W.O.A International – The Music Company releases compilation CD, brings together the best Independent artists from all over the world on one album promoting peace.
Goa, India –Aug 27, 2009 – W.O.A International proudly announces the launch of the first volume in the Independent No.1's CD collection. Comprising of 20 artists from the company's record label W.O.A Records, it's an eclectic double CD bringing together some of the very best artists in independent music today. Best of all, it's part of an extremely worthwhile cause at the same time.
"With this release, we're not only bringing original and exciting music to the public," says Wanda Alvares, Executive Vice President / Head of Marketing, "we're also giving back to a cause we believe passionately in. For every CD sold, we will give 10% of the sale to a charity that supports the fight against terrorism."
W.O.A International recognizes that this fight on terror is something that won't be changed overnight, but passionately believe that continued support in the fight against it will eventually win through.
The Independent no.1's Vol. 1 CD is the first release in a planned annual collection of the very best music W.O.A Records has on its roster. Bringing together the best that W.O.A International has to offer, it includes the likes of Danny Hooper, Osh10, Mark Hvilsted, Resin Dogs, Pedro Menendez from the W.O.A Records roster and other Independent Music stars all signed to W.O.A International – The Music Company.
Such has the pre-release interest been in the first volume after the preview on the weekly W.O.A Radio show that W.O.A International has decided to bring several of these artists to India on tour to promote the album and to be a part of the W.O.A Music Festival this year.
With the Independent No.1's Volume 1 compilation CD set to be a huge success for both artists and the chosen charity, and Vol.2 already in the planning stage, 2009 looks set to be a milestone year yet again for W.O.A International. Download the CD today or listen in to the weekly W.O.A Radio Show also available as a podcast on itunes and find out what all the noise is about.
- W.O.A News Desk
Friday, August 28, 2009
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Help! I'm a camp speaker! part 2
I started speaking on Monday evening, August 17th. Tuesday through Friday I spoke 3 times a day: briefly in the morning at staff devotions, later in the morning I would tell a story from the book of Daniel, then in the evening we talked about God's work in our own lives. The kids were very responsive, and I had fun getting them involved through acting out the story or chanting or just asking review questions. They were amazingly attentive and some of the cabin groups went back and read more! One cabin leader said his boys had become "Bible addicts." Fun!
On Thursday I spoke from Ephesians 2:10 about being God's Masterpiece. It fit with the week's theme of being ALIVE in Christ and that we couldn't have done that for ourselves. It also fit with something we were learning from Daniel: that God is the one who gives wisdom and greatness, and if we think we're good and powerful and self-made, we might enjoy ourselves temporarily but we're in for a big surprise later!
To explain God's Masterpiece, I used a series of pictures of the pottery process from my brother Jeffrey's website. There is absolutely nothing that clay can do to help itself become something wonderful. And it takes time and a lot of pushing and pulling and spinning for the clay to be shaped into some thing beautiful and/or useful. After shaping it sits on a shelf and dries for several days (or weeks, as with teapots). Then it needs extreme heat... twice! Along the way there's decoration, that doesn't look like much, but the potter knows! Finally, after a long, intense process, you have beautiful plates and platters, big and small and medium bowls, mugs and goblets, cream and sugars, pitchers and teapots, vases and candle-holders, casseroles and cookie jars, and more!!! Jeffrey has even done sculptures and space ships with stained glass windows!
On Friday evening, I did a mini-concert and talked about how each of us has a story and God is writing it. One of the cabin leaders asked if he could sing Fingerprints of God by Steven Curtis Chapman. It fit perfectly, so at the end of the chapel service he sang and I joined with some harmony on the choruses. It was a perfect ending. For cabin devotions after chapel, I challenged the cabin leaders to go around their whole cabins and tell each child one thing they've noticed about God's fingerprints on that child. The next morning in staff meeting many cabin leaders shared how well that went over. In one cabin it became an encouragement fest, with all the guys sharing good things about each other. In another cabin, after the leader was done the girls wanted to tell the leader about God's fingerprints on her! Sometimes we can be faithful to our calling and not get to see the fruit of what we do, but that was such a treat to hear about all that sharing.
