Pastor Rick speaks to our Worship Team...

Dear Worship Team,

Thank you for sharing your time and talent as a singer, player and technician.

We are SO blessed at Argyle. God is awesome. You are awesome. Thank you.

It's very important that you guard your heart.

It's very important that you have personal guard rails in place.

It's very important that you pray and study your Bible every day.

It's very important that you remind yourself of exactly why you play, sing and tech

and who you play, sing and tech for!

When we forget that, 

then we show up late, unprepared, with a heart far from being open to worship...

We'll be tempted to complain, be jealous, feel sorry for ourself and develop a bitter spirit.

We might even begin to think it's all about us!

There is too much at stake for our efforts to be misguided.

There is too much at stake for us to be complacent.

As worship leaders, it is our calling and our responsibility to lead our people into the very presence of God.

We can't lead where we haven't been.

Each week, spend quality time with God. Acknowledge His greatness. Confess your sins.

Pray for God's anointing on our worship.

Pray for your pastor (God knows he needs it.)

Each week, spend quality time with your music. Rehearse on your own. Listen to the mp3's online.

If you're confident with the music, that will allow you to worship freely.

Come prepared to offer Him your absolute best. He's worthy. He's so worthy.

God has blessed The Church at Argyle.

This Sunday, we will begin two worship gatherings to allow us to minister to more people and allow our Children's Ministry Team to attend our worship gatherings every week.

This opportunity will require greater commitment from all of us. I believe we are up to the task.

If I schedule music at the end of the worship gathering, it will be a solo.

That will allow you to leave, if you choose, after the music at the second worship gathering.

Please always attend at least one of the complete worship gatherings.

This is our new schedule:

8:00 am       Arrive/warm up/tune

8:15 am       Downbeat of the first song

9:00 am       First worship gathering

10:30 am     Second worship gathering

6:00 pm       Christmas rehearsal

Please invite people. You are our most effective outreach opportunity.

Here we go.

God's up to something good. It's exciting to be part of it!

I'll see you Sunday at 8!

Love you all,

Rick

A word from Rick...

I met with someone this week who has been visiting our church.

This is someone I respect very much.They went on and on about how awesome our worship and music is at Argyle.

We are so blessed. Please don't take for granted the wonderful team that God has assembled at Argyle.

God is good!

Rick Painter

Worship Arts Pastor

We Are So Blessed...

I was just thinking today of all of the wonderful people that make our Singing Christmas Tree possible. Extra dear to my heart are the "behind the scenes" servants. These invaluable people never stand on stage or in the glow of the spotlight.

Alan Goode has the assembly of the tree structure down to a fine science. Thank you, Alan and all those who work with you to make the tree sturdy and safe.

Jerry McCann and Darren Prevatt worked tirelessly to keep the tree lights working.

John Santillo and his team served hundreds of cups of coffee and hot chocolate with a smile.

Mary Karpf, while dealing with her own sickness, flawlessly coordinated our childcare during the rehearsals and performances.

Stan Stufflebeam rehearsed the band (our band is awesome!), organized our music, put up the sign and took care of many details.

Keith Thompson put together the beautiful video graphics that the audience enjoyed during the show. Keith's video work is second to none.

Pastor Ken never fails to bring us stories that are relevant and moving. While many preachers are bent on "shucking the corn" our Pastor shares wonderful stories – just like Jesus did! Thank you, Pastor Ken for you support.

Mark Reed takes 48 inputs of audio in a very difficult environment and makes it sound good. Every good performance begins with good sound. Thank you, Mark.

Ken Krantz sets up and runs our stage lighting and spotlight. Kenny, you are invaluable.

Hal Hunter ordered the scaffolding and chairs, printed our posters, helped with set up, ran the computer for the choir and tons of other "little" things. Thank you, Hal.

Larry Coffey ran the computer for the audience while dealing with some very painful foot problems.

Gerry Mucha faithfully ran the video camera for all performances.

Diane Keuning is as faithful as the sun rising in the morning. She rehearsed the sopranos and altos and the Children's Choir and they were outstanding.

Phil Massicotte does the line up on the tree and helps me in many ways.

Ricky Travis coordinates our security. Ricky and his team spend the night to watch the equipment. We haven't lost anything yet!

And for those I left out, I apologize. I'm getting old. Anyway, I just wanted to say "Thank you" to all of you.

