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Here’s the first pass of songs selected for Saturday’s Day Of Prayer.  There’s far too many here, so I will drop some out over the next couple of days…

I’m leading worship for an hour this Saturday. I need to start putting together a band and set list.

Lisburn Christian Fellowship
Day of prayer

Saturday 15th September 10.00am to 8.00pm

From 10.00am on Saturday morning until 8.00pm in the evening
we will be having a prayer event to bring all that Lisburn
Christian Fellowship is and represents, before God.

As a church body we want God to bless, direct and annoint all
the activities of our fellowship. This is a time to evaluate our own
walk with God, review our part to play in this body and renew our
passion and zeal for His kingdom. We want all our church activi-
ties to be fruitful, not by power, not by might but by His Spirit.

Please take the time to spend even just fifteen minutes with us
on Saturday. Maybe you need personal time with God. Maybe
you need break-through for a situation, an illness or a friend.
Come and spend time in the presence of the Holy Spirit.

We will be praying for other churches in Lisburn as well as our
local council and also a prayer-walk in the city centre in the after-
noon.

Everyone is welcome even children, we look forward to your
company on Saturday.

10.00 to 11.00am……..Worship led by Alastair Vance

11.00 to 12.00……….Prayer time for LCF
Led by Marilyn McKee

12.00 to 1.00pm……Prayer for Transform, Popcorn club, Ignite, Thrive, Mums & Todds, Kids church, Little Doves etc
Led by Melanie Hilary

1.00 to 2.00pm……Breaking of Bread ceramony, (music by LCF choir)
Led by Alan Paul

2.00 to 3.00pm……Prayer for teams; worship, presentation, hospitality, audio visual, mission support
Led by Peter Galloway

3.00 to 4.00pm…….Prayer Walk around Lisburn City Centre to pray for businesses and the people of Lisburn

4.00 to 5.00pm…….Prayer for supported Mission Workers
Led by Valerie Stevens

5.00 to 6.00pm…….Prayers for the churches of Lisburn City and the Local Council.
Led by George Hilary

6.00 to 7.00pm…….Prayers for the leadership of LCF

7.00 to 8.00pm…….Worship led by Mark Wilkinson

All times are approximate

These are some of the albums getting a lot of play on my ipod right now:

Plans - Death Cab for Cutie

This is my favourite album now for a long time. Every song on this album is brilliant. The lyrics are smart. The best songs would have to be Marching Bands of Manhattan and I Will Follow You Into The Dark.

Five Score and Seven Years Ago - Relient K

I love Relient K. This new album takes them to the next level (their previous album MMHMM is also amazing). There are so many good songs on this album, but my favourites are Come Right Out And Say It, Must Have Done Something Right, Faking My Own Suicide, and Deathbed.

Wincing the Night Away - The Shins

I found this album on iTunes a couple of nights ago. I hadn’t heard them in years. I used one of their old songs, Know Your Onion, on a ski video of mine years back and then forgot about them. This album is great, the melodies and lyrics up there with Death Cab.

Live Monsters - Jars Of Clay

I used to be a big Jars Of Clay fan, right from their first album I owned on cassette. They started to experiment musically and have changed a lot through the years. I went off them a bit until listening to Livc Monsters which seems to be a return to form. This is a live album and captures the old Jars’ passion I used to love. Oh My God is amazing live.

Memory Man - Aqualung

I’ll probably buy anything that Aqualung produce. I’m a big fan and have seen them in concert whenever they have come to Ireland. Ben Hales is a very talented musician and vocalist. They are probably best described as a cross between Radiohead and Coldplay. These guys deserve more radio airplay that they actually get. I’ve only bought this album recently, so it’s still growing on me.

Beta Male Fairytales - Ben’s Brother

Was recommended this band by a colleague in work. I immediately liked them from the previews on their web site and bought the album on iTunes. The best song on the album for me is Carry On. I am tempted to learn the song and do a YouTube cover - if time allows!

Speak for Yourself - Imogen Heap

I heard a in a television advertisement and googled a section of the lyrics. I found the song was called Hide and Seek and was by Imogen Heap. The song is so different to anything else out there. The rest of the album is so-so and I should really have just bought the song off iTunes - however I’m still giving it a chance and listening to it for a while longer.

Our embassy appointment is soon.  Hopefully soon after we will everything is place to move to the US.  Busy at the moment packing and dumping, painting and decorating.

