Release Party Tomorrow, September 6!!!

Check out this link for a quick overview of tomorrow's party!

Hope to see you there! The album should be available for purchase through CdBaby, iTunes, Amazon, etc. soon!

http://www.artandseek.org/event.php?id=49768

Devotional for the Sixteenth Sunday after Pentecost

16th Sunday after Pentecost September 8, 2013 Psalm 139: 1-6, 13-18   “You study my traveling and resting, You are thoroughly familiar with all my ways.” (Psalm 139:3, CEB) Devotion  Comfont, combined with caution. As someone who leads a very full life, schedule-wise, and who often finds himself on the road  (or preparing to be!), I am comforted by the fact that God studies my travel and my rest. This same study, however, reminds me to be cautious. The busyness that our culture so often worships rewards us with lives that are out of balance. We are tempted to travel more than we rest and that imbalance does not go unnoticed by our Creator, Redeemer and Sustainer. The caution, for me, comes from the fact that the commandment to observe the Sabbath and keep it holy is just that: a commandment. May we be mindful and fiercely protective of the precious Sabbath time that God commands us to observe. Prayer O Lord, remind us that you give rest to us, your beloved ones. Rev. Joe Stobaugh President of The Fellowship Executive Minister of Worship and Arts Grace Avenue United Methodist Church Frisco, TX

Album is being shipped today!

Great news! Pilgrimage has shipped and will be available soon!

New Album is being printed!!!

I am SO excited! My first album, Pilgrimage is being printed as I type this post! This project is an outgrowth of my desire to retrace some of my earthly pilgrimage, especially these last fifteen years. The main part of the concept involved traveling to different places that have been meaningful in my spiritual life and to record music that was significant in that place, at that time, hopefully with some of those people! The experience was absoluetly wonderful! From amazing guest artists like Mark Miller, Chuck Bell, Kay Sendry, Anastasia Markina, Charles Winslow, and Paul Harper to being able to record with my dad, the whole process has been a blast! I am proud of the project. I recorded all of the takes (which are mostly all live) arranged many pieces and took all of the album artwork photography. Eric Czechowski of Intrigue Audio mixed and mastered the album and he is incredible! And the amazing Kim Eiffert created the album artwork design. 

We will be announcing a release party soon!!!!

Perhaps the most important part of this whole project is that half of the proceeds go towards Imagine No Malaria! If you can't join us at the release party, which will occur the evening of September 6, than please know the album will soon be available on iTunes and Spotify! 

Fellowship Devotional

11th Sunday after Pentecost

August 4, 2013

Psalm 107:1-9, 43

“…(God) satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things.”

(Psalm 107:9, NIV)

Devotion 

While most of us have not wandered, lost, in the desert or wilderness of this planet earth, we or those we care about have wandered in deserts or wildernesses—of serious illness, grief, mental illness, divorce, unemployment, spiritual darkness, systemic dysfunction, or injustice.

With the psalmist we cry out to God with our prayers for guidance, strength, and redemption, trusting that the One who brought the Israelites from bondage to the promised land, the One who provided manna and water from the rock in the wilderness, will also guide us along “a straight way,” even when it may seem as though we are still wandering.

As leaders of worship arts ministries, we journey on the path of discipleship along with those in our ministry setting. We do so as partners with God—serving as instruments of redemption, as the hands and feet, the listening ears, the eyes of the heart, as well as the voice of God in the world.

We have seen the thirsty satisfied and the hungry filled with good things. We have experienced redemption and the steadfast love of Jesus our Christ. Out of this abundant grace our hearts overflow with thanksgiving and praise, for God’s future is indeed hope-filled.

Prayer

Satisfier of hungry hearts, we open our hearts to you…walk with us in our wilderness wanderings. Amen.

Rev. Kay C. Barckley
Minister of Worship and Formation
University Temple UMC 
Seattle, WA