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February 25, 2008
Black History Program Wrap-up
Well all is said and done. Months of preparation came to it's fruition this weekend. Here's a few thoughts that I have had about it:
Amanda Salmond is my hero. She was the coordinator of the dress rehearsal and the program. She created a rehearsal plan and then made sure that everything happened at the right time, fielded questions, and solved problems. It was so nice me to just stay with the band and oversee the actually performance elements in the rehearsal and not have to worry about shouting at someone on the other side of the gym to go find somebody else who is supposed to be doing something...anyway, it was a HUGE relief.
Planning ahead is really good. This year I had the date picked very early and the appropriate spaces reserved. Last year, I couldn't have a Friday night rehearsal because I failed to check the church activities calendar to make sure that I could use the space. Next year, I want to have even more planned as early as possible. I'm going to a have our first choir planning meeting in August this year.
Let people use their gifts! I was able to play guitar and lead the band...that is my strongest gift, not conducting. I can do a passable job at conducting a choir, but I much prefer to find people who are excellent conductors who can do it for me. Next year, I don't want to conduct anything!
There were a lot of people offering help the week of the event, but the real work happened in January. Choirs take a lot of advance planning. A lot more that a worship service. They involved lots of people and lots of communication, and very specific music to work with. This year, I want to find people who are willing to do the January work too.
On Sunday, I sat in on a pot-luck lunch for African Americans so that they could share with the leadership thoughts on how we're doing in loving their community. One the things brought up was how important and valuable it is to remember the history of Black people in the USA. They expressed a desire for the next generation to not be ignorant of the road they have traveled. It was very affirming to me that our program is a very important part of the ministry of reconciliation at our church.
I hope next year that a committee will form to plan more events in Black History month that are not musically related. Sunday School classes about Dr. King or about the role of the church in American Slavery or an overview of Gospel or other topics that would be more than a chronological recitation of events.
Maybe by this time next year, we'll have an African American pastor who can help give some much needed leadership in this area.
Posted by Kirk Ward at 12:48 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
February 19, 2008
"I Need A Real God!"
I saw this clip on Claudia's blog and stole it.
Posted by Kirk Ward at 7:01 AM | Comments (2) | TrackBack
February 18, 2008
Book Review: The Worshiping Artist
About a week ago I finished another book by Rory Noland that is a follow up to "The Heart Of The Artist" called, "The Worshiping Artist." My wife gave it to me for Christmas because it was on my list, (so she is exempt from any negative response I have to the book.)
If you've read "The Heart Of The Artist" you can expect some of the same good things. Excellent opening illustrations for each chapter that are so real it makes you wonder if he's been tapping your phone. A lot of good practical advice to artists who are involved in the church. In this book, his goal is to give a kind of orientation to artists who are entering into a worship leadership role. As such it was kind of a review of a lot of stuff for me. I would recommend it for maybe a group of college music interns who are starting out in worship leading. It gives a good solid ground work for what it really means to worship God, but honestly, I skimmed about 2/3rds of the book because it was nothing extremely new to me.
The last 3rd was kind of cool because he fleshed out some examples from scripture (and church history) of worship leaders and made some cool biblical applications. He did a chapter each on the Levites, Asaph, and the iconographers. (I was a little wary of the icon stuff. I can't say I get it, but the main points were good.)
Over-all, I would not recommend it to anyone whose been leading worship for more than a few years and has already wrestled through a biblical understanding of worship. "The Heart Of the Artist" was a much better book that had a lot of original things to say about the particular struggles of being an artist.
I have at least 4 more books on worship and art that I am reading, so stay tuned...
Posted by Kirk Ward at 8:56 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
February 15, 2008
A Real MySpace Page
Ok, I promise that I really do have a myspace page now where hopefully you can listen to some of my songs.
Posted by Kirk Ward at 8:01 AM | Comments (3) | TrackBack
February 13, 2008
Leadership Training
Our staff here at the church has begun a phase of leadership training. All of us are leaders of our various ministries, but few of us have had any specific training in how to lead from our pastors. I am really excited about it because I feel pretty helpless and clueless most of the time. Some of you who know me might find that surprising because I come to practice and try to be very assertive with how things should happen. However most of the week, I feel like I'm drowning a lot of the time. I can't seem to figure out how to use my time well. I feel overwhelmed with details and busy work. I loose focus on the big picture and start to get perfectionist and picky about little things (I've spent hours working on one chart to get everything just right.) I can spend all week staring at the computer and never speak to one member of my team. I can get bogged down in emails that never seem to have any real point. I can waste my work time writing blog posts...
Anyway, I have a lot of questions but it feels good. Like I'm on the verge of something big.
