Official Invitation for  Dr Graham Giles MBE  to 63rd Annual President’s Prayer Breakfast

“A Worship Song” featuring Lucy Stimpson- Maynard from album “Where Would I Be Without You?” Recorded by Ross Gill

My dear friend Dr Graham Giles returned from America earlier this week and last night I had the pleasure of listening to the wonderful stories he had of attending President Obama’s 63^rd Annual Prayer Breakfast (also known as The National Prayer Breakfast) and all the accompanying luncheons and meetings.

Graham personally handed nine Risen!- The Musical promo CDs to highly influential and powerful people including one to a personal friend of the Queen of Jordan and another to Mr Akel Biltaji, the Mayor of Jordan’s capital, Amman, who is Counsellor to King Abdullah.

Watch this space!

Edna Horsley and her family

“How Can I Love You More?” featuring Lucy Stimpson- Maynard- from the album “Love is the Way” recorded by John Hodgkinson and Bob Ross

First the celebration– it’s one year since the Risen! blog started! It really has been great fun reminiscing about Crofton School and sharing how the music behind Mustard Seed Songs came about.

Last week’s song “ I Miss the Magic” was an old pop song which I said had been “converted into “Oh Lord Hear My Voice” in fact that was wrong – it was converted to “How Can I Love You More?” which is this week’s song and yes it does also  feature in Risen! – The Musical. It is sung by  the disciple Peter after Jesus has asked him three times “Simon son of John do you really love me?

Today, February 5^th in Washington DC, Dr Graham Giles will be having breakfast with Mr and Mrs Barack Obama and 250 other people who have been invited from 130 different countries to make “good things happen in the world.” The last time Graham went to the President’s Prayer Breakfast he rubbed shoulders with such dignitaries as the King of Jordan, The Prince of Denmark, The Prime Minister of Kosovo , the President of Macedonia and Hilary Clinton.

On Friday afternoon at my house Graham heard, for the first time, the promo CD of Risen!- The Musical,  copies of which he is taking to distribute at the Prayer Breakfast.  Graham was very moved with what he heard – “a stunning achievement” was amongst the many superlatives he used to describe the music and I thank him most sincerely for his continued support and encouragement.

Now the Tribute

Last Thursday I attended a very beautiful Thanksgiving Service for a very old and dear friend – Edna Horsley who after a long battle with cancer finally went to heaven. Edna was a long standing and much loved member of Holy Rood Church- she had also been one of the Secretaries at Crofton School until she retired.  Edna actually typed my MA dissertation listening to tapes from the Dictaphone I had used- that gives an indication of her level of her patience! Edna was always a great organiser and worked closely with the Clergy in arranging the Holy Rood Church weekends away to places like Ashburnham Place. I will also always be indebted to her for organising a coach load of people from Holy Rood to a performance of our previous musical “His Story” at the New Theatre Royal in Portsmouth – she even took the scene outside the Theatre in Guildhall Walk, which was pretty wild in those days, in her stride and with a smile on her face.

I will really miss Edna and my heartfelt sympathy goes to Stan, Carolyn, Paul, Dan, Gemma and Mike.

Cover of the forthcoming CD – “Risen! – The Musical”

” I Miss The Magic” featuring Cole – recorded by John Hodgkinson – not released

I have in my hand, hot off the press, the promo CD of extracts from Risen! The Musical. 30 copies are being duplicated as I write with 12 being taken by Dr Graham Giles to USA on February 2^nd when he attends President Obama’s Annual Breakfast on February  5^th.

The mixing and mastering have not yet been completed by Joffy and his ex- Lecturer, Andrew Bourbon but we had to get a promo ready in time for Graham’s visit to America and distribute to influential people he knows there.  Even if not yet fully mixed or mastered it already sounds fantastic – all credit to the singers and musicians involved and especially to Joffy himself who has worked flat out to ensure the promo was ready in time and also that the real deal double CD will be ready for release on Palm Sunday, March 29^th. We will be having 1000 replicated and huge thanks again to ex- Crofton student Tim Courtnell of Sound Performance Ltd who has done such a fantastic job for us.

