Archive for Uncategorized

Greg Ferrara | April 27, 2011
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Where are the ball carriers?

Everyone has great ideas. Everyone has opinions. Ideas and opinions are nice because there is little to no effort in formulating them. They come naturally to us.

We need ball carriers. The ball carrier takes an idea/opinion, and DOES something with it. Ball carriers MOVE the ball forward. Every individual, organization, household, and society can output millions of ideas in a day. I believe that people are scared of being the ball carrier, because there’s a risk of getting tackled. Everyone wants to knock down the ball carrier. Thee are people that make a lifestyle out of knocking people down, and smashing the dreams of others. You should eliminate these people from your life. Unfriend them on facebook, and stop returning their phone calls.

My challenge to you…Take one, singular idea you have, and move it forward to make you, your organization, your household, or your society a better place. Do it today. Take the hit. It’s worth it.

Category: Fitness, Liturgy, This and That, Worship | Tags: , , , , ,
Greg Ferrara | April 21, 2011
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Tools of my trade…

Bells? Yep, play them too…

Category: Liturgy, Worship |
Greg Ferrara | April 12, 2011
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Peer Ministry Bands

Last summer, we started a new music ministry team made up entirely of high schoolers. Their purpose was to serve their high school peers and our middle school EDGE program. Yesterday, we held our last rehearsal for their inaugural year. We talked through what worked well, and what could work better. Here’s where we think we are…

The band an I agree that they were successful in accomplishing what they set out to do in their first year, which was to form as a small group in prayer, learn (some number) of modern worship tunes, and be the house band for our yearly youth group beach trip and weekly middle school program. They did it, and I am really proud of these musicians. Here’s the roadmap of best practices for you if you want to develop a teen music ministry.

What worked well for us…

  • Developing friendships – We spent a good bit of time on the front end developing relationships in the group, just “hanging out” and having a lunch or getting ice cream on the trips.
  • Practicing on a click track – This develops excellent musicianship and discipline.
  • Leveraging songs that our church already knew from Sunday worship.
  • Praying before and after every rehearsal and worship event
  • Setting clear expectations (Click “PEER MINISTRY BAND EXPECTATIONS” Document) – If you email me, I will send you a copy that you can edit and customize for your church…

What we are going to improve for next year…

  • Yearly Auditions in late Spring – This will enable new people to share their gifts. It also affords us the possibility of forming more than one team, and placing people in more diverse groups to match their playing style (modern worship, christian rock, metal). Having more diverse groups would definitely be a plus to reach more teens.
  • Having auditions yearly also helps build a sub list so that if school or work commitments prevent one of the team members from being available during a worship event, there is a list of people that will have an opportunity to serve. Teens are so busy, with very erratic schedules, much of which is due to the nature of high school activities.
  • Consistent, published, rehearsal schedule. Always publish and keep to your rehearsal schedule. It doesn’t have to be every week, but it does need to be planned three months out.
  • Summer workshop days – Focused 4 hour sessions on learning repertoire. Make the days fun by working in lunch by the local pool, or going to see a movie together.
  • Ongoing training/mentoring with existing adult ministry teams. We have so many gifted people serving at the church that have a heart for ministry and can offer different perspectives and experiences with these developing music ministers.
  • Adding a dedicated set of audio and projection techs that work closely with the bands.

These teens are a blessing to me, and I am thrilled that they are serving our church with their gifts and talents. The church needs more songwriters, leaders, musicians, audio techs, and people with hearts of service. It’s not going to happen unless someone develops them. I encourage you to pray about how you can get teens involved in your worship ministry, or develop a group of them to start their own. Be a blessing, Greg

Category: Liturgy, Uncategorized, Worship | Tags: , , , , ,
Greg Ferrara | March 16, 2011
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A House Divided…

Last week, I had the joy of taking my family out for a frozen treat at the new sensation in town. One of the parishioners from Holy Trinity opened a new TCBY location, and after dinner I took the family on a field trip to visit the new store. As we were waiting in line to get our dessert, we walked past an amazing new vending machine called the Coke Freestyle. It will allow you to make virtually unlimited combinations of drinks. Someone at Coca Cola recognized that we are all different, and that the Coca Cola company could satisfy our desire for “Just the right beverage”. I applaud them in their innovation, and look forward to testing different concoctions until I find the one just right for me.

There is a great division in the church today who’s boundaries are defined by the style of music used in worship. The dividing line has been drawn across the two major categories (Traditional) and (Contemporary), or more specifically and truthfully, (Organ) and (Guitar), and the chasm between the two appears to be growing wider with each new season or liturgical celebration. The hostility that exists from one viewpoint towards other leaves little to no room for respect or Christian Charity. Judging one another and holding each other in contempt consume us in pride and eats away at the fruit of our ministry.

The United States Council of Catholic Bishops states in the 2007 document “Sing To The Lord” that with regard to the human voice “Of all the sounds of which human beings, created in the image and likeness of God, are capable, voice is the most privileged and fundamental. Musical instruments in the Liturgy are best understood as an extension of and support to the primary liturgical instrument, which is the human voice.”

Let’s move past the dividing line. Let us begin to affirm one another for the gifts that God has given to us, and get over our prejudice. One flavor of Coca Cola couldn’t possibly satisfy our palate, and one style of worship couldn’t possibly satisfy every Christian’s expression of love to God. We were all created uniquely by the giver of life. Let us return our voice to His with the song and gift that He created in us.

