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Face2Face Encounter With Christ Retreat Music

2009-04-28T04:26:00Z

By request, here's a list of the music used at the retreat, with links to songs where you can listen and/or download:

Gather Us, Lord
by Scott Goudeau
View video HERE (you must be a member of SpiritandSong.com - free to join)

Your Grace Is Enough
by Matt Maher
From the album, Empty and Beautiful
Original version from the album, Welcome to Life
LISTEN to Matt's original version
Both versions available on iTunes

Look To The Cross
by Christopher Dayett
LISTEN (scroll down)

Be Forgiven
by Tom Booth
LISTEN (as recorded by Tom Booth from the album, Change Me)
Recommended Recording: Jackie Francois from the album, Your Kingdom Is Glorious
Both recordings available on iTunes

Empty and Beautiful
by Matt Maher
From the album, Empty and Beautiful
LISTEN
Also available on iTunes

O Come Let Us Adore Him
by C. Frederick Oakley, John Francis Wade, Matt Redman, Teri Bryant
From the album, Passion: Sacred Revolution - Songs from ONEDAY03 (Live)
This version and others available on iTunes

God of the Universe
by Christopher Dayett
Coming Soon!

Resurrection Day
by Matt Maher
From the album, Overflow
LISTEN
Also available on iTunes

Come to the Water
by John Foley, S.J., arranged by Matt Maher
From the album, Overflow
LISTEN
Also available on iTunes

I Long To See You
by Christopher Dayett
From the album, Coming Home
LISTEN
Also available on iTunes

Lord, Make Me Thirsty
by Christopher Dayett
Coming Soon!

Open the Eyes of My Heart
by Paul Baloche
LISTEN
Many versions available on iTunes

Be Lifted High
by Josh Blakesley, Matt Maher
From the album, Waiting by Josh Blakesley
LISTEN
Available on iTunes
*We sang Matt's unrecorded "live" version, slightly different
Sorry, Pastor Mike's version is not available yet!

Go In Peace
by Christopher Dayett
From the album, Coming Home
LISTEN and sing it at the 8:30 @ Trinity
Available on iTunes

There Can Be No Greater Love Than This...

2009-03-19T04:14:00Z

There can be no greater love than this...to play the Lord's music with a plastic surgeon on drums, a cardiologist on electric guitar, and an opthamologist on bass. If the drummer pokes me in the eye with his drumstick, I'll be able to see! If the bass guitarist wacks me in the nose with the neck of the guitar, it'll be fixed (the nose that is), and if I have a heart attack from the joyful noise that is Trinity's new praise team, I'll be revived!

The Oscars - Chris' Official Ballot

2009-02-20T05:42:00Z

Here's my Oscar Ballot for the 24 Categories. My picks are in RED BOLD UNDERLINED CAPS If it's a toss up, my second choice is in BOLD CAPS. Any film/performance I think you should check out is in Green(some are both Green and Bold). Any category I felt deserved an additional nomination is in BOLD BLUE. Oscars are this Sunday night, 8pm est.

CHRIS' OFFICIAL BALLOT

ACTOR, LEADING
Richard Jenkins in "The Visitor"
Frank Langella in "Frost/Nixon"
SEAN PENN in "Milk" (in character the entire film - high caliber performance)
Brad Pitt in "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button"
Mickey Rourke in "The Wrestler"
    FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION: Daniel Craig in "Defiance"
        (Having had pneumonia myself, he gets my vote for Best Realistic Cough as well)

ACTOR, SUPPORTING
Josh Brolin in "Milk"
Robert Downey Jr. in "Tropic Thunder
Philip Seymour Hoffman in "Doubt"
HEATH LEDGER in "The Dark Knight"
Michael Shannon in "Revolutionary Road"

ACTRESS, LEADING
Anne Hathaway in "Rachel Getting Married"
Angelina Jolie in "Changeling"
MELISSA LEO in "Frozen River (If Kate Winslet wasn't in the running, she'd get my vote)
Meryl Streep in "Doubt"
KATE WINSLET in "The Reader"
    FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION: Kate Winslet in "Revolutionary Road"

ACTRESS, SUPPORTING
Amy Adams in "Doubt"
Penelope Cruz in "Vicky Cristina Barcelona"
VIOLA DAVIS in "Doubt"
Taraji P. Henson in "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button"
"Marisa Tomei in "The Wrestler"

ANIMATED FEATURE
"Bolt"
"Kung-Fu Panda"
"WALL-E"

ART DIRECTION
"CHANGELING"
"The Curious Case of Benjamin Button"
"The Dark Knight"
"THE DUCHESS"
"Revolutionary Road"

CINEMATOGRAPHY
"Changeling"
"The Curious Case of Benjamin Button"
"The Dark Knight"
"The Reader"
"SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE"
  FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION: "Milk"
    (Come on!! The scenes filmed looking into the mirrors, so you view the scenes as a reflection?? Amazing!!)

