and know him. Once again, Sean turns to the crowd of hungry young people and loudly proclaims “I love you my brothers and sisters. Peace to you! I don’t have any food with me right now, but trust that God will provide.” We resume walking to a local pizza joint and order a large pizza where Sean began his ministry over twenty years ago. The restaurant is now named “Little Five Points Pizza”, and was part of the Atlanta “Fellini’s” chain years ago. As we sit and enjoy our dinner, Sean shares with me the story of how he had come into the restaurant years ago on his birthday to celebrate. During his time there, a group of kids showed up that were hungry and asking folks for food. As the owner was dismissing them and trying to get them off the property, Sean got involved and insisted that they come in so he could buy them some food. After ordering a few pizza’s and pitchers of soda, Sean found himself at the beginning of a new ministry. These young people were hungry, and he fed them. He let them know that he cared about them, and that God loved them and cared about them. Fast forward twenty two years, and here I am sitting with my friend where it all began.
As we get up and ready to leave, Sean asks the manager for a box, and then asks the manager to keep our pizza warm on top of the oven. I top off my soda, and we are out the door. We walk down the street and make a few turns before running into someone that Sean seems to know well. I introduce myself to a very tall and thin african american man named “Legend” and his friend Michael. Sean says to me that his real name is “Tall, Dark, and Handsome”. They are both out here on the street selling handmade jewelry to make some money. Legend and I are talking for a moment when Sean asks Legend what impact he has had on his life. Legend looks at me and says “This man right here (referring to Sean), has given me hope out here on the street. Brother Sean has convinced me that God loves me, and that he loves me and cares about me.” As I stand there, absorbing what he said, Legend asks Sean if we have anything for him to eat. Sean tells him to walk up the block to the pizza place, and to ask for Brother Sean’s pizza waiting for him on the oven. Legend and Michael share their thanks and head up the street towards the pizza place. I’m blessed to meet Legend and Michael.
As we walk down the street, Sean continues greeting people that he recognizes and doesn’t miss an opportunity to let them know that God loves them and cares about them. We turn into a store entrance where there are two men getting ready to bunk down for the night in the dry shelter of a store entrance. I meet Dwight, and Sean asks him how he’s feeling. Sean had met Dwight a few weeks prior. He was screaming and ranting in the street, causing the people walking by to turn the other way and walk faster. He had a terrible case of pneumonia, and all he wanted was for someone to listen to him and hear that he was sick. Sean had gotten him to a clinic to get some antibiotics. Now here we are visiting with Dwight, who is smiling and talking with me as we visit.
We continue down the sidewalk, and turn into an alley parking lot. I hop over a small diving wall, and follow Sean down the hill to another street in a residential area. We’re walking past an old church with a for sale sign when he tells me…”I want this building. This is the perfect place to setup shop and provide some health services and feed God’s people”. I stand there in the damp lawn wishing I could write a check to cover the purchase of this place. Sean needs it, and the people need it. As we turn and head back up the hill, I ask Sean about the “briefing” we were supposed to cover at dinner. As of now, I still feel rather unqualified to be out here talking and visiting with folks. I am thinking in my mind that I am missing the necessary tools to do this work. Sean tells me…”It’s really very simple. We don’t fix them. We don’t see with any expectations, and we let happen what happens. We don’t judge it.” I ask Sean how people end up in this living situation. He tells me “It doesn’t matter. I don’t know. Sometimes they don’t know.” In my mind, I really needed a bit more detail on the how. It’s just how I think. I ask him for more detail. “Here’s an example…Imagine living on minimum wage, and making the mistake of overdrawing your checking account. That $35 fee is a huge chunk of everything you have, and things just never recover from there. People get sick, people get addicted. It just happens”. I share with Sean that it’s hard for me to reconcile that I have an amazing life, and I see these people struggling just to survive. I tell him that I’m not hurting for anything, and here are these amazing people fighting for their life. I recognize and am aware that God has blessed me so much with health, a family, and financial security. It’s humbling to me. It’s Grace. That’s the only answer to why I have the benefits and luxuries that I do. Any other answer falls short. It’s Grace, and Grace alone. I know that God’s providential hand and favor have rested on me. Maybe that’s why I am so eager to contribute back.
We turn and begin our walk back to my truck as we prepare for the third leg of our trip. The rain is picking up as we make our way down the sidewalk. As Sean and I continue to talk, a young man is walking towards us on the sidewalk. Sean sees the opportunity in our passing to ask him “How are you”? The young man replies in a mumbled voice, now behind us, that he’s “not so good”. Sean turns now, to greet this young man once again, and asks him what’s wrong. This young man has been traveling, and asks us for food. It’s easy to see that he is soaking wet from walking through the night of storms. Sean asks him if he has any family around, and he reveals that he has grandparents in Savannah Ga. He asks him when was the last time they had spoken, and offers him his phone to call them. Sean dials the number, and introduces himself as a Catholic missionary that is standing here with his grandson, and then asks if he would like to talk with him. He hands the phone over to this soaking wet teenager as I stand in the covered entrance of a bar. As the young man hesitantly engages his grandfather in conversation, I ask “Are they coming to get him”? Sean “I don’t know”. After just a few minutes, the young man says his goodbye and hands the phone back to Sean and asks if he has anything to eat. “There’s a tall black man named Legend up the hill that might have some pizza for you. God bless you, and loves you, and I love you”. This teenager thanks us and begins walking up the hill to find Legend. I start boiling inside. “Nobody is coming to get him”? Sean – “No”. “What, are you Serious” I ask?! “Yep”. Sean looks at me and says “you don’t know what the situation is, you don’t know if he has run away a dozen times before and been picked up a dozen times. Maybe the grandparents are in a nursing home. Maybe they are sick”. Responsibility is huge to me, it’s probably the single strongest attribute to my character. This was flying in the face of everything I believe about family, integrity and responsibility. In the Marine Corps, we execute the order that no man gets left behind. I’m raising my voice a bit now as I declare to Sean…”Someone needs to be in a car driving like a hundred miles an hour to come get this kid. This is ridiculous.” Sean maintains his very peaceful demeanor and tells me that “it’s not for us to judge it or affect it…just to love it and be present to it”. My mind doesn’t reconcile this, even though my spirit starts restoring peace to my heart about the situation. We see my truck across the two lane street, and we’re climbing in and off to Auburn Avenue.
To be continued…
Who are the people speaking words into your life, and what are they saying to you? Are they building up your gifts, your talents, your potential, or are they planting seeds of doubt, uncertainty and fear?
Last night I had the opportunity to attend an evening with Frank Kelly. Frank has gifts from the Holy Spirit that include discerning word of knowledge and healing. Google that for more info! When Frank prayed with me, he spoke words into my life. What he shared with me could only have come from God. It was a message of love, of hope, and of peace. What he shared was a very personal glimpse of my faith walk right now. He encouraged me to reach out to specific Saints and ask for their intercession.
My challenge to you is to take the next 7 days and pay attention to what words people are speaking into your life and determine if they are leading you where you want to be. If you find that people are speaking words of doubt and fear into your life, there’s a reason they are planting those seeds and you need to discern the value of that relationship. The good news is that you get to choose if those seeds land on fertile soil or rocky ground.
