We had a sort of reunion last Sunday.  It was great to have River’s Oaks very first drummer, Phil Hoover play with the worship team.  Phil and Joy Hoover faithfully served at ROCC for many, many,… years.  They now live in the New Orleans area, but were back visiting during the Christmas season.  What a wonderful family.  Phil and I were able to hook up for lunch to talk about paradiddles, life and stuff like that!  Read more →

I’m writing this at 11:00 am, Christmas Eve (day).  I’ve still got to program lights and look at the backgrounds for our video screens for tonight’s services.  I also have to go through the River Oaks storage shed and find “the manger”!

Musically tonight, it’s a “carol-fest”!  Be ready to sing.  Laura Darnell will be singing my favorite Christmas song, “Labor of Love (written by Andrew Peterson). It’s such a well written song, it amazes me.  Read more →

So happy that my blog is up and running.  Thanks to those who made it possible (and you know who you are!).  It will be fun to see how this develops over the next few months.  I look forward to hearing from you!  I will do my best to keep you updated on the music we use (and sing) at River Oaks.  I will also share some of the thoughts that go into putting our worship services together.  Also, I hope to share what’s going on with me (musically, spiritually, homelife,..…).  As stated in the title of one of Charlie Parker’s great songs:  “Now’s the Time”!

December 20th will be our “Christmas Sunday” here at River Oaks (three services: 8:30, 10:00 & 11:30 am).  This year’s services are based around the theme of “Hope Now”.  Being that we are a church in an area where the economical climate has been brutal, what could be a better theme for Christmas than “hope”.

I’m writing this two days before the actual Sunday, so hopefully this is what happens! Read more →