COSTUME DESIGN
"Australia"
"The Curious Case of Benjamin Button"
"THE DUCHESS"
"Milk"
"Revolutionary Road"

DIRECTING
"The Curious Case of Benjamin Button"
"Frost/Nixon"
"MILK"
"The Reader"
"SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE"

DOCUMENTARY FEATURE
"The Betrayal (Nerakhoon)"
"Encounters at the End of the World"
"The Garden"
"MAN ON WIRE"
"Trouble the Water"

DOCUMENTARY SHORT
"The Conscience of Nhem En"
"The Final Inch"
"Smile Pinki"
"THE WITNESS - FROM THE BALCONY OF ROOM 306"

FILM EDITING
"The Curious Case of Benjamin Button"
"The Dark Knight"
"Frost/Nixon"
"Milk"
"SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE"

FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM
"The Baader Meinhof Complex"
"THE CLASS"
"Departures"
"Revanche"
"Waltz with Bashir"

MAKEUP
"The Curious Case of Benjamin Button"
"The Dark Knight"
"HELLBOY II: THE GOLDEN ARMY"

ORIGINAL SCORE
"THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON"
"DEFIANCE"
"Milk"
"SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE"
"WALL-E"
(What makes this category so difficulty is that the scores for my ties both support their movie. I decided to go with "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" because of the imagery in the music. I felt it fully supported the actions on the screen. Not to mention, one of my all-time favorite scores is from Casanova, another Alexandre Desplat score. Though "Slumdog Millionaire" fit the setting of the film, I found it somewhat distracting from the movie at certain parts, but it did not take away from the overall best picture. "Defiance" was an amazing movie that I highly recommend. I actually did not notice the music at all during the film, even though I went to see the movie because of its nomination. I went back and listened to the score. It is so beautiful, and the reason I probably didn't notice it, was because it was supporting the emotions from the actors. It will come down to these 3 films, but I think "Benjamin Button" will take top)

ORIGINAL SONG
"Down to Earth" from "WALL-E"
"JAI HO" FROM SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE"
"O Saya" from "Slumdog Millionaire"

BEST PICTURE
"The Curious Case of Benjamin Button"
"Frost/Nixon"
"MILK"
    (An almost true tie. Each got my vote for screenplay in their respective characters, but I think Slumdog
    Millionaire has that extra sparkle in it - maybe it was the Bollywood number at the end)
"The Reader"
"SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE"
     FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION:  "The Wrestler"
           (Not sure why "The Wrestler wasn't nominated.)
     FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION: "Frozen River"
     FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION: "In Bruges"
           (The other two are long shots, but worth watching, especially "Frozen River")

SHORT FILM, ANIMATED
"La Maison en Petits Cubes"
"Lavatory - Lovestory"
"Oktapodi"
"PRESTO"
"This Way Up"

SHORT FILM, LIVE ACTION
"Auf der Strecke (On the Line)"
"Manon on the Asphalt"
"New Boy"
"The Pig"
"SPIELZEUGLAND (TOYLAND)"
    FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION: Any of the "SNL Digital Shorts"

SOUND EDITING
"THE DARK KNIGHT"
"Iron Man"
"Slumdog Millionaire"
"WALL-E"
"Wanted"

SOUND MIXING
"The Curious Case of Benjamin Button"
"THE DARK KNIGHT"
"Slumdog Millionaire"
"WALL-E"
"Wanted"

VISUAL EFFECTS
"THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON"
"The Dark Knight"
"IRON MAN"

SCREENPLAY, ADAPTED
"The Curious Case of Benjamin Button"
"Doubt"
"Frost/Nixon"
"The Reader"
"SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE"

SCREENPLAY, ORIGINAL
"FROZEN RIVER" (almost a tie with "Milk")
"Happy-Go-Lucky"
"In Bruges" (worth seeing)
"MILK"
"WALL-E"
    (There were lots of movies in this category I enjoyed as you can see. The stories were amazing!)

Gifts From God

2009-02-17T05:36:00Z

If you haven't seen my sunset pics yet, check them out on my MySpace (click here). Posted a few more from tonight's sunset.

