MOPSTalk Zone 22 ~ Eastern PA and NJ: Sara Groves ~ O Holy Night Tour

CONVENTION UPDATE

Ta da! A Convention announcement!
We just signed the papers and we thank you for your prayers as we worked on moving, well, a whole lotta details in just a few days.

Drum roll #1: The Gaylord Palms in Kissimmee, FL (Orlando area) was able to welcome us (in the midst of many conventions needing to move).

Drum roll #2: We're able to keep the registration fees the same, so some of you might decide to come early or stay late, and enjoy the Orlando amenities with your friends (or family).

And thanks for all the great ideas of cities! You helped our future dreaming. 'Twould be fun!
And again, it will be great because of Who we'll be with: "Where(ver) two or three (thousand) are gathered in my name, there am I with them." (Mt. 18:20, our year's theme verse with my additions).

Naomi Cramer Overton

Convention Details:
The MOPS International Convention will be at the Gaylord Palms, Kissimmee, FL (Orlando area). Dates will be the same, August 5-7, 2010. Speakers and artists will be the same great lineup — Julie Barnhill, Margaret Feinberg, Donald Miller, Naomi Cramer Overton, Shelly Radic, Go Fish, Mandisa, The Katinas and Richie McDonald.

Convention registration will re-open on Monday, May 17.
The early bird registration deadline will be extended to June 7.
We are working with the Gaylord Opryland for an official letter we can provide to anyone who has already purchased airline tickets to use with airlines to avoid rebooking fees. This letter should assist you in rebooking airline tickets — it will be posted online at www.MOPS.org/convention.
We continue to pray for families and businesses affected by the flooding and we have sent MOPS materials to local MOPS leaders who are distributing supplies in the Nashville area.

MOPS International Convention 2010

August 5-7, 2010
Gaylord Palms, Orlando FL

Check back often for more information!

Your MOPS International Convention Checklist:

Register for Convention (re-opens May 17)
Reserve a room at the hotel (register first!)
Schedule shuttle transportation

Friday, December 04, 2009

Sara Groves ~ O Holy Night Tour

Ok, so I am a big fan of Sara Groves and I missed having her perform at the MOPS Convention this year. (I guess they have to change it up...) Anyway, if there is someone out there that is a bigger fan it would have to be my husband, Dan. So, lucky me, I have seen Sara perform at two MOPS Conventions and at the last one I saw her, we were able to go to a dinner where Sara shared her testimony. I feel bad that Dan hasn't been able to experience it.

Sara was in Scotch Plains NJ last night (December 3rd)at Evangel Church and Dan and I were there. For those of you who go to concerts, you know how expensive it can get. The tickets for this concert were free. The concert was in a very comfortable (I don't think there were any bad seats) church sanctuary. It was a very intimate concert. Sara keeps her whole family involved too. Her hubby, Troy or "Mr. Sara Groves" as he called himself, introduced her and did all the "extra" sounds and noises for the songs. (If you've heard "Toy Packaging" you know there is some hammering and an electric screwdriver.) Her younger son, Toby, spoke during one of the songs, "It's True" (it is on her Christmas "O Holy Night" cd) and older son, Kirby, came on stage and shared his experience of visiting Rwanda with his parents over the summer and meeting his sponsored child. Their youngest daughter sat in the audience and was well-behaved. During intermission, the three kids were playing hide-and-seek in the pews and hid in our pew. I momentarily wished that we had brought Danielle because she would have joined right in on the fun. There were a lot of families and it was very kid friendly.

The concert started at 8 pm and the church's worship team performed some songs to warm up the audience. Sara was soon out with her band in their matching argyl sweater vests. I jokingly told Dan that I would be sure to get him one for Christmas this year. She mostly sang songs from her Christmas cd, but did sing some songs off of her newest "Fireflies and Songs" cd too.

So many moments within the concert that I want to comment on, but it is hard to choose one. I just felt how authentic Sara is with her life and her beliefs. She and her family are supporting Food for the Hungry and had information packets on children from the Rwandan village for people to sponsor. Sara reminded us that Christmas is about Jesus and I know I was grateful for the opportunity to sit and reflect on that. Too often in the past, Christmas has become all about shopping for me. I have been making a conscious effort to keep the focus of Christmas on Jesus and to be an example for my children.

I thank God that Dan and I had the opportunity to take a week day night and drive about an hour to the concert. It was a late night for us, we got home after 11, but it refreshed my soul and strengthened my resolve to truly celebrate Christmas this year.

One of the most interesting aspects of the concert for me didn't involve Sara directly. We sat on the side of the church behind the hearing impaired section. There were two women who each took turns signing the whole concert. At times I found myself fascinated by the signing. It was beautiful. I was really touched by it and especially appreciated the sign for angels singing. I feel as though I experienced an added dimension to a musical concert that I had never had. Seriously, words seem inadequate to describe the beauty. I was in awe and captivated.

Check out "I Saw What I Saw"

Also, for a lighter song, check out "Setting Up the Pins"

Hoping that you too can celebrate the true meaning of Christmas this year with your friends & family. If you attended the concert, please add your comments, I barely scratched the surface with my comments.

Christy