Archive for December, 2006

Well, it’s Christmas eve already. Hopefully all the last-minute shopping is finished by now! As we reach the end of another year, I’d like to take the chance to thank you for being a part of the iChurch community. I hope this holiday time is both restful and joyful for you.

I’m really looking forward to seeing the site grow and improve in the new year. Please take a moment to leave a comment, even if it’s just to say hi. As always, feedback on how we can make things better around here is also welcome!

Thanks to Rich for your hard work, you’ve been a super contributing author. The way you’re able to capture your reflections and share them is a real gift.

Here’s to a happy and healthy 2007 for all! May God bless and keep you, may His face shine on you, may He be gracious to you, and give you His peace.

Much love
Chris

The ChristianMusicToday site (part of the ChristianityToday family) is a goldmine of high-quality content. Their artist and album reviews are well-written and generally spot on, with extra features like artist interviews and news adding to the mix.

They’ve just launched an internet radio station, featuring some great new music from their recent “Best Christian Albums of 2006” list. I’ve only had a quick listen, but what I’ve heard so far has been good. Turn up the volume at www.christianmusictodayradio.com

‘It’s the season to be jolly’, or so the carol goes (Tra la la la la, la la, la la…). I’ve always wondered why this is the season to be joyful. Why can’t we be happy in June? I was born then. Surely that’s a good reason to celebrate?

But seriously, what makes this the season to be joyful? Maybe one of the obvious answers is because we get presents and have holidays and eat a lot. Those three things do, admittedly, make me happy. But then again it only lasts as long as the holiday or as long as the food is in my mouth. And since I don’t chew 21 times a mouthful and don’t have too much leave the season of happiness is over pretty quickly…

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News flash! Legendary rockers Tree63 have announced via their MySpace blog that they’ll be returning home in March 2007 to play a tour of Durban, Cape Town, P.E., Jo’burg, Pretoria, Potch and Bloem (whew!). I’m sure that, as always, these shows will be a great testimony to how God has been using the band while they’ve been living in Nashville.

Frontman John Ellis says: “We love and miss South Africa so much and can’t wait to come home and see our families, friends and fans. We’ve been dying to play in South Africa for ages - it’s going to be amazing.”

Yes, it sure will be. It’s fantastic that after huge success and acclaim in the States, Tree still have their roots firmly planted in African soil. Yay!

UPDATE: Tour dates have been released.

There’s an old saying that goes “You don’t really know what life is until you’ve tasted death”. It came up in the news today in the story of a brave cop who chased down thieves at 195 km/hr. I’m sure it may be true in the sense of living life on the edge, but I think in a spiritual sense it means a whole lot more…

Actually I think it’s exactly what Jesus meant when He said: “Truly, Truly I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.” (John 12:24-25). He seems to be saying that you won’t have lived until you’ve learnt to die.

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