The Power of Prayer

2009-02-17T04:31:00Z

The past 6 months haven't been easy for me. Losing my full-time job via email 2 weeks before starting back up, ending up in the hospital 5 days later with Pneumonia (which lasted 8 long weeks), finding out I'm not elligible for unemployment through my former job or the Employment Security Commission, having difficulty finding a new full-time job, losing my other part-time job in the meantime, losing 2 relatives unexpectedly, having to close the door on a dream of over 4 years (though I promised myself I'd keep it unlocked and slightly ajar, just in case)...The list could go on and on and on and on. I tried to keep smile on my face, though sometimes it was a little forced. I trusted that God knew what He was doing, and that another door was going to open (that's why I've been associating the phrase, "Find Your Stage Door, And Open It," with Mill Creek Players).

A friend of mine gave me something called a "Power Strip," handmade by another friend of mine, Barbara Habib (www.vitreglassart.com). It's a modified rosary, consisting of 10 glass beads. Mine even glows in the dark - charging all day and working all night!

                  The "Power Strip"                      Praying on the "Strip"                           Closeup


                                                             75% Charged             Fully Charged

A few nights later, I sat down and prayed on the strip. I went to check my email on my phone before going to bed. I had an email from someone that I had to quickly respond to. I turned my computer on, and as my emails began loading, I discovered I had email about a one-time job that never pushed to my phone. I checked my phone again - still not there (and still has never appeared on my phone). The email was sent in the early afternoon, but I never got it until AFTER I prayed on the strip.

I told my friend and Barbara about my experience. Barbara told me she prays on the "Power Strips" after she makes them, praying for the owner (or the intended recipient).

I've been praying on the strip pretty frequently now and I can't believe all of the positive little things that have been happening in my life. I'm finding I'm enjoying my new part-time job more and more each and every weekend. I've written 3 new songs for Church in 2 weeks, and remember when I said I was going to leave the door slightly ajar on my dream? Well, today, it was reopened (literally). Mill Creek Players held its first class today (www.millcreekplayers.com). I had a smile on my face all day...for the first time in over 6 months, and it wasn't forced at all. My dream had finally become a reality! You just have to believe in the power of prayer!

If you're interested in purchasing a "Power Strip," contact Barbara Habib via her website, www.vitreglassart.com!

And the race is on!

2009-02-04T05:26:00Z

Trying to catch all of the Oscar nominated films before the big night? You've only got 18 days til Oscar Night!

Come Oscar night, I will hopefully have seen 25 of the 50 nominated movies (provided Vicky Cristina Barcelona is available at Blockbuster and The Wrestler finally comes to Wilmington. Of the remaining 25 movies, 21 are either Documentary Feature, Documentary Short, Foreign Language Film, Animated Short Film or Live Action Short Film, so give me a little break on those. The remaining 4 films are Rachel Getting Married (was only in Wilmington for 3 or 4 days), Bolt (couldn't get anyone to go with me), Australia (not enough interest among fellow moviegoers), and Happy-Go-Lucky (not really interested in that one). I'll be posting my picks for Oscars soon, including some movies I think were overlooked.

A few movies that sort of slipped by that I'd recommend: In Bruges and The Visitor (available on DVD) and Defiance (currently in theaters).

You know you're getting old when...

2009-02-02T22:37:00Z

...you watch a commercial and see that Disney's Oliver & Company is being released on DVD and Blu-ray tomorrow...20th Anniversary Edition! And I thought Family Matters and The Fresh Prince on Nick-at-Nite was "dating" me

Super Bowl

2009-02-02T05:29:00Z

My heart goes out to Mark Hart (a.k.a."The Bible Geek") in Phoenix tonight. I'm very sorry for your loss. I had the opportunity to meet Mark at the Life Teen Music and Liturgy Conference in AZ this past September. All he talked about back in September was his Cardinals. I would have loved to been a fly on the wall the last 2 minutes of tonight's game!

If you haven't heard Mark or read any of his books, I definitely recommend checking him out. www.lifeteen.com He's got a podcast for the Sunday readings that really prepares you for Mass. His writings are really good for young Catholics - he's got some great stories to share!

Coming Home goes Digital

2009-01-30T22:49:00Z

Great news! Coming Home is now available for digital download on iTunes and Amazon.com! Here I Am and Coming Home CDs are also available in the online store, Angel Crossing (Elsmere, DE) and St. Mary's Catholic Bookstore and Gift Shop (Wilmington, NC).

Am I A Christian?

