Corey Smith, one of our up and coming music leaders, is in need of a bass player. Below is Corey’s “want ad” and contact info for anyone who is interested.

“What we need: bass player. What we are: western rock band; roots oriented but with sonic depth; think Neil Young, The Rolling Stones, The Band, Superdrag, Fog, Human Beast, Hood, Palace, etc.”

cell (206) 406-1361
Email: corey@liftdesign.org

Easter is full of distraction. For us who are involved with music and production at churches it is an extremely busy season filled with programming, details and a desire and pressure to make sure all our carefully laid plans come off as well as possible. For children is a time that can easily be about bunnies and baskets. For the rest of us it can easily become a brief remembrance of a often told story; a small bump of religious observance along the road of life.

However, what we remember in Good Friday and Easter is the most essential and profound event of all time. It cannot even be contained in human words. The death and resurrection of Jesus, with all it’s implications, should shake and affect us to the very core of our being. Peter said it this way:

“Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory,”
(1Pet 1.8 ESV) (more…)

Our very own Nathan Burke (bassist for MH Worship band, Ex-Nihilo) has a project band called the Out_Circuit with a new CD titled Pierce The Empire With A Sound. For more info and a sample of some tunes check out his virb page here.

Here’s additional info from Buzzgrinder: “Previously working with one-time Lujo artist Chase Barber aka Brahm in his Out_Circuit debut Burn Your Scripts, Boys and again in their side project Night Is Invisible, Nathan has since expanded his collaborative palette to include friends Dustin Kensrue (Thrice), Sean Ingram (Coalesce, The People’s Court), Matt Johnson (Roadside Monument), wife Rachel Burke (Beauty Pill) and more. And if that’s not enough parenthetical nudging for you (oh yeah, artwork by Don Clark), the album was produced [by Jared McFarlane and] mixed by Teppei Teranishi, also of Thrice, which undoubtedly pushes the final product’s quality to unquestionable heights”. (more…)

Here’s Pastor Tim Smith’s talk from the Text and Context Conference a couple weeks ago.

You can download the mp3 by clicking here or just use the one-off player below.

We had a great time last Friday night at the Downtown campus celebrating our first full length album, the Rain City Hymnal, in almost 5 years. I had no idea what to expect as we have not done this kind of event in a long time. It was great to see the room mostly full with more than 400 people coming out to enjoy our music.

We started the evening off with Joe Day and the Northern Conspiracy who played a number of his original tunes ending with his arrangement of the Doxology (featured on the Rain City Hymnal). Brian Eichelberger and Epop played next. I have to admit that I have not seen or heard Brian’s band in awhile as it seems like we are always playing at the same time. His band sounded great and his new version of “Just As I Am” (not on the RCH but maybe some future project…) was epic. My band, Ex Nihilo, went last and we had a great time.

We used to do “concerts” like this from time to time and with a great room like downtown we just may do it again. If you are not in the Seattle area sorry you missed it. Also, to clarify, this is just the Mars Hill Church release of the Rain City Hymnal. We are working on plans to release the album in a more public way and would appreciate your prayer as we wrestle with just how to do so.

Pastor Tim

Looking for something to do in April? Check out the mid-century themed Haven gallery show at The Wonderful Union Gallery in Ballard.

Unbeknownst to many a MH congregant, we have a thrice Grammy nominated design firm in our midst. Brothers Don and Ryan Clark are regular MH attendees who co-found a really successful design firm called Invisible Creature. They have a client list that includes the Foo Fighter, Chris Cornell, Korn and the list goes on and on. Check out the Invisible Creature blog here.

The Clarks have blessed MH with their talents by recently designing the newly released Rain City Hymnal and Pastor Mark’s latest book Vintage Jesus. And if their firm wasn’t enough to keep them busy they also front the hugely successful metal band, Demon Hunter.

I have been acquainted with the Clark bros for over ten years. My old band, Roadside Monument frequently shared the same stage with their band, Training for Utopia (thanks guys, my hearing has never been the same) and back when they lived in Sacramento, Cali they used to help my band set up shows when we were coming through town.I was privileged to write their gallery show bio and I’m really excited to see their new art. Make sure to support the Clarks by checking out their show!

Don’t forget to come to the MH Downtown campus tonight for the free show!

For anyone that has received a defective RCH CD, please read below…. (more…)