Crosswind Music Newsletter

(1999 Newsletter)

(How’s that for a subtle marketing approach?)

I’m so glad to tell you that my new recording, "Justice And Love," is now available. I’ve worked hard on this project on and off for over three years, and all I can say is that its been an absolutely amazing process. So many twists and turns, including a number a technological setbacks in the studio. I’ll spare you all the details, but suffice it to say that this recording took its own sweet time coming into being! Part of the challenge was also that I’ve got way too many songs "waiting" to get released. It was excruciatingly difficult to figure out which tunes really needed to be on this project, and which ones needed to get saved for another time. In any case, its all done, and I’m really happy with it. I guess I’d classify this collection as being "aimed primarily at adults," but I think teenagers will like it too. As you might guess from the title, one of the things I really tried to do on this project was present a good balance of songs which deal with issues of social justice and songs which nurture an intimate, personal experience of God’s love. I think its my most comprehensive album so far, in that it represents almost all the different strands which people tend to associate with my ministry--social justice themes, radical discipleship, story songs, music and themes which teens will relate to, songs which definitely pull at some tender heart strings, and even a song which little children seem to love that helps us celebrate and memorize the names of some of the women in the gospels. As usual, there are also some great musicians playing with me on the tracks. Here’s a list of the songs that you’ll find on "Justice and Love." I hope it includes the one(s) you might be waiting for!

1. Follow Me (87 Times)
2. Women Walked With Jesus Too
3. I’d Just Like To Know
4. The Greatest Enemy Of God’s Will For Your Life
5. If You Eat Each Day
6. There Really Is A God (The Daycare Song)
7. Westbound on Interstate 80 (The Sneaker Song)
8. Dear Mr. Eisner
9. Friends Like You
10. The Empty Chair
11. Something Beautiful For God

1. A New Resource for Youth Groups and Confirmation Classes called, "The Table of Friendship and Love; Pass the Salt" This single session program was written by my friend, author/poet, and UCC pastor Maren C. Tirabassi. Its based on the song, "The Table of Friendship and Love" from my "Artist’s Hand" recording. It includes both a discussion guide and group activities to explore the following key themes:

--Feelings related to being inside or outside of groups
--Respect for all persons
--Learning to create inclusive communities
--Living faith at school in respectful, gentle, and meaningful ways
--The all inclusive love of God
--The Communion Table as the ultimate Table of Friendship and Love

It concludes with a liturgy for worship and celebration of Communion and a plan for adapting the resource for use in a Youth Sunday Service.

Cost of Written Materials: $6.00

Note: You can download this resource directly from my web site and send me the $5.00 on the honor system.

2. "Table of Friendship and Love" Play-- This song also inspired a pair of talented Christian educators (Deborah Diehl and Mary Vercellino) in the Chicago area to write a musical production called "The Table of Friendship and Love." The play was originally performed at the Illinois Conference of the UCC Annual Meeting by a group of teens from First Congregational Church of Downer’s Grove (IL). The script can also be easily adapted for use during retreats or Sunday morning worship. To order a copy of the script contact Deborah Diehl at 6013 Grand Ave./Downers Grove, IL/60516-2042. Phone: (630) 852-5886 E-mail: gooddeihl@mediaone.net

Cost: $35.00 (all proceeds go to the youth group of First Congregational Church of Downer’s Grove)

3. "Bugs For Lunch!" CD-- In response to numerous requests, this popular children’s recording has just recently been released on CD. In addition, $1.00 from the proceeds of each "Bugs" CD will be used to help fund the operating expenses and meal program of a school in Haiti for some of the world’s poorest children. (See "St. Thomas School" for details). Cost: $16.00. 

Now, Greg and Joy have not asked for this, but I want to express my gratitude to them for their unexpected and extravagantly generous gift to me by putting in a big plug for their work. I strongly encourage any of you who might be in the market for a web site (perhaps for your church or business) to contact them at (715) 282-7044 or email: pathwayhome@bfm.org or by writing to them at:

Pathway Communications
2265 Wolf Lake Rd.
Rhinelander, WI 54501

Last year I was contracted by the Wisconsin Conference of the United Church of Christ to do some research on youth ministry. The purpose of the research was to try to learn from a number of youth ministries across the country which seem to be particularly vital and fruitful, and to use the insights gleaned from these ministries to help shape the call of a new conference staff position for youth ministry. It has been a great gift to me to do this research. Its given me a chance to reflect on some of the theoretical dimensions of the stuff I’ve been doing intuitively as a practitioner in the "trenches" of youth ministry for a good while now. The research has been so stimulating (at least to me!) that I think I’m going to try to put them into a book in the near future. If you’d like to find out more about this research and perhaps read the text of the 20 minute report which I gave at the annual meeting of the Wisconsin Conference UCC, visit my web site or log on to the Wisconsin Conference’s web site (wcucc.org). If you don’t have access to the Internet and would like a copy of the report, then just write me or give me a call and I’ll make sure you get one. But in case you’re wondering, here are the "Ten Marks Of Thriving Youth Ministries" which emerged during the course of my research. Again, these will make much more sense if you read the 20 minute report.   

  Thriving Youth Ministries are:

1. Team Building
2. Purpose Driven
3. Relational
4. Telling the Story
5. Sensitive to the Processes of Personal Growth and Spiritual Development
6. Training Disciples For the Long Haul
7. Evoking Gifts and Calling Youth Into Mission
8. Serious About Research and Development
9. The Present of (and in) the Church
10. Humble, Prayerful, and Willing to Risk Failure

As many of you know, I’ve been traveling to Haiti on a regular basis since 1991. If you’d like to know more about my work there, and about the possibility of traveling to Haiti with me, lots of information is available on my web site, specifically the Global Page.

You may also be familiar with the wooden bells I’ve been selling for friends in Haiti for several years. They’re beautiful hand carved bells made out of mahogany on which the following words are carved; "No one listens to the cry of the poor, or the sound of the wooden bell." Well, Good news! I’ve got a large inventory of bells right now in case you’re interested. Again, they make great gifts. They cost $10.00 each, and that price includes postage and handling. Follow this link to see a picture and for order options.

The wooden bell sales are now connected to the support of a humble school in one of the world’s poorest neighborhoods. The school is called St. Thomas School, and I have been active in helping to found a new organization called the St. Thomas School Partnership. Once again, lots of information about this new effort is available on my web site. If you don’t have access to the web but are interested in how you might get involved with this effort, please write or give me a call. The primary goals of this partnership are to help fund the school’s operating expenses and a daily meal program for the students. Through this meal program each of the school’s 120 students receives a hot plate of rice and beans each day. Prior to the implementation of this meal program, many of these students only ate once or twice a week.

I’m delighted to say that I’m in the midst of what I’m calling a "performance fast" right now, and it will last through the end of this calendar year. Put simply, I’ve felt led to take a break from my constant touring and performing (for lack of a better term). This time off the road has already been deeply fruitful for me personally and spiritually. I have also deliberately not filled up my 2000 (or beyond) schedule, because I did not want to have a full calendar of events looming out in front of me (which I would be "working on" in my spirit whether I wanted to or not!). What I’ve been telling those who’ve contacted me for concerts and/or retreats is to please feel free to try me again (if they’re still interested) anytime after the turn of the century. God willing, I’ll be accepting new engagements at that time. As soon as I start booking new concerts and other engagements, my schedule will be available on the web site. Or, contact me toward the end of January 2000 or so and I’ll gladly send you an updated schedule.