2009-01-27T22:31:00Z

Ok. Before you freak out when you see the picture, let me explain…

I’m a Worship Leader for Trinity United Methodist Church’s 8:30am Service here in Wilmington. The pastor, Jeff, is currently giving a series of sermons based on the book, They Like Jesus But Not The Church. Topics include is the church male dominant, politically motivated, oppressive to women, judgmental, etc. It’s actually very interesting. It’s a way for us as Christians to see how we are perceived by non-church-going people. Some of their perceptions come from one time experiences…some of the experiences they mention are very similar to what happened to me just the other week as I was walking out of Mass. The whole point is to think outside the Christian bubble…get to know who we are and how we can help change these “misperceptions.” After all, no one likes a bad reputation!

This past Sunday’s topic was, “Is the Church Negative, Judgmental and Political?” Jeff and I discussed the possibility of me coming dressed in a non-ordinary fashion to lead worship. After prayerful consideration, I decided I couldn’t go do it full out, so I just messed up my hair, wore some fake piercings, put on my jeans, and my St. Paul Life Teen shirt. I got a few looks, though. People who have gotten to know me over the past month looked at me a little differently. As we started, Jeff said something about my “new look.” One woman said, “I like it!” He worked me into the sermon and told everyone that I don’t normally go around dressing like that (Phew! What a relief!), but asked if anyone made a judgment when they saw me. (Jeff was disappointed that I didn’t go all out like I initially said I was going to) It made such an impact that he asked me if I would come to the 11am service, but go ALL OUT: mohawk, black lipstick, eyeliner, and nail polish, accessories, and more. I should note that the 11am service is a more traditional crowd.

I went home and added to my attire, and drove downtown. As I walked up the steps (I kept my sunglasses on b/c a good number of people know who I am), I was greeted by the greeter, though she was a little reluctant. The gentlemen giving out programs didn’t offer me a program as I walked into the sanctuary. (I was chased down by someone a few moments later and handed a program. She knows who I am, but didn’t say, “Hi Chris.” I thought maybe I had her fooled!) I felt like I was being stared at as I walked down the aisle It was an uncomfortable feeling. I saw Jeff, who just started laughing. I was going to sit in the middle, but he said I HAD to sit in the front row. I very uncomfortably sat in the front row…really feeling that all eyes were on me – and not in a positive way!

As the entrance song was being sung, Jeff asked me to read the Scripture reading when the time comes. I was reluctant at first, but agreed. (I still hoped and prayed he would acknowledge me and tell everyone the reason for the “costume”) Well, he started his sermon breaking the news to everyone, and he worked me into the sermon just like he did at the 8:30 service.

After the service, Jeff said that the message and the point of the sermon had gotten across bigger than expected. People admitted how much they judged me. Mike, the associate pastor, said he wished we had a camera on the faces as I walked up to read the Scripture! A lot of people came up to me and thanked me, and said how much it made them think about how we judge by outside appearances. An elderly lady asked me if I would come do her hair. Another elderly lady when asked to comment on my hair after the service said, “I had boys…crazy hair doesn’t bother me.” One older gentleman asked me I thought he could do the mohawk with his hair Another older gentleman told me he leaned to his wife when I read the reading and said, “That’s the guy we hired?”

Oh…did I mention that Jeff’s boss (like the head of the Deanery in the Catholic Church) was attending both services? Even he thought it was an effective teaching tool!

Before going home, I went to show one of my neighbors the new look…she got a big kick out of it and suggested that I go to Mass that night dressed the same way. For some reason, I didn’t think it would go over too well.

Ok. Take a look at the picture again. If you saw me like this out in public, what would you think of me? Would you say hi to me? Would you just walk away? Would you think I believed in Jesus? Would you believe me if I said I was a Christian? I was Catholic? A Worship Leader?

Remember that every encounter with someone is a chance to spread Jesus’ message. They may be a little uneducated when it comes to church things (teachings, beliefs, etc.), so remember to look for positive ways to bring them closer to Christ. Avoid being negative, judgmental, and threatening – that’s the exact opposite of what Jesus would want us to do! After some very recent encounters with fellow Christians, and being the victim (both planned and unplanned), I think I may have lost my faith had it not been as strong as it is! I am able to understand exactly where the non-church people quoted in the book are coming from!

A the song Open My Eyes goes, “Open my eyes, Lord. Help me to see your face. Open my eyes, Lord. Help me to see!” May we strive to see Christ’s light in everyone we encounter, and may we allow Christ’s light to shine through us in all that we say and do… today, tomorrow, and forever!

Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!

2009-01-20T19:00:00Z

Everything closed down today due to snow! We had SOOOO much snow! Ok...I'm being sarcastic. I'm from DE. If we woke up to that amount of snow, you'd just have to get up a few minutes earlier to get the car warmed up. Things are different down south! Want to see how much snow caused the city to shut down? Click HERE.

WARNING!! To my friends back home - the image you are about to see may be disturbing. View at your own risk!