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Merry Christmas

2011-12-21T01:49:00.000-08:00

O Come O Come Emmanuel ….

Well what a year it has been. As I sit here (Jess) thinking about something poignant and reflective to say about Christmas, I cannot help but be incredibly thankful for this year.

As Insideout, we have had some of the best opportunities to minister that we ever had. We have learnt some of the best lessons we ever have (well me anyways - ask me sometime for the full story :), and we are feeling more and more at home and connected in with our church community than we ever have..

To name a few of the great opportunities:

One2One Ballarat.

Daniel and I gave some input on our first ever music and media retreat weekend for a wonderful Church of Christ in Ballarat. It was a wonderful privilege for us to be able to step into the journey of this church and bring some teaching and lead some worship and also to present 'Abide' again at the evening service. As inadequate as we felt, it was a great stretching time for us. Daniel was able to revisit some of his YWAM training and lead a workshop on how to use multimedia which was a great delight. It was so fun to have some of our regular crew from One Community with us also.

To top things off, we were asked back later in the year to come and lead some services again, so it was all the more special to connect again with some wonderful people and a wonderful worshipping community.

Thanks for the privilege guys!!

National Youth Ministry Convention (NYMC)

On a different scale, we were asked by one of our colleagues at One to lead 4 nights of worship for NYMC in October. This was such a great opportunity to minister to around 500 leaders of Youth and Young Adult ministries in this nation. It was such an amazing time, being able to lead worship and minister with some of the best speakers (in my opinion) such as Danielle Strickland and Tony Campolo.. and most of all to meet one of our heroes - Mike Pilavachi from Soul Survivor. As always Victoria's great song 'Psalm' (on the Abide CD) was a hit as were some of the other originals we could introduce. The hardest bit of it all was that we had to stay in this really nice hotel in Tweed Heeds and have a bit of a holiday at the same time :).

But seriously.. this conference was a bit of a dream come true for us and really helped enlarge the picture of where we would love to see Insideout go.

As did the:

Global Leadership Summit

The following month help in store another great but very different conference hosted at our home church One Community in Blackburn. Again, Daniel and I and a few other different bods from One were able to provide the music and lead people in worship. This was an enormous privilege as we were leading over 500 leaders from all different churches in Melbourne. Leading leaders in worship is definitely something that spoils you :). Boy could they sing.

We also had the chance to use a lot of our multimedia and play some of our own songs with a beautiful but screen brought in for the event.

This was such a beautiful time of ministering within our own community and seeing our team at One really come to life.

Here are some pics:

So it has been a really awesome year -

And yet we also feel like we on the brink of something new… Who knows at this stage what it is.. but we have the great sense of anticipation that God is stirring and brewing something for us.

I will leave you with a word from Fr Richard Rohr

In the divine economy it is not a matter of if, but only when. There will be a “when” and from an unexpected place! Just wait.... (Richard Rohr)

Imagine what it was for the Israelites to be in this season of waiting and hoping. Waiting for the promised One. Waiting for the one who would deliver them. Imagine what it was like to wait for all those hundreds of years, never knowing when the hand of God would move. It is easy to get impatient, especially in this instantaneous age. I take great comfort in this advent theme of waiting, because we are on the other end of the deal. We now know what it was they were waiting for…. and wasn't it INCREDIBLE - far more than the Israelites could ever have hoped for or dreamed of…

And isn't this our God also. For those of you who are in a season of waiting.. waiting on a promise… waiting in hope - Take heart. He is able to do immeasurably more than you could ever ask or imagine.

Merry Christmas from us! We so value your support, love and care of us.

Heaps of Love

Jess and Daniel Hammond

P.S - Oh yea, if you didn't pick it… Daniel cut his hair!

* For Fr Richards entire reflection click here ; http://conta.cc/t3jLcq

'Abide' Available now!

2011-04-10T20:31:00.000-07:00

Hi friends..

Well winter is surely on it's way here in Melbourne. There is a real sense that the last of the warm days are over.

So the Cd has been officially launched! It was a wonderful night with many of our family, church family and friends coming out to celebrate with us. The theme of the night was of course 'Abide' as the CD title suggests, so we tried to take people on a bit of a journey with some readings, input and a creative communion response time to help us consider how we can Abide in the True Vine more and more. We have attached some pics and you can check out our You Tube channel here for a gimpse:

http://www.youtube.com/user/insideoutlife?feature=mhum

So thanx to all who joined us.