At Saturday morning's closing rally, I recapped the week for the parents, explaining the Daniel stories and the masterpiece and fingerprints of God. Just 5 minutes. Amazing how I had to pray harder about those 5 minutes than the longer ones! The less time you have, the more it counts. Hmmmm.
The most challenging part of the day was climbing the big hill 3 times a day to the dining hall. I think my favourite part of the day was worship. During staff meetings we all agreed that this was our favourite--the energetic and heartfelt worship of 9-11 year olds. I loved seeing this one little guy in the aisle with his hand raised up.
For an album of photos from my week at Manitou, visit my Facebook profile.
On Thursday I spoke from Ephesians 2:10 about being God's Masterpiece. It fit with the week's theme of being ALIVE in Christ and that we couldn't have done that for ourselves. It also fit with something we were learning from Daniel: that God is the one who gives wisdom and greatness, and if we think we're good and powerful and self-made, we might enjoy ourselves temporarily but we're in for a big surprise later!
To explain God's Masterpiece, I used a series of pictures of the pottery process from my brother Jeffrey's website. There is absolutely nothing that clay can do to help itself become something wonderful. And it takes time and a lot of pushing and pulling and spinning for the clay to be shaped into some thing beautiful and/or useful. After shaping it sits on a shelf and dries for several days (or weeks, as with teapots). Then it needs extreme heat... twice! Along the way there's decoration, that doesn't look like much, but the potter knows! Finally, after a long, intense process, you have beautiful plates and platters, big and small and medium bowls, mugs and goblets, cream and sugars, pitchers and teapots, vases and candle-holders, casseroles and cookie jars, and more!!! Jeffrey has even done sculptures and space ships with stained glass windows!
On Friday evening, I did a mini-concert and talked about how each of us has a story and God is writing it. One of the cabin leaders asked if he could sing Fingerprints of God by Steven Curtis Chapman. It fit perfectly, so at the end of the chapel service he sang and I joined with some harmony on the choruses. It was a perfect ending. For cabin devotions after chapel, I challenged the cabin leaders to go around their whole cabins and tell each child one thing they've noticed about God's fingerprints on that child. The next morning in staff meeting many cabin leaders shared how well that went over. In one cabin it became an encouragement fest, with all the guys sharing good things about each other. In another cabin, after the leader was done the girls wanted to tell the leader about God's fingerprints on her! Sometimes we can be faithful to our calling and not get to see the fruit of what we do, but that was such a treat to hear about all that sharing.
At Saturday morning's closing rally, I recapped the week for the parents, explaining the Daniel stories and the masterpiece and fingerprints of God. Just 5 minutes. Amazing how I had to pray harder about those 5 minutes than the longer ones! The less time you have, the more it counts. Hmmmm.
The most challenging part of the day was climbing the big hill 3 times a day to the dining hall. I think my favourite part of the day was worship. During staff meetings we all agreed that this was our favourite--the energetic and heartfelt worship of 9-11 year olds. I loved seeing this one little guy in the aisle with his hand raised up.
For an album of photos from my week at Manitou, visit my Facebook profile.
Help! I'm a camp speaker! part 1
I spent last week speaking at Manitou Lake Bible Camp to 90 juniors, ages 9-11.My friend Kathleen McMillan has been a speaker at Manitou twice before, so I asked her for some advice. Here's what she told me:
If I remember correctly lots of farm kids at that camp, first nations too? Tell stories. sing to them. be who you are. The best advice I can give is keep it simple and be there as much as you possibly can to talk to them, hang out, be a real person. It is not so much what you say but how much you care that will stick with them.
Build on each day using small bits and repeating them as the week progresses. I did one once using a skateboard to represent the steps to spiritual growth the board was salvation and the wheels each represented prayer, bible reading good friends attending church we put it together and used it to crash a counselor through a wall of garbage cans with a bucket of water on the top.
Have a contest. My first time speaking for camps I had 2 baby bunnies with me and I had a contest to name the bunnies. If a child came to me with a name I would give them a candy and put their name and their suggestion in the draw. At the end of the week we chose a name.