It was cool how many families were a part of the production. The whole Thompson Family, Jonathan and Emanuel (Tony, we miss you. There is a hole in our hearts when you're not playing. Our band is incomplete without you. We are all praying for your speedy recovery and your return.) Kim and David, Phil and Rachel, Ken and Becky, Ken and Lori, Sherri and Brooke, Rick and Donna (Donna is my dream come true. My ministry would be non-existent without her), Hal and Betty and many more!

Our band is exceptional. Our singers are the best anywhere. It's amazing the talent God has assembled in our small church family! You're not only good at what you do. You have a sweet spirit, too.

We are so blessed. Thanks for letting me hang around.

Rick Painter
Worship Arts Pastor

Some Great News From Rick...

Throughout the year we hear stories of how God has used the Singing Christmas Tree to draw people to faith. That confirms that the pain and suffering is worth the effort.

Last spring I found a musical that I believed would be perfect for our 15th Annual Argyle Outdoor Singing Christmas Tree performances in December. New music is expensive. Music books, parts CD's and the orchestration would be over $1,200.00. I believed God would provide.

We also need a baritone saxophone. Without a trombone in our band, we need the low end "beef" that a bari sax can provide. Both Tony and Emanuel are able to play it. We just needed an instrument. The cost would be around $700.00 for a playable used instrument. I believed God would provide.

The scaffolding rental, chair rental, promotion and other incidentals to produce the Tree each year cost around $2,000.00. God can provide that, too.

We received an offering at the Christmas In August dinner last week. We have received $2,925.00 as of today. The music is paid for. The bari sax is paid for and we are well on our way to cover the other costs of the Tree.

God is faithful. His people at Argyle are wonderful. Praise the Lord.


Rick Painter
Worship Arts Pastor

A note Rick passed to the Worship Team...

I received this email today. This oughta keep us going at least a few more weeks!

"Hello:

I am a member of the Church at Argyle. I felt that I needed to drop you a quick note saying thank you.

Thank you for the great music you and your praise team and musicians play for us every Sunday. I’m sure you hear it all the time, but I needed to tell you how much I enjoy it.

I love that every Sunday I can get my blood moving and my head and heart ready to hear the Lord's word by such a talented group of folks.

I love to see the faces of the singers as they smile and sing. I LOVE when you have the different ladies and gentlemen sing by themselves. I really enjoyed the lady who sang this past weekend before Pastor Ken's book signing. I love her voice.

Also that song you all play Faith, giving us a sample of the different musical instruments, is one of my favorites and when I get to hear the individual instruments I can’t help but be mesmerized. I love the 2 gentlemen on the guitar and bass exchanging their looks and smiles and smirks. It makes my Sunday.

I am so blessed to go to a neighborhood church with great music and a pastor that really speaks to me about things I can apply to my life and that of my family.

Just a pat on the back to you and your talented group of folks."

Isn't it interesting how many "little things" she noticed? That's why I encourage you each week to smile and sing/play/tech from your heart. Everybody loves a happy choir! God wants to use you each week as we lead in worship.

You guys are making a difference. Thank you for your faithfulness.

Rick Painter
Worship Arts Pastor

Golf Junkie Preacher

How much better does it get? One Sunday recently, I got up at 4:30 am to pray and prepare for my message later that morning. At 6:00 am the British Open telecast began, and the old geezer Tom Watson was positioned to make golfing history. I tell you, from 6 to 9 am I was glued to the TV, and I had to force myself to get into the car and head to the church for our Worship Gathering. I hate to admit it, but that morning I was like a lot of you about heading to "work" - there was something else on my mind.

There I was, riding down the road, Becky beside me, still thinking about Tom Watson maybe making golf history. Still thinking about something other than what was about to happen at Argyle.

A song came on the radio, and it's hard to put into words what happened. Chris Tomlin was singing a new arrangement of an old hymn- I Stand Amazed. As I listened to that song, my heart melted. Tom Watson and the British Open were no longer on my mind. The words of that old hymn led me to the foot of the cross, and right there in our car I experienced real worship.

The bible has a lot to say about idols. On that Sunday morning God used a contemporary artist singing an old song to kick over a few of this preacher's idols, to move his mind from the earthly to the eternal.

"I stand in the presence of Jesus the Nazerine,
and wonder how he could love me,
a sinner, condemned, unclean."

Ken Dyal

Every week...

I watch the video of our Worship Gathering at Argyle to evaluate how things went. Even though I start out watching and listening to check the mix, are we in tune, entrances and cut-offs, can I understand the words, how is the energy level, etc. I always end up moved by the worship experience of a mighty God and appreciative of the faithfulness, passion and skill of our Worship Team (band, singers, tech, dance, drama and visual arts).

