In Awe Part 3, Lost But Found

This is a concert which featured Master's Pedestal and Shekinah, two home-grown bands that have developed into very skillful and artistic young musicians. Today (and last friday), they rocked the house down! Praises and glory for the Lord God erupted as tone levels were pushed higher and these two bands really prepared by putting together a great line up and great selection of genres.

I am really proud to be part of their growth. They are indeed starting to blossom into competent musicians... though admittedly, still ALOT to learn and develop, but they sure will get there! I remember whem I was 17 or eighteen and Pastor Jeff was painstakingly triaining our group, which composed of purely non-trained musicians... a gang of rag tags who didnt have an idea of balance, musical dynamics, and because of Jeff's efficient and patient guidance, we slowly learned the basics of group playing... and worship. Watching JIVE youth perform a while ago gave me the chills. They were more than awesome! To think that they werent even complete and they were still not fully rehearsed, but they blew the house down!!!! Pastor Jeff is a classic teacher. No musician who came from under his tutelage becomes a nobody... they all become monsters of music!

When the baton was passed to me as music director, I only had to hand down the basic principles i learned from him. And of course a bit more since I worked and played with different genres of musicians such as Jazz, classical, country and even 20th century music groups! And my training as a classical musician (where did that go now?) also helped in educating and developing our new musicians at church.

But that is beside the point. My role in this concert is only to call the shots... from behind. I still lead worship, and direct music yes, but I know the time will come when new people will have to take my place... I feel so old, yet so fulfilled! I am so proud, like a dad! But, I have to get more training so I could share and train more! My contribution as an artist in our church is still minimal. I have to strive to give more.

I watched myself grow in worship and in music. I also grew in responsibility and leadership. Now I am watching others do the same. Is there a better feeling than that? And also seeing these young people mature and follow God and obey Him makes me prouder! Guys like Russel, Kenneth, Momon, Jeff, Ryan, Augie, Weldon, Jun Rey, and also the ladies like Kaye Ann, Ashley, Asia, and countless others who are dedicated to follow and obey the Lord Jesus. What a scene!

I am truly blessed. I am truly blessed.

Crawl through online shops!!! Save lots of money!

I was so excited this month as I had the rare opportunity to be able to purchase a pair of dream sunglasses for myself! A pair of Oakley Romeo 2! It was a good thing to buy it from the internet and truly it was a great thing!!!! Its a lot cheaper compared to the shades being sold at the stores. The shades were delivered on time, in excellent condition, and it was really a treat. There is always a risk factor because you pay without the product being handed to you. The picture is your only image upon buying it, and you have to wait for 5-7 business days.

But upon receiving the item, all the wait and all the worries just faded away! Simply beautiful. It all depends on the item you purchase, of course, and the dependability of the site you purchased on. I receive many negative comments about the purchases on internet. Since it really involves risks, I submit that the purchaser still researches on the seller’s, store’s credentials, you can take a look at their history, comments, and if it is paid through paypal, usually it is dependable.

There are lots of dependable stores, but there exists also swindlers so beware. The sad thing though is that the majority of dependable stores/ sellers/ vendors are not advertising on a paid site. So they are usually left out. There are some sites who can help you crawl through the net and find all, I mean all, stores who has your item on sale. It acts like a search engine and it really is cool! Try shopping the wiki way.

Humble, Hard Work Teaches Great Leadership Skills

writing about humility in a first person point of view kind of negates the whole point... but, i cant help but share my experiences here in church, and taught me to have a teachable, submissive, yet leading spirit. I grew up in a home where we didnt have a helper for long periods of time, not because we are good in household chores, nor are we responsible, but because of financial strains.

I remember getting our water from a well, and pumping and transporting them gave us workable bodies! Those were only light stuff, but to make the long story short, we know how it is to do manual labor.

