Two compilation albums for “Release International”  – Lift Your Hearts To Heavenly Places” and “For Unsung Heroes”

“A Mustard Seed Of Faith” featuring Lucy Jane Rutherford from  an unreleased album “His Story Live”

“Lift Your Hearts To Heavenly Places” featuring Lucy Jane Rutherford from album “Lift Your Hearts To Heavenly Places”

Sorry about missing the blog last week but I was really busy with the Crofton Summer Sports Week – check out www.cssw.org.uk for pics

However I did find time to meet Richard Harley, the writer and producer of the new Christian musical “Love Beyond.” Richard’s  work with “Love Beyond” is an amazing story of faith and sacrifice – one that has certainly inspired me to try, with Joffy our MD, to  “ raise the bar” on our own  musical Risen! But in the meantime please don’t miss “Love Beyond” at the Wembley Arena on Oct 1st and 2^nd – www.lovebeyondmusical.com/wembley

I have been very fortunate to have had so many brilliant people help me in the work of Mustard Seed Songs.  I am indebted to the support and wisdom of our Trustees – Bob Milliken and Paul Knight.  I have spoken of the recording and arranging of John Hodgkinson and, of course the beautiful singing of Lucy Stimpson- Maynard. Both she and John were also brilliant at converting my awful singing into chords.  Ross Gill has done the same and has also been invaluable with his recording and producing skills together with his musicianship and singing.  Nicola Poustie was amazing as our vocal MD for the Risen! musical of 2012. Paul Clements was a Godsend with the stage direction of that production. And there is no praise high enough for Joffy Girling our MD for Risen!

Another person I would like to highlight for thanks is Lucy Jane Rutherford. Lucy Jane was a student at Crofton School with Lucy Stimpson – Maynard being her music teacher.  Lucy Jane was awarded a degree in Folk and Traditional Music and is , at present  dedicated to her work with Ellel Ministries at Glyndley Manor.  Lucy Jane sang as part of the Mustard Seed Girls’ Choir, soloed at a concert in Hereford Cathedral and also in our first musical “His Story.” Lucy Jane has taken some of my songs and transformed them to such an extent that, on first hearing her interpretations; I have ended up in tears. One such song “Lift Your Hearts to Heavenly Places” was inspired by the writings of Richard Wurmbrand in his incredible book “Tortured for Christ.”  This is one of the two  songs featured this week.

Richard Wurmbrand, whose sufferings at the hands of the Communists in Romania, are beyond belief founded the charity “Release International.  A dear friend of mine, Imtiaz Asraf was working for “Release” when he suggested to a friend of his, Joanne Freer that she come to see a production of “His Story.” Joanne was so impressed that she suggested to “Release” that   “His Story” become their project for the 2008 Pentecost Festival in London.  And that is exactly what happened with “His Story” playing at  Central Hall, Westminster – a fantastic location just opposite the Houses of Parliament. Because we missed last week’s blog I have included another track sung live by Lucy Jane from “His Story” -“A  Mustard Seed of Faith.”

“A Mustard Seed Of Faith” is an appropriate title because “His Story” at the Pentecost Festival had an Asian influence celebrating the work of “Release International “ in that continent.  So the production included music from Anal Kant who flew over especially from Mumbai. We also had “The Angel” Bollywood dancers.  The plan was include  an “Asian Buffet” for the ticket holders to enjoy before the production began, however there were last minute problems with the  Indian Restaurant that was providing the catering.  I tried everything but with no joy until just about my last phone call when I spoke to some wonderful people from a College in London that specialised in catering -they could have not been more helpful and the food was absolutely amazing.  Looking back, I remember feeling that,  although things were getting desperate with  the tickets sold to include the Indian Buffet, I didn’t have any doubts that God would open a door somewhere and that it would be a door to something better than had originally been planned.

We later produced two compilation CDs for “Release International” the pics of which are featured today – “Lift Your Hearts to Heavenly Places” and “For Unsung Heroes.”

Next week I will tell you about the  album that followed and  which is the most special to me-  “Precious”  It comes with an amazing story of how it is never too late to become a follower of Jesus.