http://ncronline.org/news/politics/robin-hood-sword-and-magna-carta

http://ncronline.org/news/politics/robin-hood-sword-and-magna-carta

I've always been a fan of Russell Crowe's work, but this in particular should be very timely. The social justice message, whether you agree or not, of this story should be considered once again.

Musical Experiment

Ok, here is a test to see where tastes are now. In the last few days, I've uploaded to my bandcamp site two of my original compositions. One you would call chant-inspired classical music, the other is psalm-inspired acoustic pop/Contemporary Christian.

You can find them both on bobmetivier.bandcamp.com at these addresses:
Puer Natus Est
Lord, Send Out Your Spirit

Then, if you like either or both, could you go to my facebook account and let me know! That would be wonderful and help me to determine what my readers see/hear as the future of their music tastes.

My facebook page for music is Bob Metivier's Music

Hypebot

If you accept that music, art and media are effected by the environment in which they were created, then the quantum shifts caused by technology and the net are changing not just the way art is consumed, but also how it is created and the perspective of the creators. That's the premise explored in the forthcoming documentary PressPausePlay. According to the film's web site:

Technology Immitter

Immitter is a new Internet Music Transmitter site. It was recently demo'ed by its CEO at a major conference in Los Angeles and is in alpha as we speak.

It is a first look at the future of new media for music.  Immitter (i′mid·ər) is the first radio that any musician can contribute to and any listener can influence - A Social Radio. Look for the official launch in 2010. Here's a quick lighthearted explanation mocking the "plain english" series.

http://www.facebook.com/bob.metivier#!/video/video.php?v=560864775783&subj=45201456

Crucem Tuam

I finally released Crucem Tuam as the first new song from an upcoming release entitled, Embraced by the Spirit. You can hear on the media player here or by checking it out bobmetivier.bandcamp.com or on my facebook account! Let me know what you think! It will also shortly be on Amazon and iTunes.

The Sixty One - site for listeners

Here is another new site that I think you might find interesting!

https://www.thesixtyone.com/artist/bobmetivier/settings/password/?force_refresh=true&base_url=%2Fartist%2Fbobmetivier%2Fsongs%2F&per_page&page&song_position=0&cur_song_progress=121164.80725623583#/bobmetivier/

New internet radio options

As terrestrial radio languishes, we are seeing all kinds of new ways to find new music. One I'm working with as an artist is in alpha I cannot disclose here yet, but keep watching. It is coming soon!

Then there are sites such as www.bandcamp.com and www.hypem.com that are fun to snoop around in for new music as well!

Richard Proulx and RIchard Hillert

The recent passing of Richard Proulx and Richard Hillert has caused me to reflect on the extraordinary gifts that these two great men have given to us. Even though both wrote widely in many genres, I firmly believe that their greatest inspiration came in providing wonderful settings of liturgical materials for the congregation. Both of these men believed strongly that average, everyday people should sing the liturgy and that it shouldn’t just be left to the professionals. It makes me think of the way Paul Manz used to talk about inspiring the congregation to sing and how thrilling it is to sing with full voiced gusto on the great hymns of faith.

In many churches, I think we have shortchanged the congregation and have given more of our attention to the choirs. Educating the congregation and teaching them how to sing is no easy matter, but is certainly worth every minute we can give to helping them fully engage in the church's song.

Some helpful suggestions include:


· Print brief histories of hymns and tunes used in the service on an insert in the worship folder.

· Look for concertatos and descants that engage both the choir and the congregation.

· Vary the accompaniments from full organ to a cappella singing, and incorporate various instruments for introductions or descants.

· Use readings such as those in From Glory Into Glory to set up the hymn and give added thought.


These are just a few suggestions. There are obviously many more, but the important thing is to give congregational singing added attention and priority. If we follow the model of those who have recently gone before us, it is worth our very best gifts.


Mark W. Lawson,

President

MorningStar Music Publishers

Gerard Faucheux

Gerard Faucheax was a wonderful father, a dedicated son, and an authentic voice. Though his style is far different from mine, the joy that is evident in his music is a gift to those who have heard him live or on recordings. We lost him way too soon, but, thankfully, he has left his music with us. Please take a moment and listen in. It would be greatly appreciated if you would help his family in this time of terrible loss by purchasing and sharing his music with your friends and family. Let it continue to be a blessing to many, and not be lost in the noise that is so abundant in our culture.

http://gfsongs.com
http://gfsongs.blogspot.com/
Technorati Tags: Gerard Faucheaux

The Future of Music!