We were sent to exclusive schools though, and that was a plus because my parents valued education. These schools taught us also to be "a man for others", and i was encouraged to join Boy Scouts, and competitive sports to inculcate the leadership and competitive minds in us. But out of all these, nobody taught me more than my church. Yes, my home, my school, my organizations were big factors, but my church was really where it went to getting down and dirty.

I started out as a guitarist in church, and then as a bassist, and eventually a worship leader, now worship director. When I started, and up to now, i never neglect or regret having to experience carrying stuff, cleaning, setting up, tearing down, planning, practicing, and being mr. do-it-all. I know there is a leadership principle of delegation, and stretching yourself out too thin makes your quality less. I know that and I practice that.

On the other hand, i found that my leadership has become more effective being more involved with the workers, with my subordinates when I work elbow to elbow with them. I am deeply involved, but i am also a model of faith and respect. My Pastor has the same principles that's why I respect him so much. He wants to serve and to work along side of us, but i understand his position and his work that is why we try to take as much responsibility off his back by doing the work ourselves.

I learned another principle in the movies where the villain has all the henchmen, and eventually, the hero confronts him directly because his legions werent able to stop the hero. So he ends up saying, " if you want things to be done right, you have to do it yourself.." I agree, to an extent, and I experience this so much, that if want things done right, i have to do it myself, or overly supervise everything. Which again is too much of a stretch. The key is training someone to duplicate you, and eventually to replace and out-do you. Your job is to do your job and train someone else to do a better job than you do. Apparently, in the movies, that doesnt happen.

I recall all our years carrying and setting up, transporting and all, and week in and week out, in the 14 years i was in this ministry, I never left that position, though my experience grew, my responsibilities became immense, my position rose, my skills developed, everything else was growing, but i feel that manual, hard labor keeps my head and feet down on the earth. I heard from someone in our team before, that as our positions rose, we shouldnt be doing the hard stuff anymore, but train someone else to do the work for us. I may agree, and that works for paid professionals... but in a volunteer, church setting, that is very difficult to achieve, but not impossible. However, if God doesnt give you co-servants in your church with the same servant heart as you have, it only means God is teaching you to do it yourself, and stop puffing your head up and tell yourself somebody else deserves the dirty work than yourself.

Even though I lead my own music team, have my own music company, and all those "accomplishments" in my pocket, nothing beats the lessons of hard work. And I admit, I still have a lot of learning to do.

IN AWE OF A GREAT GOD CONCERT

Our church had the opportunity ot serve God for 28 years, and we have had a great history to tell... but we made a concert as culminating activity for our Anniversary and we tied it as a fund raising for the Legacy Project!

It was amazing!

Here is the opening video of the IN AWE OF A GREAT GOD concert.

I am so glad many in our church were willing to sacrifice their time, effort, talent and resources to make this event possible. I was wondering if ever these guys were paid pros, our concert was a BIG production!

We held our concert at Eastwood City Libis, and we invited not only or members, but also friends and guests. Our goal was to communicate the awesomeness of the God we serve. He's not a small God we can choose to ignore everyday, He's GOD.

It began with a special number by SBC Makati, led by Pastor Jeff Aspacio and his praise team, who did an excellent job in both playing and singing! I was blown away with the vocals! And of course Pastor Jeff's drums were classic.

We opened the night with Pastor Lance saying a few words of encouragement, and immediately showed the openeing video. The kids choir, praise band and I opened with Speechless by Steven Curtis Chapman (supposedley with live strings, but they werent able to make it).

Our wonderful hosts were Pastor Alvin and Fiona Javelosa, who were somewhat "pros" at hosting. They were simply smooth and spontaneous! They provided the effective transiti0ns to the next numbers and they really did a great job!

Shekinah, an all ladies band, Ashley, Pauline, Kaye Ann, Ara, Herschelle, and Rachel rocked the auditorium with You Gave Me A Promise by Barlowe Girls. These ladies knew how to sound heavy and at the same time melodic. The guitars, drums and bass provoded the heaviness, and the wonderful passionate voices drew all ears to the lyrical lines sang.

