Happy Thanksgiving!

We're relaxing in Washington, DC, where my nephew made this swell bird.

Inside was a chocolate egg. Inside the egg was a plastic yoke. Inside the yoke was a dragon. Who knew a turkey could give birth to such a thing?

Back at Carnegie Hall

I was back at Carnegie Hall for the third time in as many months. This time it was to hear another MasterWorks (MasterWorksFestival.org) intructor, Dag Eriksen with the Bergen Symphony. They came over from Norway for a US tour.

The NY Times review didn't mention that the audience called the conductor back nine times after the final piece on the program. That included two encores. It was thrilling.

In All Circumstances

How can we truly have grateful hearts at Thanksgiving with the bad choices people make all around us? Join us at 7pm the night before Thanksgiving, Wednesday, November 21, at Westchester Chapel for "In All Circumstances," a sketch based on portions of The Hiding Place by Corrie ten Boom. Corrie, her sister, Betsie, and their father built a false wall into their home in Haarlem, the Netherlands, to hide Jewish people during the Holocaust. The ten Booms were turned in and the sisters joined 1400 women in the quarters of Ravensbruck, a concentration camp built to hold 400. Experience the hope that helped them thank God in all circumstances. Out of the sketch Joyce Swingle will preach and Dom Crincoli will lead worship. Join us in giving thanks.

Directions by car: WestchesterChapel.org
Public Transportation from NYC: RichDrama.com/WCCC/NYC

Amazing Grace on DVD today

Ken Wales joined us at MasterWorks last summer (click here for the post). Ken recently was used as the centerpiece on an article on a very encouraging article, Faith on Film in Charisma. Starting today the DVD of his film Amazing Grace is available on DVD.

Amazing Grace, DVD Amazing Grace, from acclaimed director, Michael Apted, tells the inspiring story of how one man's passion and perseverance changed the world. Based on the true-life story of William Wilberforce (Gruffudd), a leader of the British abolition movement, the film chronicles his epic struggle to pass a law to end the slave trade in the late 18th century. Along the way, Wilberforce meets intense opposition from members of Parliament who feel the slave trade is tied to the stability of the British Empire. Several friends, including Wilberforce's minister, John Newton (Finney), a reformed slave ship captain who penned the beloved hymn Amazing Grace, urge him to see the cause through. Rated PG. Approx. 111 Minutes. DVD Special Features: Widescreen, Closed Captioned English, Spanish and French Subtitles Audio Commentary with Director Michael Apted and Ioan Gruffudd How Sweet the Sound: The Story of Amazing Grace - Documentary Finding Freedom Interactive Discussion Tools and Study Guides Music video of Grammy Nominee Chris Tomlin's version of Amazing Grace

Waiting for my Fingers

Mac Nelson, who was best man at our wedding, just published a book, Waiting for My Fingers: One Man's Reflection on Sin, Suffering, Healing and Victory. Joyce and I are both mentioned in this amazing story, and some of you were even praying for him through one of my blogs (SwinglePrayer) before, during and after his surgery. What began in the hospital was brought to completion in a very dramatic fashion.

You'll also love Mac's other book, Memoirs of a Hollywood Adventure.

Word of Promise

Last summer at MasterWorks John Kirby spoke about how he coached Jim Caviezel and many other actors on the Word of Promise project. He played an excerpt, which was so compelling. It's now available...

The Word of Promise The Word of Promise New Testament Audio Bible uses Dramatic Audio Theater to deliver the entire New Testament in a new and exciting way, complete with music and sound effects. Jim Caviezel (The Passion of the Christ) leads this star-studded cast in a compelling presentation of the New King James Version New Testament. This multi-voiced audio drama is directed by actor, writer, producer and president of the award-winning Cerny/American Creative Studios, JoBe Cerny. It features an original music score written by award-winning Italian composer, Stefano Mainetti and state-of-the-art sound effects. 25 Hours on 20 CDs in a zippered case. Special Features and Cast List: Jim Caviezel as Jesus Terence Stamp as the voice of God Micheal York as the Narrator Academy Award winner Richard Dreyfuss as Moses Academy Award winner Marisa Tomei as Mary Magdalene Golden Globe winner Stacy Keach as Paul Academy Award and Golden Globe winner Lou Gossett, Jr. as John Kimberly Williams-Paisley as Mary, Mother of Jesus Golden Globe and Tony Award nominee Lou Diamond Phillips as Mark Luke Perry As Judas and Steven John Heard as Matthew Chris McDonald as Luke John Schneider as James Ernie Hudson as Peter Stefano Mainetti as Composer & Orchestral Contributions by Dove Award winners Michael W. Smith and Rebecca St. James, are also featured Coproduced by Jim Caviezel and New York Times best-selling author and broadcast journalist, Raymond Arroyo Directed by actor, writer, producer and president of the award-winning Cerny/American Creative Studios, JoBe Cerny Bonus DVD showing scenes from the actors' recording sessions

Welch Revival

I just rediscovered an article on the Welch Revival. It broke out on October 31, 1904. Christianit Today reported that "crime levels plummeted and courts were closed because there were no cases to hear; families were reunited and marriages were restored; epidemic levels of drunkenness and violence in towns were dramatically reduced; prayer meetings broke out on street corners, in mines, in police stations and on rugby pitches; and more than 100,000 people became Christians within a year."

Lord, bring more of that!

Here's the whole article: http://www.christiantoday.com/news/miss/181.htm