“Judas” featuring Tom Millen of the “Original Cast  from the album Risen!The Musical recorded and produced by Joffy Girling (“Judas” follows “Judas Has Betrayed Our Dearest Friend” featuring Alex Knox)

It’s my 10th wedding anniversary today so first may I say a big thank you to my beautiful wife Caroline who loves me and cares for me so wonderfully well. Thank you – I love you very much.

I was delighted to discover that a good friend, Tom Millen is now starring in a film “The Salzburg Story.” Tom sang the part of the disciple James in the CD of Risen! The Musical. How we met made me think of how networks, in particular those associated with Risen! have been created through, what I believe to be, “God instances.”

Some four years ago I was speaking to Mick Mellows who is Godfather to my two sons, James and Christopher. Mick played football for Portsmouth FC and now runs the charity Faith and Football who, in 2015 were winners of the Queens Award for Voluntary Service. I was asking Mick if he knew of a saxophonist as we needed one to record on one of the Mustard Seed albums. Mick said that Robbie Richardson was teaching his daughter, Hannah how to play the sax so I contacted Robbie who subsequently played tenor and alto sax, clarinet and flute or numerous of our albums – he also played in just about all our concerts and “His Story” productions – oh and yes he played at Holy Rood for Caroline and me at our wedding service.

Robbie would often sing the praises of his nephew Josh Belil who was a tenor trained at the Italia Conti Academy of Theatre Arts. I asked Josh if he knew of someone that could sing bass as we needed someone to record the part of the disciple Peter for our Risen! The Musical album- Josh recommended Tom Millen. Tom has an amazing vocal range but we decided to use him, not as Peter but as James using his baritone/tenor voice -the result includes today’s featured song “Judas” recorded by Joffy Girling in his first studio, which was a converted garage at the vicarage of Holy Rood church.

I have stayed in touch with Tom and Caroline and I went to London to see him perform brilliantly in Julian Slade and Dorothy Reynolds’ classic musical “Salad Days.” Tom is a really lovely man and deserves every success- congratulations Tom!

Quote for the week:

We form our habits and then our habits form us.

The Word for Today