We have also had confirmed that Risen! – The Musical will be performed in concert format at the Coventry Pentecost Festival on May 23^rd – watch this space for more information on this and also the planned stage production for Autumn in Portsmouth’s  New Theatre Royal, at present undergoing a £9 million refurbishment.

Those who have kindly followed this blog since it started a year ago will know the story of how I originally made up “pop songs” which later I converted to have Christian lyrics. Recently John Hodgkinson dug out for me some of those original songs which he had recorded.  One “I Miss The Magic” is I think pretty good (he says humbly) I remember adapting it to become a Christian song – “Oh Lord Hear My Voice” which was the featured song of the blog on December 4^th. The song is sung by “Cole” who was the vocalist for the band “Yellow Cab” for whom Tudor Davies played keys. (see blog  March 20^th)

Next week this blog will have its first birthday – best I find something special to write!

“Here I Am Because I Love You” – featuring Lucy Stimpson- Maynard from the album “Where Would I Be Without You? recorded by Ross Gill

As I said last week my dear friend Nikki Bovis- Coulter – www.enviro-art.co.uk has been working hard on the artwork for the Risen!- The Musical double CD and thanks so much to her for the amazing patience she showed in making change after change as proof read after proof read showed up my error after error. However we got there in the end and today’s featured pic gives a preview of the front and back of the CD booklet.

Another great friend and ex -Crofton student is Tim Courtnell who works for Sound Performance Ltd. It is his company that will be manufacturing the Risen!- The Musical double CDs. We are starting with 1000 being replicated -for those that aren’t sure, replication is the process by which a glass master is made and CDs are produced in large quantities. Duplication is the method by which shorter runs can be made by “burning” the CDs using computers; we are having 30 promo copies made using the latter method with Dr Graham Giles taking some to America.

I am in the process of speaking with a number of different agencies to ensure that distribution of Risen! is a large as possible. Of course we are also hoping that Dr Graham Giles’ invitation to President Barack Obama’s Annual Prayer Breakfast will be a “doorway” to distribution in the USA. (see blog January 15^th)

Today’s featured song is “Here I am Because I Love You” – an adapted version of the chorus is used in the Risen!  track “Jesus You are the Christ” sung by the disciple John together with the Risen! ensemble.

Mixing Risen! The Musical at the London College of Music with Joffy Girling and Andrew Bourbon

After four years of working on Risen!- The Musical we are getting very close to completing the double CD. On Thursday and Friday of last week I had the privilege of being at Vestry Hall, Ealing, the recording studio of the London College of Music, watching Joffy Girling our Musical Director, and his ex -Lecturer Andrew Bourbon start mixing the 100 minute album which is Risen! – The Musical.
The recording studio was fantastic with state of the art equipment. Andrew had been Joffy’s Lecturer in Sound Engineering and Production at Birmingham City University before moving to the London College of Music to take up a new lecturing post. Andrew has a PHD and I could understand why because he was absolutely amazing in his knowledge and application. He and Joffy spoke to each other in a totally different language than I had ever heard before – buses, plates, rooms, images, lack of depth in the midrange from the FG-N. A parallel pass through the 1176 hitting the 1073s etc.etc I just watched and listened, absorbed while they started with drums, then bass, then guitar, then strings, then vocals making everything that already sounded great from Joffy’s recordings sound absolutely awesome. There are 37 tracks and in the two days, seven were mixed so there is still much to do.
I have to say I was so very pleased when Andrew said very complimentary things about the Risen! songs – he intends speaking to his friend who is Head of Musical Theatre at London College of Music. Our hope is that students and post grads might make up the cast for the proposed autumn stage production of Risen! at the New Theatre Royal, Portsmouth
In the meantime my dear friend Nikki of 2 fishproductions has been working hard on the CD’s artwork. We are trying to meet a deadline as another dear friend, who I have mentioned before, Dr Graham Giles has been given the great honour of being invited to the USA President’s Annual National Prayer Breakfast on Thursday February 5th http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Prayer_Breakfast On this most important occasion, which is in fact a series of meetings luncheons and dinners held since 1953, Graham will be personally giving “Risen!- The Musical promo CDs to 12 of the most powerful Christian women in America. They will be promo CDs featuring extracts from the full musical as the whole double CD will not be fully mixed and mastered in time for Graham’s departure on February 2nd – but still, what an amazing opportunity!
The featured song today “Bathe me in Your light” is taken from our first CD “ I Look Up To The Heavens.” The song also features in “Risen! – The Musical.” The disciple James sings it on the mountain in Galilee just before Jesus delivers His “Great Commission.” As Matthew writes in Chapter 28 of his Gospel, Jesus says “ Go make disciples of all nations…..and surely I am with you always, even to the very end of the age.”