The CD is available online on Itunes:

http://itunes.apple.com/au/album/abide/id428972043

And CD Baby:

http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/insideout2

We are still rejigging our shop page, but it will be available through our site in the next few weeks also. For now though, just email us at life@insideoutlife.com.au if you want a copy an we can go from there..

So the next little while we are preparing for the wonderful Holy Easter Season. We are heavily involved at our home church One Community for this, which we always enjoy. We are not really certain of the next steps, but we would love to hit the road again with 'Abide' as a multimedia event, so please don't hesitate to contact us if you would like us to come/come back to your church or event. We would love to see you again, or for this first time.

Blessings on you!

Jess and Daniel

ABIDE

2011-01-27T20:31:00.000-08:00

Hi all. Just a quick note to let you know of the upcoming CD Launch and worship event. Our aim is for these nights to be a real worship experience and not just CD Launch. We would love you to join us to celebrate the new music, but most of all to come and encounter God in a new and deep way.

We are really excited about the night. We have special guest and friend Susie Holt joining us and introducing a Debut artist- Victoria Holmes.

Hope you can make it!

Sunday March 20 6pm

One Community Church

184 Surrey Rd

Blackburn VIC

j n d

NOVUM - The New Thing

2010-10-19T03:38:00.000-07:00

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

2010-04-09T21:48:00.000-07:00

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

The Longing

2009-08-10T20:57:00.001-07:00

Hi Dear Friends ..

Here's a little bit of newsy news from the world of insideout...

'The Story' takes shape.

We have had some opportunities to minister in different churches, particularly in the new context of 'the Story' package. This is an hour concert style multimedia event, through which we try to unpack this idea of God's overarching story and how we fit into it. It has been exciting to see it form and keep on organically forming as we sense God's leading and evaluate the best way this tool can serve and encourage churches. We had a fantastic morning at Warrandyte Community Church a couple of weeks ago to which we also took a band made up of some members of our church worship team. It has been so fun to work with these guys and we are hoping to keep working with them. We are going to have quite a few more of these as we begin to tour.

'The Tour' (for want of a better word ;).

We have been in the process (in all of our spare time- lol) of setting up a few different local and ministry opportunities to keep us busy till the end of the year. It looks like we will be coming to Adelaide in October, Canberra in November and Hobart in December so stay tuned to the website for all of those details..

Insideout on Praise Charts-

As mentioned in our last mailout, Praise Charts, which is an online worship music resource hub has featured 2 of our songs in their Song Quest program. You can still go online and rate them if you like ;) -

http://www.praisecharts.com/live/categories/Song-Quest/

Insideout on You Tube

Yes we have finally entered the 21st century and put some stuff on You Tube. Here are some links that help get a picture of what we are about and what we are doing

Insideout Worship (our mission statement I guess):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HJ4am5tBsak

The Story Tour:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HAIvwVMagJw

Who Will Stand? (for an example of the multimedia we use in concert):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z6F0taeDT8Q

Just to finish....

I don't know about you, but I feel like I am constantly experiencing what I call 'the longing'...

This is a deep longing, a kind of great restlessness that keeps us always longing for more. More of God, more of life, more love, more depth, more richness, more of HIS kingdom evidenced in my own life and the life of the world around me.

What is it about 'the longing'?

Is it because we are in effect dual citizens of a spiritual, heavenly realm and a very now earthly realm?

Is it some kind of matrix like concept, that indeed the reality we experience is in fact, not full reality?

Is it the thing, the very thing, that tells us we are not of this world, that keeps us moving forward, unsettled with things the way they are?

This is characteristic of those who belong to him. Those whose hearts His spirit has placed a seal upon.

'The Spirit of God whets our appetite by giving us a taste of what's ahead. He puts a little heaven in our hearts so that we'll never settle for less' 2 Cor 5: 5 (TMT)

I sit, as maybe you do in the tension of it, the often frustration, the wrestling, the often deep belly burning of it- I am challenged and encouraged- perhaps this is for us all..

Live in the longing

Live out of the longing...

Let is stir our hearts towards greater things...

Things that taste of heaven, Things that bring the reality of heaven here on earth.

