Ray, Author at Praise & Worship

08Feb 2012 by Ray 1 Comment

How He Loves – Live Variables

There are some great songs out there that don't always translate exactly the same for a worship service as the recordings. How He Loves is one of my favorite songs these days. I love John Mark McMillan's lyrics and I have a man crush on David Crowder. How could you not?!? When leading this for a congregation though your goal is to help them pray and sing along. The second verse is tricky. Here's how we led it last Sunday during communion: Verse 1 with just piano and one vocalist. Instrumental riff with electric guitar Repeat verse 1 with other vocals joining and bass Chorus 1 "Oh, how he loves us so..." Instrumental riff again Verse 2- we go almost completely out here and take this way down to just piano…

06Feb 2012 by Ray 1 Comment

Priorities of a Praise Band

Music Ministry

Let's say you're starting a praise & worship band. Maybe your church says, "Hey music guy...we want to start a contemporary worship service and we need a band. Why don't you start one?" What's your priority for recruiting musicians? What's the most important instruments to have? I've also run into this situation where you're playing a retreat and all of your band members can't make it. Fortunately, you've got a musician who can fill in on a variety of instruments if need be, but which one do you choose? This situation happens all the time in music ministry, especially when your band members are volunteers. Here's my take on what you need from bare bones up to a full band. It goes without saying that sometimes you run with what…

05Feb 2012 by Ray No Comments

Communion Song- This Bread Is Jesus

Original Music

[yendifplayer audio=5] Lead Sheet Link This is a song I wrote in 2003 and we used it a lot during communion. The recording is live from a mass at Holy Trinity around that time. It's based on the Gospel of John chapter 6 where Jesus says, "I Am the Bread of life." He continues that whoever believes in Him shall have eternal life. Verse 54 says, "whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood shall have eternal life." When I was meditating on this chapter I really related to verse 60 where the disciples start going, Whah?!? "This saying is hard, who can accept it?" Jesus soon replies, "Does this shock you?...It is the spirit that gives life, while the flesh is of no avail. The words I have spoken…

04Feb 2012 by Ray 1 Comment

New Music- We Are Light

Original Music

Lead Sheet Link I wanted to get a quick video up so that I could share this new song. When I get around to making a nicer recording I'll post it here as well. Forgive the video quality this was just an experiment with a web cam. Background on this song: We had a youth event at our church we call "XLT" that happens about once a month. The flow is usually music, then a talk by a guest speaker, followed by adoration with more music throughout. Recently a youth minister, preached about Light. He quoted several scripture verses and had candles lit around the room. Then candles began to be blown out until the room was entirely dark. He lit one candle and explained that "we are light". He…

03Feb 2012 by Ray 12 Comments

Review- Matt Maher’s Mass of Communion

Music Reviews

In the fall of 2011 the Catholic Church implemented a new English translation of the prayers that are spoken and sung during the mass to more accurately match the traditional Latin. That has forced composers to write or rearrange the service music we refer to as mass parts. Matt Maher has been a long time Lifeteen worship leader from Mesa, AZ. He and Ike Ndolo released their new Mass of Communion with the new translation and the band I participate in here in KC recently started using this setting and have been teaching it to our congregation. This is my review from the perspective of both a musician who has played it as well as a composer who has taken on the challenge of setting this revised text. I'm going…

02Feb 2012 by Ray No Comments

Humility- What My Son Taught Me About Tae Kwon Do

Music Ministry

My son started taking Tae Kwon Do from an amazing couple who are operating a Tiger Rock program in Olathe, KS. Mr. Leopard (pictured) is a wonderfully positive instructor. The first thing I loved about their facility is that you hear K-Love playing in the lobby! During one practice I heard the kids repeating a philosophy about Humility. My son told me later that, "Humility is not thinking less of yourself, but thinking of yourself less." Wow. I had to hear that a few times to get it! As church musicians, this is imperitive. I spent my first few years as a praise band leader comparing myself to other people. My inner thoughts tore me down by saying things like, "you're not as good as that guy". "You'll never write…

01Feb 2012 by Ray 1 Comment

Worship Music Ministry Goals

Music Ministry

In 2001 I was recruited to start a praise and worship band for the launch of a Lifeteen program at Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Lenexa, KS. Back then, I had to listen to music on CD's and make my own song sheets. We created song booklets for lyrics because we didn't have programs like MediaShout to display lyrics on a projection screen. This forced us to plan our music at least a quarter at a time. I wrote and arranged service music like mass parts or psalms that fit this new style of contemporary music. Technology has really changed and the ability to listen to Praise & Worship music on an iPod or to send out a link to your band of a YouTube video of a new song…