“He’s Never Lied” featuring Lucy Jane Rutherford, Mike Backhouse and
Jim Rogers from CD “For Unsung Heroes”

I hope you all have had a great Christmas. I spent Christmas Day going to Holy Rood in the morning and then giving lifts to two delightful ladies to the Church Christmas dinner. Then had a fab meal with Caroline, before my sons, James and Chris came over with James’ lovely new fiancée Rosy. Boxing Day was spent at Caroline’s twin brother’s house near Malvern where all the family had gathered. We were going to continue to Nottingham to see my brother but he was unwell and there was also four inches of snow.
During the holidays quite a lot of exciting things happened relating to Mustard Seed Songs. I have heard that there may well be a production of Risen!- The Musical in Coventry on May 23rd. Joffy started to write the Risen! musical score; next week we are in London to mix the Risen! double CD and hopefully in the next few days the fund raiser I have mentioned before – Cheerful Giver will be launched.
Last night I met up with some young Christian friends, Aaron and Natalie Beale, Stephen and April Ballard, Lois Styles and Aaron Lewis. We all went to the Cuckoo Pint pub where it was great to chat to some ex Crofton students – I have to say they made me feel more like “family” than teacher so thanks so much to Matt Ancell, Jake Taylor, George Sanford, Joe Broadway, Dean Bast, Lee Farr, Rob Hay, Hannah Wise, Vicky Atkinson and Kerry McDermott.
There is also Coffee Cake and Chat at Donny’s Bistro in Stubbington which I am helping to organise (see featured pic.) It starts on January 13th and runs every two weeks until March 24th. It is aimed at giving people the opportunity to discuss, from a faith perspective, some of life’s big questions such as why is there suffering in the world ? Please email me on ken.shearsmith@ntlworld.com or ring the church office on 01329 661154 if you are interested in coming- even it is just to the first evening.
I am sure that one of the questions that will come up at the Coffee Cake and Chat evenings will be “Can we really believe what is written in the Bible?” This week’s featured song attempts to address this question.

You say you can’t trust every story that’s been written,
But this Gospel is different and I’ll tell you why,
Its writers faced death, persecution and torture,
So why did they tell it – why would they lie?

HAPPY NEW YEAR

The blog will return next week.

“In the Beginning was the Word”

“In the Beginning was the Word” Taken from Mustard Seed Songs’ first musical “His Story.”

In the Beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning.

And the Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us.

These words are, of course taken from the first verses of John’s Gospel.  The Gospels of Matthew and Luke start with accounts of the Nativity whereas John starts at the very beginning in heaven.  However all tell of God choosing to take on human form and to live among us- “Emmanuel – God with us” how amazing is that?!

PJ, our amazing webmaster, and all at Mustard Seed Songs wish you a very happy Christmas, blessed in the knowledge that God cares for each one of us and that is why He chose a stable and not a palace in which to be born and that is why 33 years later He chose to die an agonising death in our place.

HAPPY CHRISTMAS

Linvoy Primus at the Crofton Summer Sports Week

“Heart on Fire” featuring Katy Summer with the Mustard Seed Soul Band from album “Heart and Soul” recorded and produced by Ross Gill

Last week I mentioned Linvoy Primus and guess what during the week I bumped into him and his lovely wife Trish. We had a nice catch up chat and then later in the week I read an article on him in the SportsMail. I contacted Linvoy and he has kindly said that I can use some extracts from the article for today’s blog.

