BabuLife

Super Cool Person of the Week: Diana

Graphic arts is one of the things about my role at Grace that I really enjoy.  It's an artistic outlet for me that I find relaxing. While it's something I enjoy, it's often something I don't find much time for.  Gratefully, Grace is blessed to have people like Diana McPhail.

If you've ever been to Grace and were early enough to view the announcements between services or during the welcome onstage, you've seen the work of Diana McPhail on screen.  Each week she crafts images that reflect the happenings and what not at Grace Church.  Some might say, "All you need is to put some text up there and that's it".  Not true. The desire is for every volunteer to take great care in what they are creating. It's more than just an announcement Diana creates, it's an opportunity to capture someone's attention, taking great care in knowing that what she submits is a first impression.  It's people like Diana that make Grace happen!

Thank you Diana for worshiping the Lord with your talents and gifts at Grace.  If you see Diana this week...be sure to tell her she's SUPER COOL!!!!!

Super Cool Person of the Week: Brian

This week I'd like everyone to meet the man responsible for the fantastic choir we've had joining the worship team this past year.  It's no easy task coordinating vocal parts, rehearsals and directing a large group of singers.  Brian King has done an amazing job volunteering to do just that.

Brian has been a HUGE part of the Grace worship team both as a regular vocalist and choir leader.  He's always ready to do what's necessary in order to help lead people in worship.  This past Sunday, during our recent Christmas celebration services, I lost my voice.  Brian graciously stepped in to lead a song he hadn't rehearsed or practiced at all.  When he led during our third service he charged through and did awesome.  It's people like Brian that give me reason to love being a part of the worship team at Grace.  Thank you Brian for all you do to lead Grace Church in worship! And yes Gracers....Brian will continually bring you "O Holy Night" every Christmas Eve as long as possible!

If you see Brian this week...be sure and tell him he's SUPER COOL!!!!

Super Cool Person of the Week: Jeremiah

Have you ever wondered how those audio files seem to magically appear on the Grace website or on the Grace podcast?  Today I'm going to reveal the super cool magician behind the curtain.

Jeremiah Bentch has been a faithful member of the communications team at Grace for over a year.  Each week he makes his way to the audio booth and picks up the audio files, rips them from a CD, edits the audio and uploads the message files so the people of Grace Church can instantly listen to the message the same day.  It's people like Jeremiah...the ones who are "behind the scenes"...who quietly make so many things happen at Grace.  When we revamped the Grace website back in the Fall of 2008, Jeremiah was an integral part of helping roll out the new web design, specifically working with the web hosting and audio resources page.  Lots of late nights and lots of Skype conversations led to a fantastic audio integration and great podcast.

Thank you Jeremiah for using your skills, talents and your heart to serve the Lord and the people of Grace Church every week.  If you Gracers see Jeremiah this week, please thank him and tell him he's SUPER COOL!!!!

Super Cool Person of the Week: Mindy

This week I'm taking a moment to introduce you to someone who I consider "super cool" in more ways than I can share in this little post.  So I'm going to focus on one aspect of Mindy Herzog's "super coolness".

There are those who serve the Lord doing so happily in their ministry...and there are those who serve the Lord happily in more ways than one or two.  Mindy is one of those people.  She is a person who "gets it" when it comes to connecting people to the heart of God on and off the stage.  While Mindy is a fantastic alto for our worship team...she is so much more than that for the team of volunteers and to Grace Church.  She's always willing to serve, she's always watchful of the needs of others and is always there to meet them.  Whether it's someone who has fallen ill on the worship team or if it's someone who just needs a phone call and someone to pray with...Mindy is always first to minister.  In addition to serving on the worship team, Mindy is coordinating the upcoming children's Christmas program coming on December 13....a task worthy enough alone to keep her Super Cool for months to come.  Mindy is a true example of what it means to lead worship on and off the stage in so many ways.  Thanks Mindy for serving the Lord on the Grace worship team...your love for people shines through each time you belt out a note on the stage and when you love others off the stage.

Hey Gracers! If you see Mindy this week...be sure to tell her she's SUPER COOL!!!!!

Super Cool Person of the Week: Tony

In 2009 Grace Church has seen some new faces join the worship team.  We've added a couple of drummers and two new keyboardists to this year along with a couple of additional bass players and guitarists.  It's been a great year of growth for our team.

One of our newest worship team members is Tony Welter.  Tony plays the keyboards for the worship ministry at Grace and has done an AMAZING job!  There are so many songs to tackle and it can seem overwhelming when you first join the team. What I love about Tony is how his humble spirit and adaptable attitude bleeds into the rest of the team.  He comes prepared, he comes ready to play and he truly displays the heart of someone who is a Christ follower first...and a musician second.  I'm looking forward to seeing how Tony continues to grow and lead others to the throne of Christ each week.  By the way...Tony's wife, Liz, leads the MOPS ministry at Grace loving on all you Mothers of Pre-Schoolers.  The Welter family is a HUGE blessing to our church.

If you see Tony this week, be sure to tell him he's SUPER COOL!!!

Super Cool Person of the Week: Michael

Let me first begin this recognition of Super Cool Person of the Week with a note to Michael himself....your Super Cool coveting on Twitter last week had no influence on this whatsoever.  I had you on the list before your sad little tweet from September 30.

Now to everyone else...let me introduce you to the mastermind behind many of the graphic work you see for our weekend series at Grace.  Michael Hildebrand has been a part of the communications team doing graphics work since late 2007.  Michael has such a great heart for people and a desire to utilize his talents and gifts to reach people for Christ.  It's heart and passion like Michael's that makes the communications department at Grace so successful.  While his dedication and work on graphics is a HUGE blessing to Grace Church, he also plays another role that impacts so many people.