Emma, my granddaughter, says it all to me. Where is the future of music? In her hands and other little hands like hers. That 's the reason that it is so important to help them to fall in love with music that is meaningful and artful. Go, Emms!

Just thinkin'

We just had our latest Exalt program today, a 3/4 hr of contemporary Christian music, play, video, etc. with all of the students at Rosary School. We have this usually once a month and it is a lot of fun for the kids. I think that it gives them some exposure to Christian thought, the Scriptures, and other things at a level that they can make their own.

I was wondering how many folks out there have similar programs in their church or in their schools?

new guitar

Being a guitarist for the last 40 years and also being a "serious music" vocalist and director can be an interesting challenge. But every once in awhile I can find the bridges between the genres, and play around in the common ground of music for its own sake.

I've been on a "quest" to expand the capabilities of my outreach to orchestration, etc. with guitar. In fact, this process actually got me in the computer business for 17 years.

But now I may be on the brink of something with this new guitar, currently being custom built by Steve Benford in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. This guitar is being developed as a semi-hollow body electric with acoustic and MIDI capabilities. In early 2010, I will attempt to put it through its paces on some new music, and would love your feedback!

This is the latest pic as it's being built.

What is contemporary

I got a kick out of a priest friend's comment the other day: "Oh, someone told me that you have a blog on Contemporary Music?" This priest is very traditional and had assumed that I had gone to the "dark side" :-)

I explained to him my take on contemporary music, that it is music of the day. That it does not need to be a certain style or format, just "now". And if we don't like what we hear now, it is incumbent upon us to help bring about change by writing and delivering new, "contemporary" genres that we want to help define the future of music.

Sometimes that is with new styles, sometimes it's fresh approaches such as Owl City's Fireflies, which though it may not have tremendous lasting ability, has an interesting new variation on old styles and is entertaining. It is also uplifting and innocent, something you don't find much of in radio-play these days (Do you still listen to terrestrial radio anyway?)

I've been quiet musically for awhile now as I try to decide exactly how I can contribute to a meaningful music dialogue about where we are going and how in the world we plan to get there.

In the next little while, I should have some interesting things to share with you, I hope.

Great new video of children singing the Kyrie

There is a must see video on Catholic online from a good acquaintance of mine, David Smith and his wife Teresa. This is a wonderful example of ancient music reborn in the voices of the youth in the Catholic Church! Check it out at: http://www.catholic.org/video/?v=2429

I will soon try to get an embed code for it right here. It is that powerful!

The Challenge

As I look at the current culture and the impact that institutional Christianity has or does not have on it, I'm struck with some "odd notions".

The first is that our world is experiencing accelerating change, which in itself is a neutral thing. However, it causes a faster antiquation of new media ideas and deployments.

What this means to the Church is that, though it will never lose its core value, its perceived immediate relevance can be damaged by an outdated delivery of a message that is not core and foundational. Further, a lack of understanding of the latest use and methods of new media can well make the Church's message appear to be "last century" (which at least on its face it in fact is).

It has long been a joke in the media world that "Contemporary Christian" music uses styles that are 10 years behind the secular culture. Though this is really no longer true, as the secular culture has been in a process of deterioration for the last 10 years (sadly), its perception has remained entrenched. Contemporary Catholic music, a later media arrival, is even further behind.

Our current delivery method is in actuality speaking to the older generations, the ones still in the pews; but we've yet to learn how to speak to the younger generations in a manner that they would be interested in listening to. In a world that is increasingly noisy, wordbytes are what we have to start with. And most of our wordbytes have been negative: anti-this, anti-that... a message that falls on deaf ears, literally, in this generation that is looking for positive hope wherever they can find it.

C. S. Lewis once said that we need less Christian art and more Christian artists who are creatively expressing their art. The gist is that the Christian virtues are better spread by acting upon them in what you do rather than talking specifically about them. St. Paul says in his letter to the Phillippians: "Finally, brothers, whatever things are true, whatever things are honorable, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report; if there is any virtue, and if there is any praise, think about these things."

Lastly, St. Irenaeus said in the 2rd Century: Man fully alive is the glory of God.

So, if Paul and Irenaeus and C. S. Lewis are correct, then the proper function of Christians in the arts is to be fully alive and to pursue whatever is lovely and of good report to the fullest extent of their artfulness. Only then can we expect this generation to LISTEN. This is the current challenge, and we are up to it!

