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 The Canadian Christian Clapton, Steve Bell, will be bringing his Devotion tour to four cities in Ontario this November: Toronto, Oakville, Oshawa, and Kitchener. Bell is still fondly remembered for playing his guitar and singing around the campfire at Kingdom Bound Christian music festival in Darien Center, NY, years ago, as well as for a coffeehouse he played on Grand Island (NY) half a decade ago. When Bell comes to Ontario this November, he will be with his full band, and featuring Jon Buller, Mike Janzen and Roy Salmond, while also introducing new Signpost Music artist Kerri Woelke. TorontoChristian.net had a chance to catch up with Bell to find out about his latest recording.
"This is the first of my recordings that is deliberately and consciously a 'worship' album in that most of the songs were written specifically for a worshiping community and with the intention of helping that community find its common voice in praise of God. In the case of this collection, the particular community is my home church in Winnipeg (St. Benedict’s Table) and the author of all but two of the songs is not myself but rather, long time friend Gord Johnson. For years, Gord has been writing in the singer/songwriter tradition - personal reflections, stories, thoughtful recollections, social and political observations, etc.- with a keen eye for issues of justice. But more recently Gord has been impacted by the Taize community in France whose music has begun to make inroads into worshipping communities all over the world.
Taize music is very simple. Usually it consists of one or two lines of scripture sung slowly, reverently and repeatedly. The idea is for the community to enter into communal contemplation – to get past the melody and words and enter into the mystery of the story of God and God’s people. No rules, no particular form – just worship guided by those goals and entered into through music. Learning as a community to hear and follow the Spirit’s gentle nudging is a beautiful and deepening experience. Examples on this album are 'Embrace the Mystery,' 'Who Condemns You Now,' 'Everything We Need' and 'Gone is the Light.'
Other songs on this album have more traditional song form but all have that same reverential, devotional quality.
The sequence of the songs was deliberately chosen to follow an arc of worship that has a liturgical logic. Think of the album in four sections: The first four songs ('Almighty God,' 'In the Morning,' 'He Will Know' and 'Praise the Father') celebrate the sovereign transcendence and immanence of God, God’s Triune Nature and our loving dependence and gratitude.
'Gone is the Light' marks a shift of focus to a penitential/confessional acknowledgment of sin and brokenness – aligning ourselves with the shattered thief on the Cross.
The next three songs ('Embrace the Mystery,' 'Jesus Feed Us,' and 'Who Condemns You Now') celebrate the Incarnation - Word becoming flesh (body and blood / bread and wine), uniting to our own, and nourishing us back to health and dignity.
Finally, with 'The Lorica,' a joyful reaffirmation of the gift of our relational proximity to the “triune God of Grace” and the host of angelic and saintly luminaries we know as the family of God, and with 'Benediction,' we entrust our souls to the care of God whose loving self-donation has won our peace.
This is an enhanced CD and includes lyrics, lead sheets and bonus video. We decided to include lead sheets so individuals and congregations may have ready access to this music. Just pop the CD into your computer to get access to these extras."
If you'd like to get tickets to one of Steve Bell's upcoming Ontario shows, please call 800-854-3499 or click here.
Here are details:
Devotion Tour ...
An Evening of Music, Story and Worship with Steve Bell and Band
Featuring Jon Buller, Mike Janzen and Roy Salmond
Also Introducing New Signpost Recording Artist Kerri Woelke
*Little Trinity Anglican Church
November 6th, 7:30 pm
425 King St. E - Toronto, ON
Phone: 416-367-0272
Tickets Also Available at:
Little Trinity Anglican Church
425 King St. E - Toronto, ON
or call toll free: 1-800-854-3499 (10am - 6pm local time)
*Forestview - Church Without Walls
Friday, November 7th, 7:30 pm
3175 Dundas St. W. (Dundas & Hwy. 25) Oakville, ON
Phone: 905-825-2992
Tickets Also Available at:
Forestview - Church Without Walls
3175 Dundas St. W. (Dundas & Hwy. 25) Oakville, ON
Phone: 905-825-2992
Good Books Inc.
114 Thomas St. - Oakville, ON
Phone: 905-844-3102
Family Christian Bookstore
750 Guelph Line Road - Burlington, ON
Phone: 905-637-9151
or call toll free: 1-800-854-3499 (10am - 6pm local time)
*Calvary Baptist Church
Saturday, November 8th, 7:30 pm
300 Rossland Road E - Oshawa, ON
Phone: 905-433-2960
Tickets Also Available at:
Calvary Baptist Church
300 Rossland Road E - Oshawa, ON
or call toll free: 1-800-854-3499 (10am - 6pm local time)
*The Gig Theatre
Sunday, November 9th, 7:30 pm
137 Ontario St. - Kitchener, ON
Phone: 519-342-6796
Tickets Also Available at:
The Gig Theatre
137 Ontario St. - Kitchener, ON
Phone: 519-342-6796
The Gospel Lighthouse
110 King St. S - Waterloo, ON
Phone: 519-885-4500
or call toll free: 1-800-854-3499 (10am - 6pm local time)
*All Concerts On Line at www.steve-bell.com |
