AN INVITATION INTO MY STORY

A while back, I announced that my wife and I would be heading out to plant a new church. I’ve been a little quiet on the subject, waiting to get through the holidays before making the unfolding story more public.

 

I’ve spent the time thinking , writing, and dreaming.

One of the things I’ve found is that it’s not the easiest think to distill my thoughts and experiences into sound bytes to help people understand what we are all about. I’d say that it’s really an impossible task. I’ve decided to think of the story of our new church, as just that; a story.

A story is often divided into smaller parts, like chapters in a book. And I think that there’s not a whole lot better stuff in our world than watching a great story unfold (aside from being part of a great story yourself) as the setting is established and the characters are built one page at a time, leading through conflict to climax, and finally resolution.

So I’d like to give you an open invitation to join me in seeing how this particular story unfolds.

This Sunday, January 29th, 2012, I will be speaking at Wildwind Community Church. I have been given the opprotunity to share my story and talk about some of the key themes in my life that have been leading me on this new adventure. You’ve read the introduction already, so consider this Chapter 1.

The service begins at 10:00a.m. at 6020 Corunna Rd. in Flint Township.

If you are considering joining us in this adventure or are simply curious to hear more about what we are going to be doing, I would love to have you join us.  (If you can’t make it, don’t worry. The audio will be available here later in the week.)

P.S. This is my 100th post on The Green Couch. That feels like a neat milestone to me so, WOO HOO!

 

 

 

2012
01/27
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UNLOCKED: AN INTERVIEW WITH LOCAL AUTHOR JEFF LAFERNEY

First, let me say that I am not a big reader of fiction, aside from the occasional graphic novel. But when I ran into one of my old middle school English teachers at a local art fair, I decided to take a chance and pick up one of his books.  I started reading Skeleton Key, by Jeff LaFerney, one afternoon and I found myself sneaking away to steal moments here and there until I finished it the next day. My wife was impressed with my focus since I am usually found reading 5 or 10 various church books and memoirs all at the same time. I found the story compelling and characters interesting. I didn’t want to put it down. When I was done I immediately went to the Kindle store and bought Jeff’s first book, Loving The Rain. He recently signed a deal to re-release his first two books with World Castle Publishing and is hard at work on the third. I’m always glad when I have the chance to share a little space on my blog with great local artists. In this interview, Jeff shares a bit of his story and some of the inspiration behind his work. It is my hope that after taking a glimpse, you’ll find a new companion to spend a few afternoons with during this dreary, Michigan winter.

1.Can you talk a little bit about how your journey from teacher and basketball coach evolved into author of fiction books?

My journey started when I began building a classroom library for my students.  I started reading junior high level award books (like Newberry Awards), assuming they were the best and I would begin to learn to recommend books to my students.  Instead, I read so many books that I didn’t think were very good that I found myself thinking that I could do better.  Eventually that thinking spilled over into adult books, some New York Times best sellers.  I found that several of those were poorly written too.  But I didn’t have a topic, time, or motivation, so the idea of writing just kind of ruminated in my mind.  My son then transferred schools his senior year, resulting in my losing my basketball coaching job.  I’d had a very successful career but was a bit frustrated when I was unable to get another job.  During this frustrating time, I got an idea for a book.  Then my son graduated, and because I wasn’t coaching in the summer and I didn’t have all of his activities, I found that I actually had time on my hands.  Then I was rejected once again for a job and instead of fretting about it, I got motivated.  I had found the three things I needed and Loving the Rain just simply flowed from my mind onto paper.  It was amazing .

2. How would you explain the heart of your books to someone who has never read them?

Clay and Tanner Thomas (father and son) have parapsychological abilities.  I wanted them to be as normal as possible, so I gave a medical reason for their abilities and I made them ordinary people with ordinary lives.  Tanner is a star athlete.  Clay is a college teacher and coach.  Both are genuinely good people.  Clay spends the first book dealing with the consequences of the few times he actually used his powers in an attempt to fend off a criminal.  In the second book, he decides to use his powers for good.  Except for mind-control that they share, they otherwise have completely different abilities, so they need each other and depend upon each other.

