Thursday 20 October 2011

Recording time!

While Roger and team were in Cornwall, Annie got to work recording the backing vocals for the new album, Seasons and Reasons, which is due out in November.  The group consisted of Ann Steer, Katie Leaver and Miriam Dix on soprano, Annie Routley and Sarah Moreton on alto, Dave Tandy and Dave Roberton on tenor, and then Paul Edwards and Dave Roberton on bass (yes, Dave R did have to work hard!).  The group put down some fantastic vocals, including various bits of solo work, which was fantastic.

Then a few days later Roger returned with lots of soloists to put down the rest of the vocals.  On the first day soloists included Devon Brown, Helen Pollard, Ann Steer, Amy Carter, Fran Smith, Simon & Lou Gudger, Sheila Davies and Catherine Muggleton.  Then on the second day of recording there were some from the previous day, but also Kathleen Owen, Richard Ayres, Megan Catherwood, Rosie Elliot and Katie Leaver.  Bob Deakin also came and recorded on an earlier date.  And we also had a cameo singing role

Helen, Amy, Ann, Fran and Sheila

Devon and Katie

Megan

Richard and Roger

Kathleen and Rosie

Dave, Paul and Dave

Katie, Miriam, Ann, Sarah and Annie
The recording has been great fun, although there was a huge amount to be done.  Lots of the backing tracks are the same, but all 32 songs still require a lot of work as all of the vocals are completely different to before.  We look forward to hearing the results!

Monday 17 October 2011

New mailing

Not long after our trip to Cornwall, we managed to send out the latest mailing.  Here's Roger's email version:




Hi Folks
This is our very important half-yearly mailing. Please do download these items as they contain much more information than I can include here.

There are two parts:
(1) Autumns 2011 NEWSLETTER: (in hi or lo-res)
lo-res:
hi-res (more pictures):
(2) STILL RUNNING THE RACE - explaing our vision and plans for the future, 2012-

STOP PRESS!!!
SALLY gave birth to MOLLY CAROLYN on 09 Sep. She and KARL are very delighted (but very tired!), and we are all thrilled to have a new Grandaughter!
Two new CMM products are being published at the beginning of October:
FISHERMAN'S FRIEND - Alison Fuggle's poems and lyrics - these will thrill you, and make you laugh and cry!
SEASONS AND REASONS Music Book- a major project with Bishop Timothy Dudley-Smith - 32 hymns, with his words and my tunes.

These will soon be available for order on the CMM Web Site: http://www.cmm.org.uk/products/catalogue/index.php?newproducts=1

We so value your support, whether it be financially, prayerfully or being actively involved in our events. Some of you do all three, and we are so grateful! Do have a good look at the STILL RUNNING THE RACE leaflet:
Bless you all!
Roger Jones

An Exciting announcement

Molly, with proud parents Karl and Sally (and piglet)
During our visit to Treloyhan, Sally gave birth to a new granddaughter for Roger and Mary.  Molly Carolyn Taylor was born on Friday 9th September at 2pm.

Staying on in Cornwall

Bob in action
Since we were down in Cornwall, we took the opportunity to spend some time with the churches down there over the weekend.  Several months ago we had been invited by the St. Martin singers at the parish church in Camborne to visit them and perform Two Sisters and a Funeral.  The CMM team was supplemented by Bob Deakin, who came to sing the part of Jesus, with Bill as Lazarus, Amy as Martha and Catherine as Mary.  There were also lovely cameos from Barrie and Garry as the baddies!

We met the singers on the Thursday night for a rehearsal, and then spent all of Saturday with them.  They sang really well, and it was also great to be assisted by Adam on the PA, and his son Joe entertaining us by building a large train out of a kind of duplo at the back.


The performance was great - the church was really full, and the audience seemed to really appreciate all that went on.  Huge thanks to Jan for inviting us, and looking after us so well!
The West Briton's review of the event

Following on from our successful visit to Camborne, we spent the Sunday in Methodist circles in Truro, beginning with the morning service at Threemilestone, and then an evening circuit service at Truro Methodist Church.  

It was great to be at Threemilestone again with John and Gill Harris (who had taken part in the choir for the music week and at Camborne).  We led the morning service based on Martha, and then in the evening Roger spoke about Lazarus.  The morning went well - Amy and Bob sang 'If I could do something' as part of it.  We were then treated to our second Cornish Pasty meal of the weekend, and then Catherine, Bob and Bill headed home, leaving Roger, Helen and Amy to carry the flag in the evening.