Michael is also a deacon of our church. He is a part of the team of men who support the church by visiting people hospitalized, caring for people, praying for people among MANY other things.  It's truly people like Michael and his wife Monica that make ministering at Grace a true joy and blessing.  He is a true example of what it means to be a worship leader at Grace...even off the stage.

If you see Michael Hildebrand this week...be sure to tell him he's SUPER COOL!  And if you're a Twitter person, go ahead and tell him there today...his id is @sonofray.

Super Cool Person of the Week: Tami

Many times the unsung or unseen heroes of the church often go unnoticed or unappreciated.  But really that's why I consider people like this SO important.  With no desire to be "seen" or to be in the "limelight", they quietly serve the Lord with no thought of reward or recognition....which is exactly the type of Christ the church needs.

Tami Dozier is an integral part of making the worship services happen at Grace.  Tami volunteers on the Stage Team during the weekends.  If you go backstage, you'll see her keeping the Praise Team in line, helping coordinate stage elements, meeting the needs of the speakers and musicians, keeping the service elements in time....all with a smile and positive attitude.  Tami is a joy to have on the Grace Weekend Service Team and is a prime example of what it means to lead worship...even from behind the stage curtain.  Thank you Tami for being such a wonderful servant of Christ on the Grace Stage Team!

Hey Gracers! When you see Tami...be sure and tell her she's SUPER COOL!!!

Super Cool Person of the Week: Kent

After a year and a half hiatus...the Grace Church Super Cool Person returns!

This week I'd like to introduce you to Kent Warden.  Kent serves on the Grace Weekend Service Team working with the lighting.  I've said before how I view the lighting ministry at Grace as more than just flipping on and off the lights.  Each member of the lighting team is a part of helping the Grace attender worship the Lord visually.  They take great care in how the mood of a song should be reflected in the colors and movement of the lights in the worship center.  Kent has been an integral part of making that happen.

One of the qualities I enjoy about Kent is his willingness, heart and desire to not just make lighting excellent...but how he loves and interacts with people on the team.  He truly displays the heart of a worship leader as he lives out his faith by serving others.  Thanks Kent for helping make the worship experience at Grace Church enjoyable for all!

So Gracers...the next time you see Kent....be sure to mention he's SUPER COOL!!!!

Super Cool Person of the Week: Adrian

Meet Adrian.  Have you ever wondered who was responsible for assembling the video and lyrics on Sundays?  Maybe you've never even thought about it...if you haven't, we on the WST consider this a success.  Typically the folks in the booth don't hear positive comments, you mostly hear only when things go wrong.  When nobody notices anything, you know you've done a good job.  And when it comes to putting lyrics up seamlessly, this is no easy task.  Today I want to introduce you to the fella who makes it happen each week by assembling the lyrics.  There are so many things that go into putting together a good worship presentation for the services.

• Thinking about when the lyric breaks on the screen should be.
• Picking just the right moving background that is pleasing to the eye.
• Spelling.
• Paying close attention to the songs for every click.

These are just a few of the details that go into creating the worship lyric presentations.  This doesn't even include all of the video transitions that go into Sunday mornings when we have video clips or video "bumps" for a specific series.  None of this would happen seamlessly without people like Adrian.

Each week Adrian shows up at our Thursday night rehearsals to assemble the lyrics then comes early Sunday mornings to run the programs for the services.  Adrian is an integral part of the WST at Grace...not only for the work he does, but for the commitment and heart for helping connect people to the Lord on Sundays.  I've said this of the lighting team, and it applies to the video folks as well. They aren't just putting up lyrics, they are painting expressions of worship on the screens, carefully crafting colors and video that truly expresses the thought and heart behind the specific songs we sing.  Adrian does an incredible job at this role.  He's one of our finest worship leaders on the WST...in and out of the booth.  Thanks Adrian for your dedication to the Lord and for your heart to lead others to the throne of God each week.  Adrian is just one more reason I love serving on the Weekend Service Team at Grace!

If you see Adrian this next week, be sure to tell him he's SUPER COOL!!!!

Super Cool Person of the Week: Jason

On Christmas Eve we held two candlelight services.  Initially I thought there would be no need for a rep from our stage team since we were doing low maintenance acoustic music that evening.  Nothing fancy.  Or so I thought...

Thankfully that evening Jason stepped up to fulfill the role of Stage Director.  With a dead battery on one of our acoustic guitars (lessoned learned there) Jason had to run from the stage to the back of the room and then back on stage to get a new 9volt inserted into Soakie's guitar.  All of this happening during service. It's a big deal when you've practically just started volunteering on a team and you're the only volunteer working on that team on one of the biggest services of the year.  And then to have something potentially cause problems with the service plan.  That can be quite stressful.  Jason handled it like a pro.

That's just one example of the dedication Jason has in serving God on the WST.  He's got the desire and eye to look for things beyond the typical checklist for each weekend service.  I know he's got my back and Tim's when it comes to getting on stage and making sure needs are met without even having to worry about it.  He's great at telling the band to be quiet backstage (a must if you're going to be on the stage team).  Jason and his wife Alex have been a great blessing to Grace since attending over a year ago.  Alex has also volunteered in the office when she was going through citizenship.  Great people with great hearts!

Jason is another reason I love serving on the WST at Grace.  When you see Jason, be sure to tell him he's SUPER COOL!!!!