Master's Pedestal threw in an equally powerful performance as they played a happy spirited song called Stars by Switchfoot. Augie, Kenneth, Ryan, Jeff and Russel were boys who studied the art of rock as a degree in college! The group's showmanship was a treat, and the musical arrangements were executed masterfully.

Next in line we switched the channel to a more mellow sound of a male vocal band, composed of Pastor Lance, Pastor James, Augie, Ted and Nyor, who were pastors and worship leaders too! They did a rendition of You are God Alone by Phillips, Craig and Dean. Indeed the "boyband" displayed the vocal prowess of pastors and worshoip leaders by declaring their faith to the ONLY GOD!

Alex and Augie came up next with the song You Are Amazing God by Chris Tomlin, together with the praise band. This song aptly "describes" the helplessness of man in attempting to describe the unfathomable wonders of God!

Our frequemcy and theme now shifts to God's promise of Heaven. Sis Glenise Javelosa, and her son Oyie now captures the audience as they perform an awesome duet. Another Time and Another Place by Erick Driskell. Our longing for God's eternal comfort and peace in heaven is embodied in this song, and the performers Glen and Oyie did a trully masterful job!

Up next is Ted, Ashley and Augie, with the praise band of course, singing I Can Only Imagine by Mercy Me. This song was done with parts, and the melody soaring in the end part as the dilemma of the Christian overpowers him about questions upon finally reaching heaven. Powerful performance.

Our Senior Pastor Lance sang next with Ted on Piano singing Your Grace Still Amazes Me by PCD. He then shifts to a song he knew as a boy and after sharing the word and gospel of Christ, he called his mom to accompany him on stage and the final two songs.

Jeff Ayanco, our church bassist/keyboardist, rendered a surprising guitar solo called Caught Up in Rapture by Jerome Rico. Jeff skillfully glided his fingers in the board as he gracefully plucked the notes of this very relaxing song. Hail Jeffrey!!!

The next number is another very surprising, at the same time intimidating piece. Performed by Alex Tabac on electric guitar, the SBC team accompanies him as he played Always with Me, Always with You by Joe Satriani. Man, his fingers flew and soared! The notes were flashing past your eyes and mind but your ears heard a beautiful melodic line.

The next part was ACTS, led by Erwin Ibana and the rest of the masters of drama. They did a compelling choreography of the great stories in the Bible, who all declared that we have an awesome God! Many of their movements were slowed down like in the Matrix movies, and their movements were synchronized and timed exactly to the music!

As finale, we called in all the singing performers and asked them to lead worship with Ted as they sung How Great Is Our God, You Are God ALone (encore), and Generation of Light. Before we finally ended we threw in the rocking God is Great, and finished up wth A King is Born to welcome the Chistmas Season!

This concert began with the idea of making people be in Awe of God, and it ended with the challenge to continue to BE IN AWE OF A GREAT GOD we serve forever!!!!

directed by Jacqueline Amper

written by Theodore Amper

produced by SBC

Music Director: Theodore Amper

Music Consultant: Rev. Lance Gotcher

3M, Videos and projection: Eric, Junrey, Alex, Alvin and Ted

Sound and Tech: Russel, Weldon, Ted, praise team, ACTS

Hosts: Pastor Alvin and Fiona Javelosa

Performers:

SHEKINAH

Master's Pedestal

Kid's Choir

SBC main Praise Team

SBC makati Praise Team

Jeff Ayanco

Alex Tabac

Glenis and Oyie Javelosa

ACTS

Ted, Augie, Alex, Ashley, Rev Lance Gotcher, Rev. James and Mrs Gotcher

When I Proposed to My Wife

Would you trust in things you dont see?
Would you jump the bridge at my count to three?
Would you run the race of life with me?
Just hold my hand and let's be free!

