The short and sweet details:
WHO: Me and a couple of folks from Piladelphia, PA in participation with Communication Institute, a ministry out of the Chicago, IL area
Communication Institute4699 Auvergne Avenue Suite 10Lisle IL 60532
WHAT: A Mission Trip. In this post-Christian culture we are going to perform jazz concerts speaking about the roots of the music (African-American, spirituals, jazz) and highlighting how the Spiritual roots of all of them point towards Jesus Christ
WHERE: Europe - U.K., Ireland, Hungary and the Czech Republic
WHEN - beginning Thursday through Feb. 2. Raising support from now through Feb. 9
HOW - through the grace of God, prayer and financial support
HOW MUCH - total to be raised (from this point) $4000
The WHOLE STORY:
I am writing to tell you about the Heaven in a Nightclub: The Spiritual Roots of Jazz Tour and to ask for you to consider supporting me in this quickly approaching mission trip. Let me explain.
I have been asked to serve as a musician in a jazz group for an overseas mission trip! Beginning January 23 through Feb 1, 2009, we will be serving the European Church by enabling the key leaders of 4 countries (United Kingdom, Ireland, Czech Republic & Hungary) to hold evangelistic outreach concerts at their churches.
Jazz is an international language. Europeans have a great appreciation for this musical genre and this jazz tour will encourage the believers in a very secularized European culture. Most importantly, our brothers and sisters in Christ in Europe will use these events to reach out to the very large number of Europeans who do not have a relationship with Jesus Christ. Jazz music is a very easy entry point, and our team is equipped to share the gospel through jazz music!
It may be helpful for me to explain a bit about the music group with which I’ll be participating and the tour:
“Heaven in a Nightclub”
Description of the Program: short version (written by Dr. Edgar)
"The jazz group is called Renewal. William Edgar, the pianist and presenter, is a Professor at Westminster Theological Seminary. He studied musicology at Harvard, and ethnomusicology at Columbia, and has written widely on subjects related to African-American aesthetics. Our vocalist is the renowned Ruth Naomi Floyd, one of the great gospel-jazz singers of Philadelphia. She now has five CDs on the Contour label. (She's on youtube.com Here is one of her many clips: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dPZVltM1iD8&feature=related).
Our philosophy is that jazz ought to entertain, but that its background is in the spiritual experience of African-American people, reared in slavery and nurtured on the Gospel message.
It carries the twin themes of suffering and hope, so characteristic of Black culture. We hope our audiences will sense the realism, the passion and the joy as we perform.
Specifically, we take the audience through some of the history of African-American music, both sacred and secular, mixing narrative with music. We outline the problem of finding spiritual roots in the music, and then go on to explore specific genres, including ragtime, blues, spirituals, funeral bands, etc. The program lasts around one and one half hours, but that can vary."
“So be wise and satisfied with the joy that comes to you through the reflection and miracle of God, such as all the wonders and beauty we live with and are exposed to on earth.”
~ Duke Ellington ~
I am very excited about this unique opportunity I have been given to share the Gospel message through music, teaching, and proclamation. I am believing on God to raise $4000 this month for participation on the trip and I would be grateful if you would support my participation.
I would ask four things of you:
1. Pray that I, and the other members of the music group/Mission team, will be able to serve the European leaders on the tour.
2. Pray for the European leaders hosting each outreach concert event, for God to powerfully use the tour and that the Europeans are encouraged and helped by this evangelistic event. Also, please pray that many Europeans would come to a relationship with Jesus Christ by hearing the Gospel message at each event.
3. Pray for safety in travel. This is a "planes, trains and automobiles" kind of mission trip and I am depending on the Lord to keep us all safe. Also, please pray for our families at home.
4. Consider supporting me in this mission trip. If you would like to support me, please send a check made out to Communication Institute* and send it to them (address included).
Thank you so very much,
In Christ,
Communication Institute
4699 Auvergne Avenue Suite 10
Lisle IL 60532
*Communication Institute is based in the Chicago, IL area. I served with the institute for the first time in the summer of 2007 with the European Leadership Forum. To learn more about the wonderful ministry of the Communication Institute, please see: http://euroleadership.org/ and http://communicationinstitute.us/
No comments:
Post a Comment