3. Where do you find your inspiration to write?

Unbelievably to me, I find that I’m quite creative.  The ideas haven’t been hard to come so far.  I think of things in the most unusual places, at times, but at other times I get ideas while sitting in front of the computer.  I thought of the ending for Loving the Rain while in bed in the middle of the night on a cruise.  I wrote it on a notepad in the dark.   In the morning I could actually read what I wrote.   Sometimes my wife gives me ideas when we’re talking about the book, but usually she isn’t trying.  She just says something that clicks with me, and I get an idea.  Sometimes, I just believe that writing is simply what God wants me to do, and He gives me ideas.

4. The characters in your book do some wrestling with issues of faith. Why do you think it’s important to tell those kinds of stories?

I found that I simply wanted to be true to myself when I wrote the books.  For instance, I don’t swear, so there is no swearing in my books.  I love sports, and I like humor, so I include those things in my writing.  And I’m a Christian, so I can’t but help but write from a worldview that includes God.  If Clay and Tanner are believers, then they should have struggles like all believers have had—struggles like I have had.  I’m proud that I’ve written books that my 8th grade students can read and that my seventy-year-old parents are proud of.  I think it’s good that anyone can read my books and enjoy them without me preaching at them, but the values and faith lessons and real struggles are evident too.

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2012
01/19
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BEST MUSICAL EXPERIENCES OF 2011

In this 3 part series, I will explore some of the best of 2011. These selections are based on things I experienced in 2011, not necessarily things that came out in 2011. Please feel free to discuss my list and what you would add in the comments section.

Kelsey Rottiers and The Rising Tide

If you have been hanging around The Green Couch at all over the last year, the name Kelsey Rottiers might ring a bell. She’s a fantastic singer/songwriter that lives in Grand Rapids (she grew up in my home town of Davison, Michigan). Last March, Kelsey released her debut, self-released full length album entitled Kelsey Rottiers and The Rising Tide. As soon as my wife and I heard her latest work we knew that is was something special. A few months after that initial hearing of the record, I offered to help Kelsey by becoming her booking agent. I was convinced that she has something so special that it was worth pouring time and resources into sharing it with others. I used to handle all of the booking for my old band so it started to come back after a while. In the last half of 2011, Kelsey Rottiers and the Rising Tide has played something like 40 shows. We are playing lots more for 2012 including at least two short tours. It’s been a lot of fun to get behind such a talented musician and person of character.

 

Cheap Girls

This is one of my favorite new bands over the last couple of years, even though I’m pretty uncomfortable wearing their t-shirt in public, especially when I’m scooting around town with my wife and daughter. :) Cheap Girls are old friends from Lansing, Michigan. My old bands used to do shows all the time with their old band. I have known a couple of the guys since they we in middle school and have continued to love them more and more with each release. Cheap Girls’ music has a way of reminding me of all the bands I loved in the early 90′s before I discovered punk rock and thought I was “above” all that “Alternative-and-Grunge-nosense”.  It’s part Replacements, part Dinosaur Jr./Buffalo Tom but a little more punk rock. Great melodies deleivered over a wall of sound. They just signed with Rise Records and their new album that was produces by Tom Gabel from Against Me! comes out in February.

 

The Swellers

Lots of  local music (local to me, anyway) on this list! I hope you are catching the theme that Michigan has some great music to offer! The Swellers are a Flint band that played some of their first shows with my old band South Bay Bessie. They were those kids who had some of the best chops in our little scene when they were 14-15 years old. Now, they have two albums out on Fueled By Ramen and they are the band that reminded me that I still like punk rock! Their latest album, Good For Me, was produced by the legendary (fanboy speaking here) Bill Stevenson from Descendants/ALL. For me, the album explores those people and places from the past that shape us in all the ways that make us who we are. I haven’t seen them play live in years but I don’t really have a good excuse since they have been busy trekking all over the world.