Bob Metivier
copyright 2009, Robert G. Metivier

Thursday of the Seventh Week of Easter

Thursday of the 7th Week of Easter (Year 1)
May 28, 2009

*Today's Readings:*
Acts 22:30; 23:6-11
Ps 16:1-2a, 5, 7-11
Luke 17:20-26

http://www.usccb.org/nab/052809.shtml

Audio:
http://ccc.usccb.org/cccradio/NABPodcasts/09_05_28.mp3

*What is required to answer the prayer of Jesus?*

After I became Catholic in 1977, I read today's Gospel passage and said, "Wow Jesus, your prayer is taking a long time to get answered! The number of break-away denominations just keep multiplying." And seeing divisive behavior within the Catholic Church, I've said, "Wow
Jesus, your prayer isn't even being answered here!"

Or maybe I was just looking for the answer in the wrong places. The Catechism of the Catholic Church says that "Christ bestowed unity on his Church from the beginning", and that unity "subsists in the Catholic Church as something she can never lose" (see para. 820). It's a gift. It's not something that we make happen; it's already ours. "But the Church must always pray and work to maintain, reinforce, and perfect the unity that Christ wills for her."

The unity we have in the Catholic Church comes from accepting that Christ is the head and that he chose to lead us through Saint Peter and all the popes and bishops who came from his line of ordination; despite their imperfections and sins. Our unity comes from the Church Magisterium's protection of and explanations of the teachings of Christ, and if we choose to remain in unity with Christ by learning from the Magisterium, Jesus protects us from false teachings and worldly compromises.

We divide ourselves from the Church when we disregard or misuse Church teachings. Every teaching issued by the Magisterium has love as its goal and scripture as its foundation. More often than not, however, when we reject them, it's not to be divisive; it's simply because we don't understand their value. The most common example of this is the teaching against using artificial birth control. Many Catholics disregard it, because they fail to research it enough to discover how it enhances their ability to love, which includes, if we want to be Christ-like, self-sacrifice.

What about the ways that Catholics are divided from Protestants? Can Christ's prayer be answered even while we're divided from one another in worship and in doctrinal issues? Yes! Unity does not mean "agreement." His prayer is answered in the way we LOVE one another. As it says in the Catechism, para. 815, the bond of unity is the love that "binds everything together in perfect harmony (Col. 3:14)". Harmony isn't accomplished by everyone singing the same notes. Harmony requires diversity in mutual service under the guidance of the Music Director. And you know, Catholics and Protestants have the same Music Director!

See also the Good News WordByte on Pope Benedict's desire for unity (2005): http://wordbytes.org/pope/unity.htm

© 2009 by Terry A. Modica
For PERMISSION to copy this reflection, go to:
http://gogoodnews.net/DailyReflections/copyrights-DR.htm

Tuesday of the Seventh Week of Easter

Good News Reflection
Tuesday of the Seventh Week of Easter
May 26, 2009

Today's Memorial: Saint Philip Neri

Pray for a spirit of joy and laughter
http://wordbytes.org/saints/DailyPrayers/PhilipNeri.htm

Today's Readings:

Acts 20:17-27
Ps 68:10-11, 20-21 (with 33a)
John 17:1-11a
http://www.usccb.org/nab/052609.shtml
Audio:
http://ccc.usccb.org/cccradio/NABPodcasts/09_05_26.mp3

Finishing the work despite hardships

If we could foresee the hardships that lay ahead of us on our paths of service in the kingdom of God, we'd come up with good excuses not to do it. (Hey, we do that already, just by imagining possible hardships! No wonder there are so many of us who do so little ministry or volunteer services or fighting against injustices.)

As we see in today's first reading, St. Paul knew that going to Jerusalem would mean "chains and hardships", so why did he go? Wouldn't he be just as useful to the Lord if he stayed where he was accepted and appreciated?

Back in 1996, as I was praising God for the Good News Evangelization School that we were holding in my parish, I felt God ask me, "Are you willing to suffer to become a better minister for my kingdom?" I wrestled with him over that until he reminded me: "I'm safe. Trust me." And thus began a series of chains and hardships that have not yet ended. And today, I am very grateful for them all!

St. Paul trusted God, even while he knew that he was not safe from those who would imprison him and eventually kill him for preaching the truth. What makes a person willing to say yes to God's calling when it's a certainty that it won't always be easy and fun, when being safe in God does not mean being safe from persecution and hardships?

Paul answered this question. He said, "I put no value on my life. I only value finishing the service that the Lord Jesus has assigned to me." Jesus also answered it in today's Gospel passage: "I have given you glory, Father, by accomplishing the work you gave me to do."

Which matters more: your life (your comfort, your security, your freedom from problems) or God's work, which he gave you to accomplish and which no one else can do the way you can do it? — work that you were specifically designed to do, work that will fulfill you more than anything other activities.

