Music Festival takes over regional city

Every year, the Darling Downs city of Toowoomba swells as thousands of people converge for Australia's largest Christian music festival Easterfest. An independent study done by QUT after last year's festival showed the festival injects around 12 million dollars into the local community every year. This was enough evidence for the QLD government to this year give Easterfest funding through the significant regional events funding program, ensuring major event status for the festival over the next 3 years.

Joel Parisien &  Dave Watson "NewWorldSon"

Headline artists like Peter Furler, Paul Colman, New World Son and AudioAdrenaline rocked crowds on Main Stage each night, despite a wet muddy experience Sunday night after heavy rain in the afternoon. Away from the main stage, 4 Queens Park stages and multiple venues across Toowoomba City saw smaller independent artists and a variety of popular Contemporary Christian Music performers entertain nearly continuously over the 3 days.

Brisbane Jazz band SCAT

In an effort to keep things fresh, organisers also introduced a continuous worship venue over the entire weekend in the former church adjacent to the Empire Theatre, a Jazz Supper Club on Saturday night in The Palace featuring Sharny Russell, perennial favourites SCAT, and Trumpet Maestro James Morrison accompanied by vocalist Emma Pask; a Rockwiz style comedy quiz show on Sunday afternoon with comedian/radio host Luke Holt, former Alabaster Box lead Singer Naarah Seagrot and Brisbane singer Bec Laughton amongst the talent. 

Trumpet Maestro James Morrison

There was also a variety of low key Gospel in the City events in CBD churches culminating in a special 90 minute performance by James Morrison, Emma Pask and band on Sunday afternoon at the Empire theatre. Other things new this year was the variety of stages able to be streamed live on the internet on Easterfest TV and a simulcast of the main stage on Sunday night across the country on Christian radio network Vision Radio and some affiliate stations.

Festival Director Dave Schenk paid tribute to his entire team in making the event come alive and commented that the wet weather did have an impact on final numbers for the festival. “Numbers were down on Sunday, but the other days had similar numbers to last year" he said. Mr Schenk also recognised that the combination of wet weather and thousands people had caused significant damage to the grounds at Queens Park which Easterfest will be paying Toowoomba Regional Council to fix.

Movie Review: Sapphires

“Sapphires” is a great Australian movie set in 1960s Australia and Vietnam. Starring veteran of the Australian film and television industry and AFI winner Deborah Mailman (Mabo, Offspring, Secret Life of Us, Play School) and JessicaMauboy, a young lady who is making a name for herself as an actress as much as she is as a singer/performer (Australian Idol runner up 2006, Bran Nue Day and 4 albums to date).

The movie is inspired by the true story of 4 indigenous Australian Women (Mauboy, Mailman and newcomers Miranda Tapsell and Shari Sebbens) who pursued their dream of a singing career and performed for the troops in Vietnam during the Vietnam War. They were branded as Soul Sisters and considered by some as Australia’s answer to the Supremes. 

The film deals with the issues of racism, stolen generation, war and relationships in a way that has you laughing one minute and sombre the next. 

These issues aren’t dealt with flippantly; they will make you think carefully about how this happened and whether it still rings true in today’s society.

This movie is a great Australian Independent production filmed in Albury NSW and on location in Vietnam. The soundtrack reflects the generation that it is set and tells the story of that generation and how music played such a major role in expressing the struggles and emotions that were being experienced in a world focused on the Vietnam War and the equal rights movements in America.  Jessica Mauboy’s voice once again shines through as a powerful vocal presence, handling with ease the power, presence and vocal range of this genre of music.

Book Review: Seal of God

Seal of God is a memoir of former Navy Seal Chad Williams. It tells of the journey he’s been on from risk taking, pot smoking, heavy drinking, and delinquent behaviour; to becoming part of the US Navy’s Special Forces and then giving his life to Jesus Christ and how it challenged and changed him.

The first half of the book gives an insight into who Chad is. His childhood was spent mucking around with his younger brother and their mates. His teenage years saw him coasting through high school as a popular athlete. Chad was a deep sea fisherman, a skateboarder and a surfer. But he also became an extreme risk taker getting involved in smoking pot, drinking alcohol and dangerous behaviour. He is open about his mistakes and the cost it has had on him personally and also on his friends and family.

In his late teens whilst waiting for a college class to start, Chad decided he wanted to do more with his life and it had to be dangerous and exciting. 

He joined the US Navy and straight out of his recruit training undertook SEAL team tryouts. Chad excelled at the physically and mentally demanding training and became a SEAL in his early 20s.

But his life still consisted of heavy drinking and risk taking, until one night he accompanied his parents to a Harvest Crusade at their local church in California and evangelist Greg Laurie’s sermon and call to give his life to God was heeded. The change was sudden and dramatic and Chad details the struggles and the hardship associated with being a new Christian in a hostile environment like the US Military.

