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Our Craic
- (In Belfast, "What's the
craic ?" means "What's been goin' on ?") |
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Not only did the Irish dancing, music and poetry capture every imagination, but the simple storyline describing the cry of every human heart for freedom and unity resonated with each spirit! That cry, we believe, finds an answer when we have an encounter with our Creator, the living God who has made himself known to us as our loving Father through the life and death of His son Jesus Christ. Riverdance was performed in Nice, France a few years ago. Shortly afterwards we had our own "river dance" experience there - in a Home run by "The Little Sisters of the Poor" for impoverished elderly people. We witnessed many of the unsuspecting old folk transformed literally from a vacant stare to an engaging smiling, from a wheelchair to a waltz, as the cry of their hearts for unity and freedom was answered in an encounter with Father’s love in the presence of His Spirit!! "I had been expecting a concert." said the Mother Superior, at the end of our presentation. "But this has been a profound spiritual experience - You need to do this in every old people’s home in France!!"
Irish – yes, but broader - other cultures should be represented too (because the Bride of Christ will be from every nation and race). Young people – yes, but a cast that also represents the different generations, who are all being called, should tell this story – “The story to which all other stories lay claim.” - A story to feed the human spirit: The ingredients are:
Then:
The freeing power of God’s love is made known in this story carried in the hearts and lives of the presenters, rather than in the human brilliance of a few star performers. It’s a story that can be portrayed in any humble place, from a town square to a shopping mall, from a home for the handicapped to a school gymnasium. It can be told regardless of language or culture, by a small group of dedicated (rather than brilliant) believers, given some basic training, a living faith, a few props and a CD player!! Did anyone miss Riverdance? Don’t worry. But this one you’ve got to see! - To experience the unity and FREEDOM!! Some FREEDOM! Headlines SARAH HEALED FROM CLOWNOPHOBIA in ALBERT LEE!!!
All that changed over the week end. As lovable Terry, Larry, Nate and William, bounced onto the stage with their outlandish clothes, rainbow hair, painted faces and red noses (that kept falling off!) Sarah laughed her way back into freedom. That demon of “fear” (of clowns) just didn’t stand a chance!!!
JULIE BREATHS A SIGH OF RELIEF at the MARIE SANDWICK CENTER
FREEBORN FAIRGROUND VENDORS OVERWHELMED BY CHURCH!!
Celtic Crescendo in Europe
Our Times Are In His Hands
Next to "How are you?" this is by far and away the commonest question I have been asked over the last two years!! "Just a few weeks." was my standard reply (also for a couple of years).
Sounds of Hope The Psalmist says: We live in a materialistic culture which values "product" more than process, "goods" rather than goodness. We rush to find product we can package and promote in order to "show a profit", whereby we justify our existence by our so-called "wealth"! This can be as true in the "busyness of church", as it is in "the world" He continues: If this album is about anything it is about our finding our security not in the rush to succeed as producers or performers, but through entering into a relationship of rest with our heavenly Father. It is about finding our identity not in feverishly working but in simply being His sons and daughters. How appropriate that we the composers of such a message should then be tested and changed in that very regard in the creative process! "I've Given him the Last Rites!!
"Paul is in hospital. He is seriously ill, and they don't know what is wrong with him. I've given him the Last Rites!" Immediately it seemed half the world had been notified and were praying for his survival. Survive he did, and more. As he said later, "peering over the edge of eternity tends to sharpen your focus about what really matters in life." (He even quipped, "Lord I can't go yet…I haven't finished Paul's album!!") Well, Paul's "Time" had not come, and Father gave him back his life. I have always respected Paul as a "man after God's heart", but that experience was his own 911 and sure enough he has not been the same since……..in body, soul or spirit ..…all have improved enormously!! He has inspired me to see "Now is the Time" for us all to SHAPE UP, as Dad's sons and daughters. 9-11 and Constitutional Change Speaking of 9-11. This was another reason we realized Father had delayed the album. For 3,000 people on that fateful day, their "Time" had indeed come. The post 911 America (nay, world) is indeed a different one. The album's songs and meditations were shaped by this event in a way that I believe makes the TRILOGY even more prophetic for the days in which we live both by man's reckoning and more importantly God's. For example, "But its Belfast they're burnin' now New York the same" is not a line that would have appeared before 9-11!
He inspired many to see "Now is the Time" for us, to RISE UP as Dad's sons and daughters reflecting his true nature of perfected love.
Jack and Anthony Join the Cloud For two of our good friends, their "Time" to complete their personal "Ascent" into Father's arms came while the album was being completed. At the "Time" the cartoon on the front of the album was completed neither of these "graduations" had taken place, but as we looked at the various characters portrayed we identified Jack and Anthony in that "cloud of witnesses" who have ascended to the top of the mountain and entered into Father's house already. They inspire us that "Now is the Time" to KEEP UP with them until it is our "Time" to make the "Ascent" in life or in death. Can you spot them? For Such a Time as This All in all, as you can see, we are convinced this album's "Time" has been in Father's hands, and that (in the words of another song I wrote) "Now is the Time" for the full message of "The Bright Hostage" to go forth. As such we believe God wants to open doors for it to be proclaimed, so that many can step out of their prisons into freedom. Then "all creation" will indeed sing as the promise of Romans 8.21 is fulfilled and "the creation itself will be liberated and brought into, "the glorious freedom of the children of God." ON A PRACTICAL NOTE We are eager that as many as could benefit from The Bright Hostage Trilogy should receive it. That is why we do not charge, but merely suggest a donation that helps cover the cost of production (which is substantially increased because of Gilbert's Journal). We do no marketing or promoting of the music other than by word of mouth (or Email!) and personal recommendation. So if you appreciate what we are doing please pass it on to your friends (by word of mouth or Email!)Thanks, Paul |
Did anyone see Riverdance? I think the whole world did!!