 

What are your favorite musical expereinces of 2011?

2012
01/17
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BEST READING EXPERIENCES OF 2011

In this 3 part series, I will explore some of the best of 2011. These selections are based on things I experienced in 2011, not necessarily things that came out in 2011. Please feel free to discuss my list and what you would add in the comments section.

 Emotionally Healthy Spirituality by Pete Scazerro
This fantastic book tackles the issue of the lack of maturity that can be found in much of Christianity. Scazerro points to the problems of this immaturity and offer the solution of combining contemplative spirituality with emotional health. The book lays our the symptoms of immature Christianity without making the reader feel damned for falling short. Then, it moves on to explain the pathway to an Emotionally Health Spirituality. The solution is described as a journey rather than a list of things to check off to get your life in shape. At the beginning of the year, out entire church went through this book together in small groups. While the book feels very personal it was helpful to read and discuss it as a group. The group setting helped me to articulate my own story and find places where I suffer from emotional and spiritual unhealth. Being surround by gracious, loving people helped make the findings of my self reflection a little easier to swallow. I’d recommend this book to anyone who is curious about Christianity and those who feel stuck. This book can provide a foundation for understanding  many of the short-comings of the church, and provide a grace-filled path that leads to healing and wholeness.
 
The Waiting Place by Eileen Button
At first, I was excited to read this book because the author is married to one of the pastor’s in my church conference and because my mother-in-law was always recommending Eileen Button’s column that was published in the local paper. But as I continued to read story after story of those in-between moments of everyday life that make us who we are, I found myself fully engaged and evaluating my own waiting place. This conversational memoir is filled with beauty, suffering, and a hefty dose of humor. Even though I’ve never met Eileen Button, I felt as if  I was reading the stories of an old friend. Hopefully, with her newspaper column recently coming to an end, we’ll get to hear more from her in the future, preferably in book form.

 

 
The Hunger Games Series by Suzanne Collins
This year, I spent a lot more of my reading time in the realm of fiction. In the past, I’ve fund it difficult to get into fiction and stick it out to the end. Maybe I just wasn’t reading the right books! A few months back, Suzanne Collins’ Hunger Games series maybe me feel a bit like a widow for a week or so as my wife devoured the pages each night. I’ve always thought she was a fast reader so I didn’t put much thought into it and kind of blew off her recommendation that I would enjoy the books. I reminded here I didn’t read fiction and told her I’d consider it for the future in case I got bored. From the moment I opened the first book in the series, I found it hard to put the books down. The story was fast-paced, told as a first person account of a young girl from a poor district in a dystopian society who was chosen to fight to the death against 23 other children for the entertainment of the rich and to gain extra rations for the people in her district. Filled with themes exploring issues of war, violence, poverty, sacrifice, and redemption it wasn’t hard to see similarities to the ways of the world in Panem and our own world. I’m looking forward to seeing how this story plays out on the silver screen later this year.

2012
01/05
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GREEN COUCH HOUSE CONCERT

Join us Dec. 17th, from 7-9p.m. for an intimate house concert to celebrate the Christmas season and do some good.

This show will take place at the Kotarski’s basement where the real “Green Couch” lives.

Performances from:

Kelsey Rottiers
www.kelseyrottiers.com

Mike Vial
www.mikevial.com

Hannah Fralick
www.hannahfralick.bandcamp.com

$5-$10 donation. We’ll pass a hat or something. Proceeds go directly to artists and Red Thread Movement, an organization focused on helping women who have been freed from lives in the sex-trafficking trade.

Light refreshments will be provided. Feel free to bring your favorite non-alcoholic beverage.

Please R.S.V.P. Space is limited to first 40 people. E-mail for location info.