The book’s first half deals with Chad’s childhood and early adulthood right up to and including his first assignment within the Navy SEALS. The second half of the book deals directly with his coming to faith and the way it changed him as a person and changed the lives of those around him.

Chad doesn’t hold back. He openly admits mistakes, gives details about his risk taking behaviour and surviving SEAL team training. But he also freely admits that as a new Christian, he was totally out of his depth, but thanks to mentors in his life like Ray Comfort and Greg Laurie, he managed to grow as a Christian and as a human being.

This book is an engaging story and one that is hard to put down. You find yourself drawn into Chad’s world as he narrates his life story so far and discover a lot about who he is and who he has become. 

An inspirational and fascinating yarn.

Book Review: Teddy's Button

Teddy’s Button is a wonderful tale set in England in the 1800s and published in 1890. Teddy is a fun loving boy with a penchant for storytelling, but his favourite story is the one of his most prized possession...a button from his father’s soldier’s uniform and the brave heroics of his father on the battlefield. One day though he’s challenged over the authenticity of the story by a little girl whose father is serving in Her Majesty’s Royal Navy.

This story tells the tale of Teddy and Nancy and the friendship that develops after a rocky start. It also tracks the coming to faith of a young boy, serving his “Captain” (Jesus) and the constant struggles with his worst enemy – himself. 

Full of rich characters and language not heard in today’s novels, this story will delight any adult or child that loves a great story full of adventure, fun and the imagination of a little boy who wants to be a soldier for God and tries so hard not to get himself into trouble. A great read that you won’t want to put down. 

This book is from the Lamplighter Collection of character building books,written by Amy LeFeurve and edited by Mark Hamby. It is also part of the Lamplighter Theatre collection on sale at UCB Direct. 

Celebrating the Resurrection outside the church building.

Easter Sunday in the Christian church is a day in which to celebrate the risen Christ. “On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb. They found the stone rolled away from the tomb...” (Luke 24:1-2)

When visiting the Darling Downs city of Toowoomba (sometimes known as QLD’s city of churches) there are many choices of where to attend an Easter worship service. This year, a group of about 30 young people and their leaders were camping at Easterfest in Toowoomba’s Queens Park and their youth worker had decided that a “campsite communion” service was appropriate and relevant on Easter Morning.

The elements of Communion

Rev Josie Nottle, presbytery youth worker for Bremer Brisbane Uniting Church Presbytery, said that its the perfect time to do it. “We’re here to celebrate Easter and so I thought lets do something simple and meaningful to connect the young people in our camp with the Easter Message”.

Fa Ngaluafe shares her testimony

With a short time of singing and an open invitation to share what Easter means to campers or leaders, it was leader and ministry candidate Fa Ngaluafe whose moving testimony had the rest of the camp in silence. Fa had shared how it was an Easter Sunday not much different to this one that she heard God really speak to her. It changed her life and her faith and despite being a little teary she said “this is not a sad day, this is a GREAT day and I’m just really happy to share how much God loves me and I love God”.

Rev Josie Nottle explaining the eggs

The sermon consisted of a reflection based around toy eggs (not unlike the toys you would get out of a novelty vending machine) being thrown to campers. When each egg was opened an element of the story of Jesus, in the lead up to and immediately following his crucifixion, was found and each of the recipients were asked to share and maybe elaborate on where in the Easter story this would appear. Rev Nottle then tied it all together with some reflections on the importance of the Easter message to the Christian church.

Tammy White serves Brad Case

During communion each of the campers was asked to actually serve the person next to them before they themselves were then in turn served. This seemed to cement the message of the selflessness of Jesus. Once again as the communion service finished, members of Glebe Road Uniting Church from Ipswich led the singing to finish the short time of worship. 

The genuineness of the worshippers was obvious and the connection to each other and to God was done with simplicity. This worship service in its simplicity managed to reflect the complexity of the Easter message and still connect to its “gathered congregation” of campers from Bremer Brisbane UCA congregations of Glebe Rd, Centenary, Indooroopilly, Oxley, Bulimba, Karana Downs and Forest Lake. 

Worshippers from Glebe Rd UCA as part of Bremer Brisbane Easterfest camping

For this blogger personally, it was the best Easter Sunday service of worship that I had been to in a long time. It was a privilege to be in the midst of these young people and their friendliness and genuineness of welcoming a stranger into their midst.

Engaging the Easter Message

Through my work with the Vision Radio Network's daily program Twenty20, you really do get a chance to delve into life culture and current events from a biblical perspective. As a theology student, I'm constantly questioning how much I know and have learnt in the years that I have put into working towards a bachelor degree. But when you get the opportunity like I did recently to sit down with a retired theology professor and to engage with the easter message, I left the discussions feeling "Wow, maybe I do know more than I give credit to myself for"and at the same "I still have A LOT to learn!".

Pastor Aeron Morgan and I sat down before easter to discuss 2 topics. Firstly "What's so good about Good Friday"and "Is the resurrection still relevant in the 21st century". It was an absolute pleasure to sit and delve into these discussion with him. Afterwards, I received this email...
  