I came across this Perry Noble post tonight after reading the latest posts on Thoughts Of A Worshiper.  Perry has listed eight things he reckons every worship leader should know.

I think it’s a great list.  I’ve heard the people say before about keeping your eyes open (#1).  I think if you aren’t floating away into your own world but keeping a check on where the congregation is, then closing your eyes now and again is fine. 

Don’t talk too much just sing (#2) is ok for me… because that’s just what I do.

I do surround myself with talented people (#3) - the majority of the time more talented than myself!

I like this encouragement to write songs (#4) even if no-one else is going to sing them.  This was good for me to read.

Go to concerts (#5).  I’m not a big fan of concerts (christian or non-christian) - never have been.  I’ve been to a few in my time, but prefer just to grab the cd and listen to that.

I like to read scripture (#6), but I’ll admit - I don’t read it enough.  Not nearly enough.  Maybe I should be reading it now rather than writing this post?

Some weeks I would ring the pastor (#7) or whoever is leading the meeting and try to work on the theme they will be using on Sunday.  Some churches are more organised than others and seem to have their themes worked out way in advance.  We don’t - at least I don’t know about it.

Placing God’s plans before my own (#8) is something I know we have to do… and I hope I am doing it.  Sure, I have ambitions (musically) and I need to push forward to seize opportunity when it arises.  However, I aim to push forward prayerfully so I do not step on God’s toes.  His plan comes first.  After all - His plan is the best possible for my life - why would I want to spoil that?

Ok, how do you guys line up against that list?  Do you agree with the points outlined?  Let’s have your comments!

I knew Gary, Niall, James and Laura were writing and recording, but I hadn’t yet heard their stuff properly - especially the results of the studio session.

I sent James a text tonight to tell him about Sunday’s debrief and he sent me back their myspace link.

I’m not about to regurgitate what’s already on their site but I will say that they should add Ash to their list of influences. I think they sound like them on If You Don’t Understand in particular. Anyone agree?

I was really impressed with the tracks listed on their myspace (as was Liz). These guys have a future and I wish them all the best. I hope they remember me when they are famous!

Check them out now!

Today’s service turned out to be a family service (kids stay in) + communion.  I knew it would be a communion, the family aspect was a surprise.  Not necessarily a bad one. 
This usually makes the service a bit more “bitty”.  What I mean by that is the worship set is broken into multiple parts (e.g. three songs, break, two songs break, two songs, finish).  Most of the time I would rather do the worship in one flowing set so people are being ushered along into God’s presence without interruption.

What’s your opinion on that?

Anyway, the service still went well especially the last song which we introduced at the last minute.

We started as planned with Grace Like Rain.  Sometimes the first song just doesn’t catch people at all and I think it was very much the case this morning.  People where settling in, finding seats, catching up with other people they hadn’t seen in a week, etc.

Then we started straight into What Can Wash Away My Sin.  This was brilliant.  I love this hymn.  I hope to do a YouTube video of it soon.  We play it quite up-tempo and it works very well.

The band I put together this week had not heard God Of All Splendour before, so I introduced it during practice.  They loved it.  It really is a great song with an amazing chorus.  It has a certain amount of predictability that makes it easy to sing.

We played God Of All Splendour while the offering was being lifted.  It’s the second time I’ve played the song in church and the congregation seem to be enjoying it.  I know the offering is supposed to be part of our worship - and we try to encourage that - but sometimes I think it can also be a distraction.  This is probably why some worship bands will do more of a performance type of song during the lifting of the offering.

After that, the band stepped down while we had a puppet show for the kids.  Then Nora shared for a few minutes.

When we returned I dropped How Deep The Father’s Love For Us and instead sang both Let Us Adore and You Alone Are God.  I think it’s getting to the stage were these two songs should really be dropped out of rotation.  They are a bit over played.

The band stepped down again while George delivered the message and led us in communion.  While communion was being served we got back up and played Saviour.  At the end of the song, Ian had something to share.  This break in between songs worked great, because our last song (which James picked during practice) was Everlasting God.  Turned out to be the best song of the set today.

Thanks to Paul, James and Niall for playing today!

It’s kind of weird leading worship for me at the moment.  Every Sunday I lead I keep thinking “this could be my last Sunday leading worship at LCF!”.  As some of you will know I’ll be moving out to Durham, NC in a month or so.