NOVUM - The New Thing

New Album!! YAY-

So here we sit in Phil Gaudion's studio again, things feeling strangely familiar. We have been sitting on these songs for a while so really felt the need to get them down. It has been a very busy season for us, not particularly with music but with home, church and work commitments, but we knew we needed to just get into the studio again. The aim is to get most of the recording done this year and to launch early next year (maybe around March?? We will keep you posted). So- woohoo…

We are really excited about this new album and this new season and really feel a sense that God is doing a new thing through these songs.

So lets just get a bit theological for a minute..

Jurgen Moltmann talks about the idea of ‘The novum ultimum - the ultimate new thing ' (Moltmann 1996:28) as a biblical theme.

God is always offering glimpses of the new thing. He suggests we can see it throughout Israel's history with the destruction and renewal of the temple, we see it ultimately in the person of Jesus who ushered in an entirely new thing, particularly demonstrated through His resurrection. We see it fulfilled also on a personal level - "Whoever is in Christ, is a new creature, old things are passed away, behold, all things are become new" (2 Cor. 5:17, KJV, alt.)..

God is into making things new- Not just once for all, but a continual making things new and creating the 'New Thing'..

Be encouraged, God never gives up, once he starts something he see it through to the end. He will continue to restore and make new until we are enveloped into the final culmination of the novum ultimum upon His return.

What are you needing Him to make new in your life at the moment?

'He who was seated on the throne said, " I am making everything new" (Rev 21: 5 NIV)

So yea…Thankyou so much for all your interest and support of us. We are so grateful for each of you that have journeyed with us for either a long time or a little. We really pray this new album will be a blessing. We will keep you updated as to launch details and also some pre-release goodies.

Here are some recording pics.

Heaps of Love-

Jess and Daniel

Easter Greetings

Easter Greetings.

Hi there friends.

We thought we were over due to share a bit of news from us and to thankyou all for your prayers over the last few months. We have been a bit incommunicado but for good reasons, one of which is that we have had the opportunity to be a bit domestic and buy a house. Something we did NOT expect, so Praise the Lord (or ptl. as we have been informed is 'text speak'). In Australia's property market at the moment is really seemed impossible- But with God (and very generous family members) All Things Are Possible!!

So we have been somewhat sidetracked- Although still very productive. We have been writing up a storm- One song of Daniel's, 'Tree', we debuted at our Good Friday Service just this weekend and many were deeply moved so that is really encouraging. Hopefully we will be able to get a new album out later in the year - one way or another. We are really excited about these new songs and feel God is breathing afresh over us with new life. Our prayer is that all who hear them will encounter that also.

A bit of back tracking-

'The Story Tour' went really well last year. With trips to Adelaide, Canberra and Hobart. We were really pleased with the weekends and were so glad to have some of our close friends and family come along. We had a ball anyways!! It was beautiful to catch up with some old friends at each different place also. See pics below:

We look forward to creating a new 'multimedia/worship event' concept this year and to be able to start touring that aswell….. Anyways….watch this space!

MICAH CALL-

Another very encouraging outcome of the tour was to see many names signed to the 'Micah Call' petition to see our government hold to the Millennium Development Goal's to see world poverty halved by 2015- for more info or to sign the petition- www.micahchallenge.org.au/micah-call

So just a little Easter Reflection from Jess to Finish.

The saddest of days…The sweetest of days.

I love Easter! It is one of the most significant times for me. Especially Good Friday. Every year it comes around, I feel like I should have a 'Dark Day' (aka Luke Danes: Gilmore Girls - I have a slight obsession with the show for those who don't know me well). I need space and time to centre and really feel the depth of all that this day means. It doesn't always happen, especially like this year as Daniel and I were both quite involved in the service and ended up being a little bit removed from the emotion of it. We got home and I was so disappointed to see that there was nothing on TV to even suggest that this day was different to any other. I needed to withdraw in prayer for a bit.

Daniel, on the other hand was happy to just to hang out and have a nice, relaxed day off together and was a bit perplexed as to why I had to withdraw. As we chatted, he said 'But I try to remember the Cross everyday' which challenged me even further.

My conclusions formed as we journeyed through the day (and I still had my prayer time; ), and was re-enforced by a conversation with our neighbours-

It is so important for us as people of 'The Story', to really treat this holiday as significant. It is a Holy time, and it is good and right for us to feel we need a 'dark day' in the midst of it - to feel the weight and the true joy of it..It is the cornerstone of our faith.

It is also so important that we let this day inform the rest of our lives. To be rooted in the message of restoration of the cross, and to be able to live our lives out of that place, and as Daniel said to 'remember the cross everyday'. Let this be our prayer over the Easter Season.

To feel the depth of it's pain and sadness, To be released into the joy of hope and new life, and let it propel us into a life of being 'poured out' (Phil 2:17)before our God and others.

Blessings.

Daniel and Jess