'...those who hope in me will not be disappointed..'' Isaiah 49: 23..

Blessings

Daniel and Jess

(p.s. This is going on facebook :

(http://www.facebook.com/pages/Insideout/25120556911)

and Myspace (www.myspace.com/insideoutlife)....feel free to add comments, thoughts etc)

Song Quest

2009-05-06T05:09:00.000-07:00

Hi all.

So it HAS been a long time since our last chat..

We have been busy busy settling into a new role at our church into which we have been pouring lots of creativity and energy which has been really great, and important..

So what's happening with INSIDEOUT?

We have really been taking this time to seek God for HIS way forward for us and HIS timing with this ministry. Even though at times it seems like our work with our local church can so easily become the focus of our week, we really feel that there is a kind of synergy with our role at church and the wider ministry we are involved in and have seen God really moving and developing the worship life of our community which is so exciting..

We have a few new songs on the boil and have had the chance to lead worship for a few different events and churches. We have also had the chance to connect with other churches and worship pastors in Melbourne and establish some great networks which is a real blessing.

*Some exciting news*- which YOU may be able to be a part of - is that one of our songs has been published on the Praise Charts Website (an online worship resource) through Song Quest. It is up at the moment and people can review and rate the song. If it rates well and receives positive feedback, there is a possibility of Praise Charts publishing and distributing the song through their network.

If you would like to help us get our songs out there- go to:

www.praisecharts.com/live

If you scroll down you will see 'New Day' by us. Click on Full Story and you can rate it. In the next coming weeks, 'Who will Stand?' will be featured on there also..

This is really exciting for us, as we would love for people to be singing the songs.

HAVING SAID THAT ....

We are looking into touring in the latter part of the year- Sept, Oct, Nov. We will be touring a Worship/Multimedia concert style, event called 'The Story', similar to our launch last year. So if you would like us to come to/back to your church please drop us a line.

'THE STORY' - is also now available on CD Baby for friends overseas and Itunes..

Just go to our 'Shop' page for links.

Here are a few closing thoughts that have been rolling around-

'Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me ..I am the vine; You are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing' John 15: 4-5

These verses are so challenging- But so important. They draw us back to a place of intimacy, not only in our worship, but in our own devotional lives with God. It is so easy to slip into the routine of life that it is easy to keep functioning in our own strength and competency. This passage reminds us that nothing of significance can ever happen without HIM and the empowerment of HIS Spirit. What a challenge to us- To be living out of the overflow of his love and presence in our lives.

A key passage for the life of a worshipper- Abide in HIM..

Blessings

Jess and Daniel Hammond

New Beginnings

2008-12-07T19:16:00.000-08:00

Hi there good friends..

Welcome to the first ever blog from «insideout». We are a bit new to this so hopefully its all good.

Well the first thing we wanted to do was just to say 'Hi' and thanx to all those that came to the launch a few months ago.

It was a very special (and a bit stressful- lol) time for us. We were really launching a dream that has been in our hearts since we were first married (or even laid eyes on each other- for my part anyways... ask me about it some time :)). We were trialing alot of new elements and new technology for us (hence the stress), but it all came together.

See above for pics-

I guess it really marks a new season in ministry for us as a couple and allows us to explore some new mediums to add to the corporate 'worship' time. In terms of of the next steps we are really playing it by ear. One of the main things we felt was important for «insideout» was to be asking God step by step for his leading and to be opening up the right doors for this music to go where he wants, even if that happens in unconventional ways. So the next season will involve knocking on some doors and throwing out some kindling to see what sparks, where there is a sense of 'synergy' and where to go next.

We are working on doing some touring in 2009 so let us know if you would like us to come back to your church or event.

I guess we also want to be open with our resources. We will be putting some sheet music on the website and will work on some AV resources to accompany the songs- So if you are interested in using these, please don't hesitate to contact us...

AND the Cd is available from www.tigermusic.com.au if you are in OZ. If you aren't get in touch and we will get one to you by hook or by crook...:)

Just a few closing thoughts-

We have been captivated by this idea of God's story and how we can fit into it.. N.T Wright offers the same idea but uses the metaphor of a song.. We will leave you with a prayer on our hearts and hopefully yours too-

Lord - 'make us a retuned orchestra to play the kingdom-music until the world takes up the song'. N.T Wright