Stopping In To Say...

Beginning tomorrow, March 3, this blog will be at http://traviscottrell.com/. Please change your RSS feeds. And come see our new home tomorrow!

Woo hoo! Can't wait!

Living Proof Live Rapid City, SD

Living Proof Live - Rapid City from Rich Kalonick on Vimeo.

Peace Out

This video is wrought with irony.

Peace Out from Travis Cottrell on Vimeo.

Sibling peace. A work in progress.

A Quick Message To Women's Ministry Leaders

This is really late notice. But I feel compelled to let you know about an event that is happening next week. It's the 2010 Notional Women's Leadership Forum. This is a training event for women who are in ministry leadership positions of any kind. It doesn't matter if you have 5 or 500 women in your ministry. If God has called you to facilitate ministry for women, this event will be AMAZING for you.

The event is next week, November 9-11, 2010 at Ridgecrest Conference Center in Ridgecrest, NC. My team and I will be leading the worship all three days. Beth Moore, as well as her daughter Melissa and son-in-law Curtis Jones will be speaking. There will be breakouts of all kinds, where you can focus your learning to fit your specific needs.

I really should have blogged about this sooner. I'm sorry I didn't. But if it's not too late, and this conference fits you, I hope you will make every effort to attend. You can find all of the information you need here.

Anybody out there already coming?

Any Given Tuesday

I love Tuesdays. On Tuesdays at about 4:00, my two youngest kids come to my office. They both have piano lessons at the church - one at 4 and one at 4:30. While Lily is in her lesson, Levi and I have fun time together (when he was 2 or 3, he called it "boyish" time. I still love to call it that). Then when Levi has his lesson, Lily and I have great Daddy/Daughter time.

These times almost always involve a golf cart and a Dr. Pepper.







Good grief. I love these little people.

Living Proof Live Spokane, WA

LPL - Spokane WA from Rich Kalonick on Vimeo.

This Week at Englewood

Can't wait for this Sunday!

Sunday morning's worship -
When Jesus Lifts The Load
All The Earth WIll Sing Your Praises
Our God
Hold Us Together
Message - Greater Things: Relationships That Matter (John 13:33-35)

Sunday evening's worship -
Forever
When I Think About The Lord
Jesus Is The Lord
A Mighty Fortress Is Our God
Message - Dr. Greg Thornbury - The Reformation

Carnegie Hall

I have been putting off blogging about Carnegie Hall for a week now. The whole experience is still simmering in my head and heart. And I'm certain my words and descriptions won't do the experience justice.

From beginning to end, the whole trip was nothing short of spectacular. I'm so beyond grateful to have been given this experience. And let's be clear: this is not how I roll. I don't jet up and sing at Carnegie Hall just any old time. Why I was allowed to, I don't know. Imagine Jethro Clampett being invited to speak at Harvard graduation. Bingo. You got the picture.

But I had SO MUCH FUN. The orchestra played exquisitely. The choir sang...well, they sang every way; powerfully, passionately, tenderly, beautifully. You all know how much of a choir lover I am. I wanted to turn around and watch them the whole night. But I restrained myself. Mostly.

And, Melinda Doolittle? World class, amazing singer. Humble and warm-hearted. Set apart.

We arrived the night before. Pictured below are my friends Daniel and Christy Semsen (they came all the way from L.A. for the concert. Daniel composed and orchestrated the overture, as well as wrote many of the choir charts for the concert.), my intern Bradford and my assistant Kimberly. We were ready for the adventure.


Some pictures of rehearsal:





And after rehearsal, we ate what I'm sure most people eat a couple of hours before singing there:


There's nothing natural about walking down the street and seeing this:


So we had to bring some reality to it:




Ready for the big night:


We are both sneaker kind of people. But we were both a little bit in pride over our shiny shoes.


Speaking of sneakers, Daniel called me 20 minutes before the concert to tell me he opened his shoe box to find this:


So, Nikes at Carnegie it is. Love it.


About 15 minutes before the show, a security guard brought a card to my door. As soon as I saw the handwriting on the envelope, I knew who it was from.


It was my mentor and "worship daddy," Dick Hill. He surprised me and came all the way from Houston to see the concert!


It was by far one of the most heart-warming surprises of my life. He is the best.

It was a beautiful night.




After the concert, we went on a boat ride on the New York Harbor with the whole choir - all 220 of them. It was a blast. And we had some amazing views.




Melinda and I got to drive the boat. Or at least look like we were.


Uh, yeah. Travis, Captain Stubing called. He wants his hat back.

This is what artists, assistants and interns look like after a day like that day:




We were happy. Exhausted, but happy. It was a moment in time I will never forget, and a moment for which I am very grateful.

This Week at Englewood

Sunday morning's worship -

Come Lord Jesus
My Savior Lives
Be Thou My Vision
God of This City
Message - Greater Things in Worship (Eze. 37:1-14)

Sunday night - Great Things Harvest Celebration (I may or may not be present at some point in a dunking booth.)

This Week At Englewood

Since I'm gone this weekend, my good friend David Moffitt will be leading worship at Englewood. What a privilege for us to have him with us! David is my long-time friend. We traveled together in college, like 3 years ago. Give or take a decade or two.

I've had the privilege of writing scores of songs with David...Jesus Saves, Your Word Is Life To Me, Alive Forever Amen (along with Sue C. Smith), and You Changed My Name, to name a few. I'm so glad my church family will get to meet him this Sunday.

Sunday morning's worship -
Alive Forever Amen
To Our God
Blood of Jesus Be My All
Fountain of Life
Just As I Am (Response / Invitation)
Message - The Road Less Traveled: Submission (Eph. 5:21)

Sunday night's worship -
Come, Lord Jesus
Sing to the King
How Great Is Our God
Hunger and Thirst
Message - Journey With Paul

I hope you have a great weekend.