Tag Archives: community

Corporate Rock

One of two short instrumentals I made for a promo video for my friend’s new iPhone app PaceDJ which helps you find the best workout songs for running, walking and cycling.

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

Download mp3

Listen to the other one here

Passover Seder Guide

This Christian Seder Guide is designed to walk you through the whole process of preparing for, hosting and leading a Christian Seder. Feel free to download it to use or just to read. I hope you find it encouraging.

Passover is the oldest Jewish religious festival, commemorating God’s deliverance of the Hebrews from slavery in Egypt, described in Exodus 12. The Passover Seder is a ceremonial meal designed to guide people through a communal meditation on God’s work of redemption for His people.

Many Christians have adapted this tradition into an insightful meditation on the New Covenant inaugurated by Jesus at the Last Supper. Unable to find a Christian Seder guide that fit our church’s needs, I cobbled one together myself last year using several sources. Our community group used it and it was a really cool way to enter into the drama of Passion Week in preparation for Easter. So it’s back this year, with a few edits and the addition of discussion questions at the end. I’m looking forward to the experience again this Thursday!

GenerateHope: Open!

A friend from my church started an organization dedicated to helping sexually trafficked women and children escape from forced sex work. Susan hatched this idea almost two years ago, but honestly up until yesterday I had my doubts about whether anything would ever come of it. But yesterday GenerateHope opened the doors to it’s first safe house here in San Diego, and two women moved in. I am utterly amazed and really stoked. Today Susan was interviewed on local public radio station KPBS. Continue reading

Sacred Harp

Joining a Sacred Harp singing is now on my short list of highly recommended, along with New Zealand and guacamole. The physical power of this strange, haunting, apocalyptic music is not captured at all by this video (sorry Richard). Mellie and I stumbled across Sacred Harp a few years ago through this great documentary. We’ve been waiting for the west coast convention to arrive in San Diego ever since. Very nice folks took us in and even let us lead a song or two.

Harbor Art Show Success!

Harbor Art ShowHarbor Art just pulled off a pretty bitchin art show. Over 30 pieces from 22 San Diego artists exploring the theme Visions From A Perfected City. We partnered with Zagrodnik+Thomas Architects in North Park, who have a really unique and awesome gallery space. They even lent us the talented Mr Dan, gallery consultant extraordinaire. Heather, Matt & Erika did an outstanding job pulling everything together, from artist recruitment to webpage building to finding the gallery space to marketing to live music to refreshments and decor. We estimate somewhere around 250 people showed up, and by all accounts everyone had a great time. I had some cool conversations with the artists, two of which told me it was one of the best shows they had ever been a part of. Our tiny brains are already rolling with ideas for the next event. Hit me up if you want to be part of it! Check out harborart.org for pix and other cool stuff.

I love it when a plan comes together.

Welcome To The World

miaThis song was written for my new friend little McGinnis “Mia” Turner, and recorded in honor of her momma Carolyn’s birthday. Hooray!

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.


Download

Welcome To The World
©2009 Words & Music by Cameron Gray

Welcome to the world,
Bouncing baby girl
We met you on a rainy afternoon,
We love your dad and mom
And now that you come along
We know that we can’t help but love you too

Welcome to the world,
Beautiful little girl,
Bringing to us so much love and joy,
And every single day
Gonna hope and wish and pray
That you grow up feeling what we feel today

Singing la la-la la-la

Welcome to the world
Beautiful bouncing baby girl
We met you on a rainy afternoon
But here inside our heart,
The clouds all broke apart
And now everything is bright and clean and new

Special thanks to Johnny C for the piano and mixing expertise, Papa Will for adding a little violin for his daughter’s song, Mellie, Nate & Sarah, Matt & Erika, Barbara, Richard, and Wes for the voices, snaps, hand claps and barely-stifled laughter. And most of all thanks to Will & Carolyn for giving us little Mia, definitely someone worth singing about!

Secret Salvation

God never makes private, secret salvation deals with people. His relationships with us are personal, true; intimate, yes; but private, no. We are a family in Christ. When we become Christians, we are among brothers and sisters in faith. No Christian is an only child.

-Eugene H. Peterson, A Long Obedience in the Same Direction