Dear Matt,

I've arrived home safely - good run up to the Sunny Coast today. Just want to thank you for being so warm and welcoming. It was a joy to work with you. You showed competence in your work, and I trust that the fruit of our joint effort will bring glory to God in the lives of those who listen to the broadcasts. May God continue to bless you in all you are doing for Him. I tryst we will meet up again before too long. And every blessing on your studies, and may the Lord grant a clear sense of His direction for your ministry in days to come. What a privilege - to serve the Most High!

God bless you,

Aeron

His bio from http://www.thevanishinggospel.com/ says this:
AERON MORGAN and wife Dinah, have served the Lord for more than fifty years. They are Welsh and have pastored churches in the UK and Australia, where they now reside. Aeron served on the National Executives of the British and the Australian AoG fellowships.
He was the first General Superintendent of the British AoG, and was principal of the Australian National Bible College for twelve years. He was also an adjunct faculty member of the South Pacific Bible College in Suva, Fiji.
Now retired from active pastoral ministry he fulfils an extensive itinerant ministry in many countries speaking at churches, conferences, ministers' seminars, and short-term teaching in Bible Schools.

So here are the 2 discussions we had about Easter, may it be as much of a blessing to you as it was to me to explore these topics. (oh and it probably wouldn't go astray to have a bible close by if you can when listening to these podcasts).

Easter - Good Friday

Easter - Resurrection

"Easterfest" draws the crowds to regional QLD

The annual festival that started as the Australian Gospel Music Festival (AGMF) and changed its name 5 years ago to better reflect the festival's aim of being a festival at Easter about Easter; continues to attract massive crowds every year. "Easterfest" festival director Dave Schenk said “with the introduction of Easterfest TV this year and the ability to stream live across the world for 16 hours a day, we’re really hopeful that this will boost the profile of our festival globally. We continue to attract quality entertainers in the Christian Music Industry and this will just increase our credibility as Australia’s largest Christian Music Festival”. With international bands like Mercy Me, POD, The Lads and solo artists like CCM veteran Michael W Smith, this year’s Easterfest lineup promised big and certainly delivered.

Based in Dallas, Texas; Mercy Me have been playing gigs all over the world for the last 17 years and yet this was the first time they have been to Australia. With a tight tour schedule, Mercy Me played in Sydney, Toowoomba and Melbourne with a press conference at Easterfest in Toowoomba attracting a huge crowd. Lead Singer Bart Millard told the crowd that their name came from an exclamation made by his grandmother when he told her he was trying to start a rock n roll band “Mercy Me, why don’t you get a real job” was the response; and so Mercy Me the band became. Their performance on Main Stage on Good Friday was filled with hits from their current album “The Generous Mr. Lovewell” and past hits including their biggest “I Can Only Imagine”.

"Mercy Me" rock the crowd on Good Friday at Easterfest 2012 Main Stage, Queens Park, Toowoomba QLD

Michael W Smith, a multi Dove Award and Grammy award winning artist performed to a crowd of thousands at main stage on Saturday night. Playing songs from throughout his career, he was well received with the audience responding to the polished performance. It wasn’t until he started to play a string of his worship songs towards the end of the performance that the crowds really came alive and sang along, many with outstretched arms in an attitude of praise and worship. Songs like: Here I am to Worship, Above All, Agnus Dei and Majesty really highlighted the way that “Smitty” has connected with worshippers of God over the last decade or more through his musical abilities.

Michael W Smith and band (featuring a drummer from Sydney) perform on the main stage at Easterfest 2012

Raw Sugar cafe in Maragaret Street Toowoomba QLD

 But it wasn’t just the festival goers who benefit from this festival. Easterfest City is part and parcel of this massive Easter celebration with artists and patrons spilling out of Queens Park in the CBD and frequenting the many café’s, restaurants and retailers within walking distance of the festival hub. Local businesses were busy over the public holidays many doing equivalent to two weeks normal trade in just one weekend. 

Co-owner of local café “Raw Sugar”, Cindy Cook, said that they have a prime position just across the road from the festival and every year open their business at Easter. “We do a massive trade every year, so it’s definitely worth it” Cindy said. “We have always had artists playing here and this year for the first we had one of them not show up for a scheduled spot. But the organisers of the festival are great to work with and if there are any hassles they are always happy to help sort it out.”

Tickets were on sale at a special discount price over the Easter weekend for the next festival, despite no major announcement being made of who will be on the 2013 roster. “This has been the biggest year of pre sale tickets so far” said Festival Director Dave Schenk “which is surprising considering we haven’t yet been able to secure anyone for next year’s festival. We only announce that an artist will be playing once contracts are signed. In previous year’s we’ve had that sorted out sometimes only hours before it’s announced. But we’re just really excited that there is that the experience of being at the festival is what seems to draw people back again and again.”