Once I had a "guess the Professor's name contest" another time I told them that if they came to me, introduced themselves, and told me a story about themselves or something interesting about their summer I would give them a candy. It was very interesting and they responded well to it. Almost every kid came to me at one point or an other. I had to encourage some of the shyer ones but it was worth it. Everyone wants to be listened to.
Love and small kindnesses is all we really have to offer. Sing "My Grandmother's House" at night before bed. Or "Prairie Soul." I think singing quiet meaningful songs to them when they are tired will be effective. Funny songs in the morning. Tell them your stories. Talk about what is important to you, what you are passionate about is your best message.
Once I had a "guess the Professor's name contest" another time I told them that if they came to me, introduced themselves, and told me a story about themselves or something interesting about their summer I would give them a candy. It was very interesting and they responded well to it. Almost every kid came to me at one point or an other. I had to encourage some of the shyer ones but it was worth it. Everyone wants to be listened to.
Love and small kindnesses is all we really have to offer. Sing "My Grandmother's House" at night before bed. Or "Prairie Soul." I think singing quiet meaningful songs to them when they are tired will be effective. Funny songs in the morning. Tell them your stories. Talk about what is important to you, what you are passionate about is your best message.
Friday, August 14, 2009
BlueBeary: Langley Advance and Arts Alive
Today Kathleen McMillan and BlueBeary have been given a full-page feature in the Langley Advance!
Tomorrow
BlueBeary storytime at Arts Alive in Langley, Aug 15th
Host: Open Eyes Books & BlueBeary
Time: 9:00AM Saturday, August 15th
Location: Downtown Langley, BC
Future
Aug 16 Children's Day at WhiteRock Farmers' Market
Become a fan of BlueBeary
Future
Aug 16 Children's Day at WhiteRock Farmers' Market
Aug 19 Surrey Urban Market
Aug 20 Royal City Farmers' Market
Aug 22 Burnaby Farmers' Market
Aug 26 Langley Farmers' Market
Become a fan of BlueBearyOpen Eyes Books & BlueBeary on Facebook
living our faith
"I keep wondering what role of ministry I should be in here, and yet God is leading me to do 'ministry' without the official title, I am reminded that we live our faith. Don't have to be structuring it for a certain night of the week."
~ Dara Hallett on her recent move to Buffalo Narrows
Photo by Amy Robertson, Family Camp Coffeehouse, Arlington Beach Camp.
New CD available in a few weeks!
Monday, August 10, 2009
vote for the new cover
er
I've been a bit pre-occupied with the Open Eyes book series. Here's what's been going on:
Oh, and I've joined Twitter, so if I can figure out how to send tweets to the blog, maybe this thing will update more often! If you know something I don't about how this works, please let me know!
I've been a bit pre-occupied with the Open Eyes book series. Here's what's been going on:
- Samantha's Story (September) is almost ready to go to the printer. We can't decide between two covers, so we're taking a poll. Cast your vote and be entered to win a copy of the new book: www.openeyes.ca/cover_contest.html.
- Angels and orders welcome!
- One small, brutal fact about the new book: financing. We could use some orders, preferably subscriptions, to help get the ball rolling. We've been promoting, but we've really just gotten started, so the flywheel is still turning slowly. We can't send to the printer until the money is in hand. Please recommend it to anyone and everyone you can think of. We think the subscription option is a great deal: 11 books for $100+tax = one free book and free shipping. Want several copies of the same book? We'll give bulk prices! You could also use the book for fundraisers. Other ideas? We're open.
- BlueBeary has his own Facebook page. Become a fan and enter to win prizes!
Open Eyes Books & BlueBeary on Facebook
Oh, and I've joined Twitter, so if I can figure out how to send tweets to the blog, maybe this thing will update more often! If you know something I don't about how this works, please let me know!
Friday, August 7, 2009
first BlueBeary review
BlueBeary has received its first review from Kristi Ferguson of Fraser Valley Pulse—and such a delightful, enthusiastic review it is! Check it out here:
http://fraservalleypulse.com/all-posts/hot-off-the-press-bluebeary-childrens-book/
Release party tomorrow in Langley!
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