2011
12/09
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THE ADVENTURE BEGINS…

As you might have heard on Facebook, Twitter, or at Wildwind Church this past Sunday, something big is on the horizon for my family! In July of 2012, we’ll be heading out on our own to start a new church in Flint, Michigan! I realize that Flint has other churches but this project has been on our hearts for years. As long as this has been brewing, the time just never seemed right until now.

We love our city and our neighborhood, and we want to help be a part of bringing something new to life. We don’t have everything figured out yet. We don’t know where we will meet, or who will join us in the effort but we know we have to be faithful to follow the dream that God has given us.

We have been dreaming about creating a community of people who learn to see God active in everything around them. We want to create a space that welcomes transformation and conversation. We want to take the best of what we have been learning at Wildwind Community Church and live it out in our own context . We believe there are people out there who don’t like the idea of church but long to know God. We want to help remove barriers and invite people to experience God wherever they are on their journey. We want to live our lives, much like Jesus did, present to the needs around us. We hope to bring grace, truth, and light with us wherever we go.

July might seem like it’s a long ways away but there is lots of work to be done. In the meantime, we’d appreciate your prayers and would love to hear from you if you think you’d like to be involved! You can keep up with the progress of our journey here at The Green Couch. I’ll still be focusing on Community, Culture, and Conversation but you can count on hearing more about our church-planting adventure from time to time.

Have you ever stepped out into the unknown to follow your dreams? What advice can you offer to help us along on our adventure?

2011
11/29
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LIGHT IN THE CITY: AN INTERVIEW WITH HANNAH FRALICK

I first came across Hannah Fralick during my short time being involved in Flint’s open mic scene. I remember seeing her thumb through a notebook full of songs carefully choosing a few cover songs to play.  Those songs stood out that night, her talent far above the majority of the regulars that showed up on the first Friday of each month to share their talents or try out something new.  The ones who had the most talent were often the most humble, sharing their talent as if they were unaware they had something special to offer our community. Since those days, Hannah has continued to grow as a a performer and as a songwriter. She has become a staple of the musical community in Flint through her work on various projects. And she doesn’t keep her gifts to herself either. She has taken to sharing her talents through teaching piano. Hannah has something special to offer. Ever since hearing her latest e.p. that came out this past January, I knew I wanted to have her share that something special here on The Green Couch. Thanks for taking the time to listen in on our conversation.

1.Tell me a little bit about your journey as a musician. I think I first heard you play at an open mic night in town. And I know you’ve released a couple records of original material and collaborated with some other artists. Can you talk a little bit about the movement from where it all started until now?

I come from a family of musicians, so becoming one myself was imminent. I have four siblings and all of them have musical gifts. In fact, I started performing in the community with my older sister when I was probably about 15. We played our own arrangements of covers and I played guitar while we both sang. Eventually I started performing on my own and switched to mostly originals. I did the coffee shop/open mic rounds for a few years before I started branching out into regular gigs at established venues. I’ve played piano since I was 8 but I found guitar was easier to write songs on and easier to travel with, so although I have more experience with the piano, I don’t use much of it in my songwriting. I have done a lot of collaborating with other musicians, and there was a short time where I had a small band called The Beards and we did a few shows and recorded an EP. For the most part I have remained a solo act, though. I’ve had a lot of support from the Flint community and have performed on behalf of The Flint Folk Music Society, The Creative Alliance, Greater Flint Arts Council, and TEDxFlint, to name a few.

2. You also teach piano, right? Can you talk about how teaching others has influenced you as an artist?

I started teaching piano sort of by default. It wasn’t necessarily something I always wanted to do, or went to school to become (although I did go to college for music), but some close family friends opened a music studio in Fenton. They needed another piano instructor, and I felt that I had enough experience and education to give it a shot. A couple of months later I found myself with thirty students! That was three and a half years ago and it’s been an incredible learning experience since then. Teaching is such a challenging but rewarding profession. It’s given me a chance to put my college education to use and it keeps me on track with my own practicing regimen at home. I think being a songwriter has been a great tool for me to use to help my students get excited about music and be creative with it. I like to have a lot of fun and be goofy during my lessons, but I also have high expectations of my students and take it seriously- which is kind of how I am with myself.