We all have our assignments. You are in the middle of a very important one right now. Recognize the worth of what you're doing; notice how it glorifies God, how it makes a difference for his kingdom. If you don't see the difference yet, well, notice the difference it's made in you as it's helped to shape you more into the image of Christ. Realize the value of your hardships: how they're increasing your holiness, your compassion, and your ability to help others.

My sufferings, as distressing as they have been sometimes, have greatly enhanced the ministries I do now. They account for many of the insights that I share with you in these daily Good News Reflections. Don't focus on the hardships; keep your eyes on the goal — the finish line, heaven — and on the Lord for whom you're doing this. If we quit, we forfeit our souls to the world, where we are not safe at all. Only in God are we truly safe. He kisses our nail wounds and raises us above the trials into his warm embrace and cozy lap, where we are always safely loved.

© 2009 by Terry A. Modica; All Rights Reserved.


To share this with others, see our copyright permission page.

Link to MP3s of The Lord Takes Broken Pieces

You can find the MP3s for most (not all yet) of the songs at: http://cdbaby.com/cd/metivier

Spread the Joy

Rarely do I get EXCITED about a Youtube video, but this is a wonderful video that you need to take 5 minutes and watch!

Mike Strickland wrote a song and his wife hired an animator
because she wanted to tell the story of Mike writing the song in a simple
line art animation. They hooked up with a talented animator and kept at
it here and there between their usual work schedules and finally got it
done. The biggest challenge was getting Mike to finish the mix on the
song because he kept thinking he wanted to add this or that and
definitely wanted a choir on it so that took a bit of doing. After it
was done she posted it on youtube and then in March of this year ABC Good
Morning America saw it and used it in a story they did on
"brightsiding". They had not known we were "brightsiders". The video is
at

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y90-R9uyjIQ&feature=channel_page

Wednesday of the Sixth Week of Easter

Wednesday of the Sixth Week of Easter (Year 1)
*Good News Reflection*
Wednesday of the Sixth Week of Easter
May 20, 2009
*Today's Saint: Bernardine of Siena*
http://wordbytes.org/saints/DailyPrayers/BernardineSiena.htm
*Today's Readings:*
Acts 17:15, 22--18:1
Ps 148:1-2, 11-14
John 16:12-15
http://www.usccb.org/nab/readings/052009.shtml
Audio:
http://ccc.usccb.org/cccradio/NABPodcasts/09_05_20.mp3
*Waiting patiently in happy ignorance*
In today's Gospel passage, Jesus says: "I have much more to tell you, but you cannot bear it now." Oh please, Jesus, tell me now; send me an email!
We don't like feeling uncertain about the future. We want to know about God's plans about how or even IF our prayers will be answered. We want to know how things will turn out if we say yes to a new job or a ministry or a challenging donation of our time. We want to know how long we must continue trying to evangelize others before they finally wake up and repent, especially when their worldly ways are causing us problems.
In our chats with God, we say: "Okay, if I do what you're asking, what will happen?" or "Will this trial ever end?" or "Ahem, please explain further so I can base my decision on how logical this sounds."
Being ignorant of the details can be scary. We know there's a bigger picture, but all we've got to work with are a few small puzzle pieces. We're not in control. Ohhhmygosh, this means we have to trust God!
What seems to be a frightening silence is really a huge gift. Imagine if God were to sit you down in a nice quiet prayer room and display on the wall a movie that shows everything he's going to do in your life: everything he's asking of you, what you'll have to endure to accomplish it, all the hurdles you'll face, how he'll be stretching you beyond what's comfortable and familiar. Do you really want to know all this? Even though the movie would also show the fun of it, the good times, God's helping hand, the wonderful fruits and rewards, etc., wouldn't you freak out? I know I would.
We should thank God for our ignorance! It's a great relief to trustingly let the Holy Spirit have full control. Jesus says in this Gospel message: "The Spirit of Truth will guide you to all truth." The Holy Spirit will "announce" to us whatever we need to know, not when WE want to know it, but when it truly is the perfect time to know it.
Life's greatest adventures come from trusting God in the midst of ignorance. Have you ever ridden a roller coaster that has surprising twists and turns? It's popular with riders who like the thrill of not knowing where they're going, where's the next dip, the next spin, the next upside-down loop. The life of a Christian is just as thrilling! Don't worry. Even if you don't like roller coasters, it can be a safe adventure. God is your seat belt — he holds you in his lap very securely.
For safety, please don't try to climb out before the ride is over.




© 2009 by Terry A. Modica
For PERMISSION to copy this reflection, go to:

http://gogoodnews.net/DailyReflections/copyrights-DR.htm