Category: Liturgy, Uncategorized, Worship | Tags: ,
Greg Ferrara | September 18, 2010
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Music Fest is Today!

Music Fest is today at Our Lady of Mercy HS in Fairburn GA. I hope that if you are reading this, that you had an amazing day with friends and family, celebrating , relaxing, praying, and enjoying the fantastic musical acts that they have lined up for the day. It’s awesome that so many people come out and support the school and community, and my band is blessed to be a part of it! Hope to hear from you soon…Greg

Category: Uncategorized |
Greg Ferrara | August 13, 2010
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Do you believe it?

I have the amazing privilege of serving God’s people through music at holy mass each week. As the team and I were leading worship this past Sunday during the song of sending, it occurred to me that the team as a whole didn’t feel comfortable enough to clap and engage the people in doing so. The people in the pews each week are there to seek out an experience, a moment, with God. It’s our job as pastoral musicians to lead people into a place where they can worship

Are you entering the song? Are you emotionally invested in reproducing the emotion of the lyric? Imagine for a second how hard it would be to reconcile singing the Kyrie with a gigantic smile on your face, or singing the chorus to “Happy Day” with no joy or emotion whatsoever. It doesn’t connect. It doesn’t add up. It doesn’t reconcile.

Make the decision before worship begins to invest yourself 100% into the moment. Not as a show for the people in front of you, but as a time of prayer between you and God. If you have the courage to go there, people will follow you.

Do you believe it?

Category: Uncategorized |
Greg Ferrara | August 12, 2010
One comment

Do you believe it?

I have the amazing privilege of serving God’s people through music at holy mass each week. As the team and I were leading worship this past Sunday during the song of sending, it occurred to me that the team as a whole didn’t feel comfortable enough to clap and engage the people in doing so. The people in the pews each week are there to seek out an experience, a moment, with God. It’s our job as pastoral musicians to lead people into a place where they can worship

Are you entering the song? Are you emotionally invested in reproducing the emotion of the lyric? Imagine for a second how hard it would be to reconcile singing the Kyrie with a gigantic smile on your face, or singing the chorus to “Happy Day” with no joy or emotion whatsoever. It doesn’t connect. It doesn’t add up. It doesn’t reconcile.

Make the decision before worship begins to invest yourself 100% into the moment. Not as a show for the people in front of you, but as a time of prayer between you and God. If you have the courage to go there, people will follow you.

Do you believe it?

Category: Liturgy, Uncategorized, Worship |
Greg Ferrara | July 27, 2010
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End of summer…

Hi everyone,

Summer is winding down, as measured by the school system. Two weeks left until the folks in the Ferrara house are back in the classroom. The sun has been relentless, so no signs of nature surrendering the season anytime soon.

I wanted to give everyone an update on what is happening in my ministry. This past week, I spent a week in Panama City Beach Florida with 45 teens from our youth program. Thankfully there was no oil to contend with. I have been blessed by the different youth ministers that I have had the opportunity to work with over the years. Ryan Krivanek and Michael Marchand did a beautiful job of combining a beach and retreat experience. Over the last few months, I’ve been working with a teen ministry band from my parish, now called “Marshmallow Starship”. They stepped up and were responsible for worship on the trip. They did an amazing job, and I am already looking forward to next year.

Many of you heard about the concert I participated in to break the Guinness Book of World Records “Longest continuous concert”. It appears as of last Friday that we did indeed break the record by 23 hours (previous record was 343), and that my name will go on the record as a participant.

An earlier summer trip found me on Catholic Heart Workcamp http://www.facebook.com/Workcamp

The teens and I worked to roof three houses during the week we were there, and the morning and evening worship and program sessions were fabulous. My pastor has encouraged me to throw my name in for next year’s musician pool, so it’s likely that I could have a short tour with Catholic Heart for summer 2011.

I released a new cd, titled “Today” in May of this year, and have started writing for a project in 2011. There are specific themes and pieces that I feel are missing from contemporary liturgy, so that is the motivation for the new tunes.

Last on the docket is a web refresh that should take place early fall. I’d love to hear your comments and input as to what you would like to see out there for resources, my blog, flow, feel, colors. You can email me directly at greg@gregferraramusic.com. To visit the site go to http://www.gregferraramusic.com

Enjoy the rest of your summer! Hope to hear from you soon. God bless, g

Category: Uncategorized |
Greg Ferrara | July 12, 2010
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World Record?

This morning I had the opportunity to participate in a Guinness Book of Records attempt at the world’s longest concert. http://www.worldslongestconcert.com/

Huge thanks to my good friend Michael Ahmann and the Glow Band http://www.theglowband.com/ for giving me the head’s up on this. Stay tuned to see if we make the record. “You’ll go down in history…[like Columbus]. Ha!

Category: Uncategorized |
Greg Ferrara | June 20, 2010
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Catholic Heart Work Camp

This past week I had the opportunity to attend Catholic Heart Work Camp. It’s a week of service, with fun evening programs for teens. I was blessed with the best (in my opinion) team there (go 37)! We spent the week roofing a house and redoing the soffit on the back end of the house. The teens in our group were fearless, hardworking, and determined. It is amazing to see the results that they brought to the community. I will post some pics in the next blog post.

Doug, Kim, Gen, Ryan, Johnny, Marie – Thanks for all you did to serve Christ last week. You truly were the hands and feet of our Saviour!

Category: Uncategorized |
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