I first met Linvoy through my old friend Mick Mellows who, as I said last week, was at PE Training College with me in Winchester and is Godfather to my two sons James and Chris.  It was Mick who led Linvoy to faith. In the SportsMail article Linvoy recollects how he had a knee injury and how Mick, who was Pompey’s Chaplin at the time, and team mate Darren Moore prayed and the injury was healed.  Linvoy says “I knew these people (Mick and Darren ) were not magicians and I trusted them. So when my knee was healed I knew it was real and that was what allowed me to move forward. When that happens you know it’s beyond anything in your mind and your body can’t make that happen. That’s when I surrendered to God and by doing that it gave me freedom on the pitch. I had peace, real peace.

As many of you will now Linvoy arrived  at Pompey in 2000 and went on to make 218 appearances for the club and become part of  Fratton Park folklore.  The SportsMail article finishes with Linvoy referring to his new role working for ”Christians in Sport” “ The thing which get me through is my faith. It feels like the right thing for me to do. I share my story and hopefully that helps.”

I remember Linvoy sharing his story of faith at a Mustard Seed Concert held at the Oasis Church Arundel Street Portsmouth.  I remember him bopping about to “Jesus is my Lord”!  Linvoy also met the children from Crofton Hammond Infants School who sang “What Would Jesus Do?” in the  His Story production at The Kings Theatre, Southsea  which Mustard Seed Songs produced in association with Faith and Football , the charity of which Mick and Linvoy are Founders and Directors.

In the summer of 2013 Linvoy came and visited the annual Crofton Summer Sports Week that I run and today’s blog pic is of him with the children.

I think Linvoy’s favourite Mustard Seed song is “Jesus is my Lord” but as that featured in the blog of September 18^th  I have chosen today “Heart on Fire” as the words epitomise Linvoy’s mission.

“Give us a heart on fire, Lord one whose sole desire is to serve. Jesus my Lord and King to be witnessing is the very least thing I can do”

“Heart on Fire” also features on our forthcoming musical Risen! sung after Jesus gives the Great Commission in Matthew 28 “Go make disciples of all nations.”

Robbie Richardson (far right) with Stuart Fowler (centre) and Tim Downs (left)

“Allow His Loving Arms” from CD “The Season of Singing” Featuring Ross Gill on vocals and guitar and Robbie Richardson on recorder

So as promised a bit on Robbie Richardson our brilliant saxophonist.

A very dear and old friend of mine is Mick Mellows the ex -Pompey Footballer   and  Director  of the charity “Faith and Football” www.faithandfootball.org.uk/ Mick started the charity with another friend of mine,  Linvoy Primus (name dropping two legends in the same sentence!)  I was at PE College in Winchester with Mick (taught him all he knows about football -not!) and he and his lovely wife Felicity are God Parents to my two boys James and Christopher.  I was talking to Mick when Mustard Seed Songs first started about needing a saxophone player for our CDs and he said that he knew a brilliant saxophonist who was teaching Hannah, his daughter  to play. So I contacted Robbie and he has now played on all our CDs from “Uplifted” onwards- and that is, tenor sax, alto sax, soprano sax, clarinet, flute and recorder.

On last week’s featured song “Oh Lord Hear My Voice” Robbie played sax and in today’s song “Allow His Loving Arms” it is recorder. Incidentally the chorus of “Allow His Loving Arms” is used in our new musical- Risen! It sung by the disciple Thomas (played by James Townend- see blog June 20^th)  and the Ensemble.  In Risen! the song is called “How Great Are His Signs” and it will be the free download for those people who  help on our soon to be launched fund raiser “Cheerful Giver.”

Robbie is a full- time professional musician who you can see play regularly in the summer at The Pebbles Restaurant in Stokes Bay, Gosport  and also at  Rosie’s Wine Bar in Elm Grove, Southsea.  Not only has Robbie played on our CDs but he has also never missed a Mustard Seed Concert or production of our first musical- “His Story.”  He even played at the wedding of Caroline and I – so here is an opportunity to give Robbie a huge thank you.  THANK YOU ROBBIE!

PS Robbie is also famous for his “unique” sense of humour and for his interest in writing – he runs what is best described as a “Literary open mic”  – welcoming writers of all ages, experience and styles to get involved in short story writing competitions. Please check it out on http://www.write-invite.com/