Here's one thing that has kind of blown my mind. I realized yesterday that I have a real victim mentality when it comes to leadership. Like I am this martyr who is put into the position of having to take care of everyone and to be the person who attends to all the details. I told the staff yesterday that sometimes I feel like there's a giant funnel of stuff dangling over my shoulders and every little thing drops into the funnel and onto me to take care of it because I'm the one with the keys, the skills, the contacts, the authority, etc.
Then after I shared it, Barry told me that other way to look at it was that I am a bottleneck.
Because I am trying to sinfully control everything, I am not allowing the work and the details to flow smoothly, so it's just a huge bottle neck of progress. I definitely feel that way about my leadership in South City. Its seems like there is always a dump truck load of little things that have to be taken care of by me and yet I am failing to get any done efficiently or well.
Control verses Empowerment is root issue. How do I let go of the dictatorial drive to control everything and how do I get into the process of empowerment?
Posted by Kirk Ward at 3:42 PM | Comments (2) | TrackBack
February 11, 2008
Amy Winehouse? I Don't Get It.
I've listened to the samples on iTunes and Amazon of Amy Winehouse's stuff and I just can't get the point. Ok, I relate to the vintage sound and she definitely nails the sound and vibe. But, there's a fine line between a vintage nod and a regurgitation. To me it seems like she is not really adding anything new to the sound. I don't fault her for doing it, I just don't get the hype and the awards. I mean take the whole Rockabilly culture. They are basically doing the same thing: let's take an old style of music, faithfully recreate it for our enjoyment, and live a fun fantasy life as if we really are these characters from the past. Like a Renaissance festival or Talk-like-a-Pirate day. But people aren't giving Rockabilly artist's major hype and handing out Grammys.
As I write about this, I am reminded of a similar issue in jazz. There are a lot of jazz players whose only goal is to sound exactly like 'Trane, Miles, or whoever. You go to a club and it's one more Bird disciple blowing bebop. If I buy a CD by a current jazz artist it should have something fresh and original to make it a 2008 recording.
Anyway, maybe there's a Winehouse fan reading this who can help me get the reason why she should get a ton of Grammy's for being just barely a cover band.
While were on the subject of music I don't get...hmmm...maybe I'll save that one for later...
I apologize for writing such a whinny post. I will lay off of criticism for a while.
Posted by Kirk Ward at 7:31 AM | Comments (4) | TrackBack
February 10, 2008
Barlow "Ben" Jacobs
I had a really strange moment today. I was watching a preview on Netflix for a little independent movie and I realized that one of the actors is the older brother of one of my good friends from high school. Real people are not supposed to be in movies!
Anyway, Ben's a really nice guy and so I wish him the best. Even if he's going by "Barlow" now. Ben comes from a southern family, so it's not unlikely that "Barlow" is his actual name. Maybe Garrett or Pam could tell me.
Posted by Kirk Ward at 4:56 PM | Comments (3) | TrackBack
February 8, 2008
Weekend Preview
Friday:
-tie up loose ends at the office
-try out Jim Ward's amp and hot pink guitar to see if they work.
-hang out with the fam at home
Saturday:
-play with Joanna in the morning
-music team rehearsal
-choral leadership meeting
-choir practice
Sunday:
-warm-up at 8
-church
-going away luncheon for "the other Wards"
Monday (it's part of my weekend):
-meeting with potential studio/producer Jacob
-hang with the fam
-watch Joanna in the evening while Sarah goes to bible study
Posted by Kirk Ward at 7:23 AM | TrackBack
February 6, 2008
How To Wrap Cables
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February 5, 2008
Purgatorio
If you are a fan of tacky Christian kitsch, then I found a blog this morning that you will love.
Posted by Kirk Ward at 11:28 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
February 4, 2008
A Trip to the Doctor
Today I went to the doctor for the first time in probably a decade. I've been having issues with my stomach. The doctor thinks that I probably have a bit of an ulcer and some reflux issues. So, I'm going to take some acid reducing meds for a few weeks and see if it helps.
All of this is a little embarrassing, and humbling. It was really hard to get up the nerve to go the doctor for help. It feels like I'm being a weeny. Bruce Willis didn't pause while battling a skilled team of terrorists to complain that his tummy hurt.
It's also a little taste of mortality. I'm no longer 18. I suffer from the effects of aging even in my 20s. It's no big deal, but it just makes me a little melancholy.
Posted by Kirk Ward at 4:00 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
February 1, 2008
What Full-time Church Music Directors Do With Their Time...
People are always asking me this and this interview really nails it on the head.
Posted by Kirk Ward at 10:30 AM | TrackBack