At the evening service we were joined by a drummer, and there was also a circuit choir who sang Man of Sorrows really beautifully.  As a response song Helen and Amy sang 'Just as I am', and it was great to see so many of the congregation could remember it from the tour of Rock two years ago.  After his talk, Roger offered prayer for anyone who wanted it, and we were delighted to have quite a few take up the offer.

Friday 14 October 2011

A week in Cornwall

The team out paddling
At the start of September, Roger, Mary, Helen, Amy, Bill and Catherine all travelled down to Treloyhan Manor, one of the five hotels in the Christian Guild chain. This is CMM's fourth visit to Treloyhan, and this year we used the musical 'The Torn Curtain' as a focus, learning the music, but also thinking about the Tabernacle and what it says to us about worship and approaching the throne of grace.

Bob on guitar 
After a bit of a hectic first evening due to traffic issues, things settled down for the week. We had a lovely group of participants in the week, some of whom had travelled an immensely long way to be there. Most of the guests decided to sing in the choir, but we had Bob on guitar, and a group of dancers who had worked incredibly hard in advance of the week.


This is the first update Helen sent during the week:

Just a quick update email from Treloyhan. The week so far is going pretty well. We actually have quite a number of people on the course with us this week, which is encouraging, and there is also a walking group here alongside us. They pretty much get on with their own thing, but hopefully they'll come to see the 'performance' on Friday night.
Barrie enjoying the water 


Before Amy and I arrived late on Saturday there was a bit of an interesting time. Roger, Mary and Catherine got stuck in traffic, and Bill's car broke down, so the first evening's session was a bit fraught. And it was only added to when one of the guests was ill with an epileptic fit. It did bring about a bit of a sense of community though, and people have really taken him into their hearts Sunday morning's service went really well - I preached, and Roger led the rest of the praise, which seemed to go down really well. From conversations round the dinner table there are a lot of traditionalists around this week, but there are still quite a few who are up for the worship songs.

Yesterday we had our first main session, and Roger managed to get people really involved with his talk by using a 'bible drill' type thing. I suspect a few more may bring their bibles this morning!

Anyway, I'm about to lead worship this morning, and Roger is speaking. He has decided at the last minute to change a lot of his talk, so do pray for that. The session starts at 10am. This afternoon we have a music in worship workshop, and this evening we are watching a dvd about the King James Bible.



Then later in the week Helen sent another update:

Alistair opening the show with his solo 

The last couple of days have gone really well - thanks so much for your prayers. Tuesday morning's session went well - God really moved in one lady in particular, and I was able to pray for her.

Yesterday we had good weather for the day off, which was nice, and the choir rehearsal in the evening which can so often be a lot of hard work went really well.

This morning was very special - Amy led worship and then Roger spoke about 'Receiving in the most holy place' - the third of the tabernacle talks. The group were up for receiving at the end, and quite a few of them were showing clear signs of the Spirit moving on them - so praise God for that!

Kath singing her solo in rehearsal 

Tonight we travel to Camborne for a Two Sisters rehearsal with the choir there. Please pray it goes well, and that the hosts here have a good time leading the games evening. I'm delighted with the hosts - they were a last minute inclusion in the week, but they are really lovely, and right on the ball theologically. It is great to see them both having prayer ministry appointments with people in the afternoons. 

One final update came from Helen at the end of the week:

Yesterday we had a day of rehearsing and performing while Cornwall was shrouded in a really thick sea mist. In the morning full rehearsal, the choir were amazing - perhaps they peaked too soon! We also fitted in the dancers and the soloists, and had Bob Munn playing guitar, which was great. I think everyone was delighted with what they had achieved.

The dancers and choir in rehearsal 

The evening performance didn't go quite so well, but no-one minded. Barrie was happy with his solo, and the event was really moving. Our Bill narrated, and host Bill led the communion. The audience was quite small, but they really got into it. We ended with a couple of impromptu worship songs, and there was a wonderful atmosphere - as one of the audience put it, God's Holy Spirit was clearly among us.

Today we say our goodbyes to most of the people from the music week, and travel to Camborne where we have a day of rehearsals, and then a performance of Two Sisters tonight. Tomorrow we take two services in Truro - one at Threemilestone Methodist, and then a circuit service at Truro Methodist.