That got us thinking! "Maybe Father wants to use us to bring many into this "river dance" of His love!" We already had most of the music and poetry and some of the dance. As we worked with the idea, inspiration began to flow – "There’s Freedom, freedom, freedom to dance and sing when you know the love of the Father, when you know the Love of the King" These lines which I had recently written and recorded had already touched many lives. This would be the central proclamation! Then song linked with song and accompanying drama and dances followed as the simple story took shape.
When Sarah heard the Lord had shown us that clowns were to be a part of the FREEDOM! presentation, she was none too happy! She said nothing, but continued to dread the prospect, because as a trusting six year old, when she had gone to shake the hand of a street clown, he had grabbed her and tried to abduct her. Sarah remembers a shoe flying past his head as the crowd rose to her rescue. The clown dropped his captive and fled, but the experienced left its mark on Sarah who for the last 20 years has studiously avoided all contact and connection with clowns. For Sarah, clowns have been no laughing matter!!
Julie was a little breathless as she shared her miraculous story of healing after our first presentation of FREEDOM! Two years before as she had pondered the words of her doctor at the Mayo clinic, “I don’t know if you’re going to make it.” God give her a vision of her not just ‘surviving’ - but dancing before Him! Now here she was, back in Minnesota, but this time not for an eight major lung surgery, but for a dance with Jesus, her bridegroom and her healer!! After the presentation she remembered an unresolved conflict in a relationship. She immediately made a phone call to ask for forgiveness. “Wow!” she realized after the following two performances, “When it came time to share – I wasn’t breathless at all!!”
The FREEBORN County fairground vendors complained that they were taken by surprise on Sunday morning, when almost 3,000 people descended on them looking for lunch after the first joint church service in the city for many years. Celtic Crescendo had been invited to lead the service in this significant expression of Christian unity. Delighted pastors and fair organizers agree this is a ‘must’ in the future. In fact they are even considering replacing the big country music night with a gospel music night – now THAT sounds like revival to me!!! I shared in an earlier Email about Father’s showing His smile through the “halo” of twelve wild geese that circled in the air, high above us as, in closing ,we sang the Doxology….and the double rainbows on the way home. Thank you Father for your covenant of grace with the whole earth! 
From 27th June the Celtic Crescendo family will ‘land’ precisely where St Patrick did 1500 years ago. Our good friend Henry Hull now rector at Downpatrick Cathedral will join us at the Slaney river as we dedicate ourselves to in the spirit of Patrick (“hostage looser”) proclaim “Freedom!” with our lives and gifts, first in Ireland, then in the Netherlands, Germany and Sweden. Through deep friendships given over the years the Lord has opened doors for us to serve in a number of settings, from large conferences to city streets, to fellowship weeks. Currently the team is working hard to raise the necessary finance. If you have any ideas, jobs or even money to contribute feel free to contact us. Also keep an eye on our UPCOMING EVENTS calendar (Our Craic section) to find out about a presentation near you. If you are interested in hosting a presentation, please also contact us. 
"Just a few weeks." was my standard
reply (also for a couple of years). In
this, I was honestly not being deceitful or evasive! Paul McAree
and I both intended the project should hasten to a conclusion. However,
I'm not intending to pass the buck, but Father,
had other plans!
A
great test (and change) came to Paul McAree late last year. Father
Joe phoned one evening from Belfast, 
As
we were lead to make a pilgrimage to the East Coast this summer,
including a visit to the three crash sites we realized it is "Time"
for a "Constitutional" change in the USA. - a change in its very
nature, for it's DNA is meant to become Divine Nature Activated!
The original constitution acknowledges God, but in terms of "the
Supreme Being" and "Divine Providence" but in these days God is
revealing his essential nature as that of Our Father…. These words
"Our Father" were the last prophetic utterance of Todd Beamer before
the "Let's Roll" of Flight 93**. 
Another
less famous hero of the past few years is a friend of ours from
Colorado called Geoff Pike. Geoff too went to be with Father during
the recording of this album. His life and the way in which he too
faced death was the inspiration for "Geoff’s Song".
If the album had been completed at the "Time" we originally
hoped, this song would not have been written or included! The uplifting
story of how he and his family faced and triumphed over death is
told in Gilbert’s Journal Volume 3.
Jack
Winter was one of the greatest inspirations to Hilary and me in
realizing the Father's love. A few weeks ago we were leading a praise
time when the children began approaching the adults and pulling
on them until they were forced to leave their seats and join in
the dance! When I arrived home that evening I opened my Emails to
discover that at the precise time this was happening, Jack, who
was ill with cancer, had died. Immediately I saw the connection.
We had been praying for a healing, that he would continue in his
earthly chair. But the angels had been pulling on Jack's arms, eager
for him to find freedom in joining the dance of heaven…and THE ANGELS
WON…and Jack won, and we won…. in fact everyone won, "For we know
that in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him
who loved us."!
Anthony
was another good friend from Australia. His perpetual smile and
helpful spirit, was also a wonderful witness to the love of his
heavenly Father. A few months ago he too died suddenly at the age
of 15. 