It's Tuesday!

Good Afternoon Team,
I'm in Florida with Coleen and her mom and Dad. I left Owego at 1PM on Sunday afternoon and met my daughter Candice for dinner in Washington, DC. I left after a nice dinner and sharing time with Candice and headed for Florida around 7PM. I stopped several times during the night for a snooze and arrived in Englewood at 3PM yesterday. It was great to see Coleen after being separated for 6 weeks and we are now preparing for Yvonne's passing. She is now bedfast and hospice is providing wonderful care. Thank you all for your prayers for Coleen as she has cared for her mom and dad. It has been a blessing that she could be here to care for them at this most difficult time. Please pray that Yvonne continues to be comfortable.

I want to share my thoughts about the New Life Celebration. When this idea hatched, we hoped that it would be a time when we united together as a church body and shared the wonderful news that Jesus loves me and you. That message was shared to more than 135 kids at the New Life Easter Egg Hunt... a good start wouldn't you say?

Then the Owego Naz worship team showed up in a BIG way at the New Life Concert on Saturday, April 4. More than 200 participated in this extraordinary event and heard through song, the pastor's message and powerful cardboard testimonies, the story that Jesus can change our lives.

Then came Easter! We joined Christians all over the world to celebrate the ressurection of Jesus and His life changing power.

The New Life Revival with Stephen Manley added the closing punch as we were challenged to have Jesus in our eyeball and in total control of all we do.

The climax of the event was last Sunday as we gathered together as a church family for the The New Life Jesus Party and the first ever baptism in our sanctuary. We rejoiced with those who were baptized and the entire morning was filled with worship and love for our Lord.

I want to thank each of your for the sacrifice of your time and energy this past month. I know it was a struggle for some of you and you came through like true servants. God's blessings on all of you!

The choir will not rehearse this Wednesday (April 29), but will rehearse with Jordan Schreiner next Wednesday (May 1) at 6:15pm. I know that you will give Jordan the same level of support you have given me. It will be a great time as you prepare to sing "You Are" in the second service on May 10. I will provide Jordan with some other songs to run through as we prepare for the next BIG event...May 27th Holiness Revival opening night. We will be singing "New Hallelujah" and "East to West" for this special service.

I will be in touch as things develope here in Florida.

Blessings,

Dave

It's Monday!

Good morning Team,
The New Life Celebration has entered the final week. Let recap...

We started 4 weeks ago with the New Life Easter Egg Hunt that shared the Jesus story with over 135 kids and their families...

The next Saturday our sanctuary was filled for the New Life Concert and we saw new people added to the Kingdom and the choir and band ministered to all who attended...

Then came Easter. The most special day in all of Christianity was powerful as we gathered together and celebrated the living Christ...

Friday, Saturday and Sunday April 17-19 we were blessed with Jesus in our eye. Stephen Manley brought home the fundamental truth that its not about me or music or doctrine or church or power or influence or finances...its about Jesus. Our message to the world is that simple and that demanding. May it be so in my life...

That brings us to the finale...The New Life Jesus Party. This Sunday at 10:30am we will gather together and celebrate Jesus and have the first ever baptisms in our sanctuary at Owego Naz. It will be a time to allow Jesus to reign and His people to rejoice. Woohoo!

The OwegoNaz worship choir will sing and the combined praise teams will join the band to lead His people in worship. Choir rehearsal this Wednesday night at 6:15pm.

BTW...DVD's of the New Life Concert are available. Fill out a request envelope at the welcome center. DVD's are $2.

Bob Huffaker has a saying..."Have a great day...if you want to!" Go for it!

Blessings,

Dave

Good day after Resurrection Day Team!
I had an awesome dinner yesterday at Pastor and Cheryl King's and I received the best compliment from him about you. He asked me if we used vocal trax for the choir! I explained that we NEVER use vocal trax and our choir is just that good. LOL!
You all did a marvelous job yesterday and I am so proud of how you consistently step up and deliver for our Lord. Beautiful!

Many of you have asked for an update on Coleen and her mom. Coleen has been in Florida for 4 weeks now taking care of her mom and dad as they fight her mom's cancer. Co tells me that she is getting stronger about seeing her mom's failing health and continues to provide the care she and her dad need to fight this battle. One by product of this is that she is getting a nice tan :) Thank you for your prayers for Co and her mom and dad. My daughter Candice is in Florida now and was able to spend Easter with her Nana.

The final time consuming event of our New Life Celebration is the Revival this weekend... here's the schedule:

Wednesday 6PM
Choir rehearsal (NOTE THE TIME CHANGE)

Wednesday 6:30PM
Concert of Prayer (done by 7:30PM)
Thursday 6am - 10pm
Prayer Vigil
Friday 7PM
Vintage Night as we share an old time revival feel
Saturday 5PM
Choir rehearsal (open to new singers)
Saturday 6PM
Contemporary revival night (Choir sings)
Sunday 8:15AM
Traditional service
Sunday 11:00AM
Contemporary service (Choir sings)

I would like to encourage you to invite people you know who might enjoy singing with our choir for the Saturday night service. This will be a good chance for them to see if the choir is a ministry option they might enjoy.

Have an awesome Monday!

Dave

It's Wednesday!

Good morning Team,
It's Wednesday and I've already prepared for choir rehearsal tonight at 6:15pm because our new welcome center is completed and I am going to stain it today. What a great addition the Gathering Place and now the Welcome Center will be to our outreach program. Be sure to check out the photos at our facebook page...
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=50354416009

Now a word about The Owego Naz Worship Band...