Winds may change, and seasons go
But love will stay and faith will flow
My only pray'r, my final plea:
Would you spend this lifetime with me?

Fly with me, let us soar through endless skies and
Be with me, my whole world would fall down on its knees
Just to be with you
I'd live and die for the love of a Rose

This is a song I wrote while planning to propose marriage to my long time girlfriend-fiancee-best friend-best enemy-most efficient partner-etc. Hehehe. I just love this woman.

It was January 28, 2007, a Sunday afternoon was perfect for me to ask her to marry me. Honestly, she didn't need this stuff. She knew I was going to marry her and I know her answer anyway, and in fact I was delaying everything she is kinda waiting on me already... which is a bad thing really.


I arranged for the place to be at an overlooking view of manila, so I rented out the top deck of Seven Suites Hotel, and got a package for us to enjoy an evening of fine dining, just the two of us (well of course with my friends who were my musicians too and camera men), and i was nervous at the same time excited to get on with the plan.

I asked Rose to dress up a bit, because I was wearing a coat, and i told her I'll bring her to a nice restaurant. I knew she knew what I was planning from the start because she smells me like a blood hound a mile away... see, Im that bad a liar or a surprise planner.

After church service I brought my friends (conspirators) to the deck and I asked them to stay put until I was to signal them. With everything ready, camera, guitar, this new song I wrote, etc. I was all set. I picked her up and we drove to the wonderful place, and even escorted her out. But something terrible happened... I forgot the RING!!!

I had to ask her to come back with me somewhere because I needed to get "something" important. As hard as I was trying to conceal it, Rose asked," You forgot the ring didn't you?" Though fuming with humiliation, I held my peace and said something else. She knew I was lying.

After I got the ring, we went back to the hotel and began our dinner.

ROMANTIC DINNER MENU:

Set 1

Tomato Bisque

Caesar Salad

Shrimp Cocktail

Steak Au Poivre with Duchess Potato

Choco Caramel Cake

She loved the place and we were serenaded by our friends' recording. After dinner and dessert, and a while of awkward talking, I finally signaled my friends to come in and get this over with.

I reached for the case, made sure the ring was there, and got down on my knees and sang the song above. After the song, accompanied by my good 'ol friends Kenneth, Jeff and Ryan, I asked her: "Rose, would you marry me?"

The answer was obvious and now we are happily married with a dog in Kingsville Subdivision where we plan to raise a family!

Not My Words

IN AWE of a Great God Concert Proper

Program Proper

Legacy Project video as walk in presentation
National Anthem
Prayer
Front Act by SBC Makati led by Pastor Jeff Aspacio

Opening Remarks about the Concert’s theme and the beneficiary project, Legacy Project.
(Pastor Lance Gotcher)

Opening Video (Symphony of Praise) (3mins)

Speechless- Ted Amper (5mins)

Host Spiel (2min)

Fast Song by the Shekinah (5mins)

Host Spiel (2min)

Fast Song by Master’s Pedestal (5mins)
Host Spiel (2min)
You Are God Alone-
Pastor Lance, Pastor James, Augie, Nyor and Ted (10mins)
Host Spiel (2min)
Indescribable- Nyor with Video (5 mins)
Host Spiel (2min)
Another Time and Another Place –Tita Glen and Oyie (5mins)
Host Spiel (2min)
I Can Only Imagine/A Light of a Million Mornings- Alexis Edralin (10 mins)

Message: Pastor Lance (30mins)
Guitar Solos
Caught Up In Rapture -Jeffrey Ayanco (5mins)
Always with Me Always with You – Alex Tabac (5mins)

Awesome God Human Video - ACTS (10mins)

Everyone stands for congregational singing:

Ted calls ALL the performers on stage to sing:
How Great Thou Art, How great is our God, Generation of Light, God is Great – Praise Team (20 mins)
A King Is Born

TOTAL RUNNING TIME: approx two(2) hours