Thank you!

Rick Painter
Worship Arts Pastor

The 2008 Tree...

is now history. We had a great turnout. More than 2,000 people braved the cold to enjoy the 14th anniversary production.

We sometimes wonder if it's worth the effort and expense. After all, over a hundred people have been working, some since August, to put this puppy together. Is this effort paying off?

I think so. On each night we heard from people about their impressions. Some were veterans, and attending the Tree is a family tradition. Some were newbies, and they were, without exception, blown away. Everyone we talked to agreed this is an important ministry to our community.

The Saturday before we began, I spoke to a friend who is Choir Director of a United Methodist Church in Arlington. When I told him about our Tree, with 70 voices, 15 musicians, new music every year, done outdoors for four nights, he was flabbergasted. Understanding the challenges, it is something he can't imagine attempting.

I believe God blesses audacious things done to promote His glory and the Gospel. Done in our own power, I think the Tree would fizzle; done in His Name and in His power, it becomes a powerful way to reach people in our community.

Hal Hunter

Weather Watching...

It's not just farmers and fishermen who watch the weather. People who put on major outdoor events involving hundreds of people and a lot of electronic equipment and musical instruments also ponder the sky.

Each year we present an Outdoor Singing Christmas Tree. 2008 is the 14th year. Our Tree has become something of a tradition in our community. (After all, it can be heard a mile or more away on a still evening!) The singers and musicians started rehearsing in August. Over 80 people have spent months learning music and practicing.

Last week we built and decorated the Tree structure. This morning we set up the mixing console (48 total channels for the techies), powered speakers, sub-woofers, amplifiers, signal processors, lights, spotlights, computers, projectors and flat-screens, drum kit, two keyboards, and what seems like a bazillion music stands and a couple miles of wire.


Now comes the weather watching part: predictions say we should expect rain Thursday. Not just rain, but the "possibility of severe thunderstorms." There have been a couple times over the years when we had had to cancel a single performance for weather, but we hope that Thursday is not one of them. The hour-by-hour predictions say the storms should be over by late afternoon, with clearing by 6:00 pm. If those predictions are accurate, we are good to go with performing at 8:00 pm.

Join us in praying for good weather later in the day Thursday. Since God encourages us to bring all our cares to him, let's get specific: rain ending by 4:00 pm, followed by quick clearing; conditions at 8:00 pm- clear, dry, still and 58 degrees.

We invite everyone to attend. It's free, with plenty of parking and seating. We even provide hot chocolate and coffee. This may be the only time this Christmas season some of the people attending the Tree will hear the Gospel and hear the real Christmas story. That's one of the main reasons we do it, and one of the main reasons you should join us in praying for the weather.

Hal Hunter

Tree time rolls around again...

I swear it seems like we just finished the Tree, but it's time for another one.

For the fourteenth time, we are presenting our Argyle Outdoor Singing Christmas Tree to the community. Each year, over a period of four nights, as many as 3,000 people come to experience the music and the message. People all over our area know about the Tree, and for some, it is the only time they will hear the Gospel.

It is entirely free to our guests, but certainly not free to produce. We have to buy the music, buy the promotional material, buy the coffee and hot chocolate and the cups to serve them in, rent the chairs and scaffolding, and buy all the odds and ends of things needed to to produce the show.

In years past, we have had sufficient money in our regular budget to carry the cost of producing the Tree. This year, because of the budget shortfall, we are taking a special offering on Sunday, December 7, to subsidize the costs.

If you believe the Tree is an important outreach to the people around us, please join us in supporting this very public ministry.

Hal Hunter

All Star Survey .. Part II

Another thing we saw on several surveys had to do with music. A number of people yearn for the traditional hymns.

When we decided several years ago to try to reach people who weren't already in church, one of the major changes had to do with our worship style, and music in particular. Study after study, plus personal experience, tell us that unchurched people are uncomfortable with traditional hymns and church music styles- they simply don't get it.

Our music is chosen to be both doctrinally sound and in a style that will appeal to a wide variety of the people in our community. It is more a "rock band with horns" sound, with prominent drums and bass. it's uptempo and takes advantage of the outstanding musicians and singers God has sent us.

Remember, our Sunday Worship Gatherings are primarily "living room" environments- a place an unchurched visitor can feel comfortable and welcome. It is designed for those folks, the outsiders, not so much for insiders.

Load your favorite style in your iPod, but celebrate Sundays with a style that will appeal to the people we are trying to reach with the all-important message of the Gospel.

Hal Hunter