Karen Garrity represents ultimate in servanthood with her great spirit and amazing availability. You bring delight to my heart with your presence in the band. The song you wrote and debuted at the New Life Concert was outstanding and thanks to Sweet Aroma for delivering it to us. Thank you.


Janet Goodrich. You are a worship leaders dream. You can play anything in any key without music...woohoo! Add to that an amazing improvisation skill on the piano and a heart for God...awesome! Thank you. P.S. You need to join facebook :)

Mike Ebbers. Mike joined our band just recently and has discovered that I will take all that a person is willing to offer. That has evolved into a weekly keyboard experience and I love what you bring to our team. Thank you.

Our guitars are fantastic and I am excited at how these young men have offered their talents to the Lord.

Kyle Schreiner is our lead guitar and has brought that innocent enthusiasm of an 8th grader to the worship band. Thanks Kyle, for being willing to attempt whatever I throw at you and then pulling it off! Udaman!

Kit Burdick is a junior at OFA and shows the same talent on the bass as his brother did before him. Kit, you are a wonderful part of our team. Thank you.

I have to mention two other members of our band who had to work on Saturday night and couldn't make the concert, but add so much to our band.

Phil Rodgers plays guitar and bass for us and brings that freshness that a young man can. Thanks for using your talents for the Lord, Phil.


Neil Eash is probably the best musician in the band. He plays drums, guitar, keyboard and sometimes more than one of those at the same time. He is a gifted songwriter, producer, worship leader and we are fortunate to have you on our team. Thank you.

Well...enough blogging for this week...Easter's Coming!!

Blessings,

Dave

It's Tuesday!

Good morning Team!
Now a word about the Owego Naz Worship Choir...

Our vision for the choir when we started last year was that it would be a worship leading choir, bringing the congregation into the presence of God when we gathered together as the body of Christ. That could not have been more evident than Saturday night at the New Life Concert. I firmly believe that your personal prayer time for this event was a significant factor, so not only did you lead in worship on Saturday, but you led by praying in the weeks before the concert. I always love it when the Lord comes through and puts His hand on our efforts. As we rehearsed, I know some of you were nervous that we weren't ready. I love that! It shows that you care. I knew we were ready because our goal is not perfection musically, but perfection spiritually. We were prayed up and ready spiritually...it was an awesome night. Excellent job!

Some notes...

Jordan Schreiner. I love your voice, but I love your gentle spirit more. God has gifted you and my prayer for you is that He show you His path for your life and that you are confident in His direction. Thank you.


Denise Mathewson. Another incredible voice with a spirit to match. Thank you for highlighting the concert with Jordan on "East to West." I felt that song and the cardboard testimonies delivered the exclamation point on Pastor's message and touched people to the point of changing lives. Thank you.


Suzanna Miller. You have led our sopranos and displayed an amazing positive spirit. You stepped up with a cardboard testimony and I am grateful. It is a joy to have you on our team. Thank you.



Jennifer Olsen. You are the ultimate committed worship team member and I know the sacrifice of your time that you give to us. Thank you.



Hal Coghill. You are an inspirational leader without even trying. You anchor our basses vocally and spiritually. I love having a Jesus Freak on our team. Thank you.


The Concert is over...but Easter is coming!! Rehearsal this Wednesday at 6:15pm.

Blessings,

Dave

Good morning Team!

I am sure that I will be unable to express the multitude of thoughts I have about this weekend in one blog, so this will be the first installment...

The New Life Concert! We worked for 9 weeks...planning, rehearsing, singing, listening, recruiting, preparing...praying that Saturday, April 4, 2009 at 6PM would be a life changing event. I believe it was just that. I felt from the opening note until the lights were turned out that the Spirit of God was upon us and that lives were impacted. The comments I have received reinforce that. We received 2 cards where people indicated that they had accepted Christ that night and 3 others who indicated they want to know more about Jesus. Bibles were given out to several and I have heard from you that people you invited and attended the concert were touched by God. We have some more praying to do for those who attended and need some more encouragement to let go of themselves and give it up to Jesus.
There are so many people who worked behind the scenes to make this concert successful. An event such as the New Life Concert cannot be successful without a network of gifted servants who handle the nuts and bolts. Today I want to mention our tech team...


Marie Chianese was our sound technician. The sound is the single most important technical element. Marie, it was awesome and we are blessed to have you and your ears serving with us.


Eric Olsen was our projection and video trax operator. Eric, you are so consistent and a blessing to me, because it is one element I don't have to worry about...that means so much to me...great job!


Bob Rutan produced our video recording...YEP! We have a DVD that will be available of the concert! It will take a couple of weeks to get them produced, but if you want one, fill out a request form in the office managers box. DVD's will be $2.


Andy Kearney was the producer for the New Life Concert and kept everyone together and gave confidence to our operators. Mike Lanning was out spotlight operator and was "spot on!"

The video recording and broadcast of our services in The Gathering Place and the Mom's nursing room was made possible through your giving to The Gathering Place project. Thank you to all who have pledged to fund this awesome addition to our worship and outreach ministry at Owego Naz! Please remember that we need you to fulfil your pledge by the end of next month.

BTW...what do you think of The Gathering Place? Leave comments!





















Enough for today...more later.

Blessings,
Dave