3. What is the best part about teaching someone how to play an instrument?

It’s such an honor when I get the chance to be the first person to introduce someone to the realm of music, at least in a more organized fashion. It’s exciting because I know that even if that student doesn’t stick with the instrument for very long, they will always have that experience to remember and be inspired by. Read more

2011
11/29
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THE GREEN COUCH PRESENTS: MIKE VIAL

Mike Vial stopped by The Green Couch to play a couple songs and we caught it on video! These songs are from his latest e.p. entitled  “Where The Sand Meets The Tide”. In case you missed it, you can read my interview with Mike here.

I hope you enjoy the tunes!

 

2011
11/17
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THE OAK STREET CHRONICLES: NAKED

The Oak Street Chronicles tell the stories of my time in Downtown Flint, learning to live and learning to love.

“How much do we get if we win?”

$500 was a lot of money to a bunch of kids who were trying to figure out how we were going to pay to finish our next record. What’s a few hours of discomfort and being surrounded by nudity?

My drummer had just gotten off the phone with his dad who told us about a gig at a nudist resort. His cover band was playing and he could get us a spot on the show. It was a battle of the bands thing with a big cash prize. We didn’t have to play naked, we just had to show up and do our thing for a half-hour and we’d have a chance to win a bunch of money. Even though it felt icky, at least we’ve have a fun story to tell our kids.

On the way down to the resort we agreed that no one would get naked on stage. It felt too gimmicky. It wasn’t us. Well, it wasn’t most of us. There would be one naked band member but not until after our set. Chances were slim that we’d win the money but at least we would leave with our integrity, right?

The stage and the field were huge. It felt like we were going to be playing at Woodstock but only with a few hundred people in attendance. I set up our merchandise in the back of the van as people were beginning to gather in the field. I’m not sure why we thought we’d be able to sell t-shirts at a nudist resort but people kept coming over to the van to say hi and check out what we had for sale. It didn’t take long to learn the value of eye contact.

Nearby, a father and son were playing catch. Naked. Apart from their baseball caps and mitts, of course. What had we gotten ourselves into? The first band was about to take the stage and I wasn’t surprised when one of the young men dropped his drawers before strapping on his guitar. Amateurs. When they launched into their first song, I felt our chances of winning 500 bucks skyrocket.

The sun was beating down and reflecting off the glistening, white bodies peppered throughout the field. It wasn’t the pretty sight I had imagined. Most of the folks at the show were from the 40+ crowd and in general it seemed that as much as they prided themselves on the beauty of the human body they sure hadn’t taken care of themselves very well. I mean, if I was a nudist, you’d be able to find me at the gym at least 5 days a week.

It was our turn to take the stage and I was getting nervous. I knew we could play but how was I going to connect with this crowd? I was used to playing shows to a rooms filled with fully-clothed teeny-bopper-hipsters not butt-naked-40-something-hippies. I went with my gut. I called out titles and counted off new songs before the final notes of the previous song even had time to resolve. We were tight and continued a blistering pace through the set list.

The crowd seemed to be getting into us. I think they noticed the different level of craftsmanship and professionalism we had brought to the stage compared to the previous bands. It took a lot to rip-off the Ramones and AC/DC but we were hard workers. We finished up our set and I booked over to the van hoping to sell some merch and maybe find a good place to hide for a while.  People were kind. We didn’t move any t-shirts but we went through half a box of CDs. Some people said they would have bought something but they didn’t have any money on them since they didn’t have any pockets.

After we loaded our gear, our bass player de-robed to take part in the authentic experienced of being at a nudist resort. I would have covered my eyes but somehow I was getting used to the place. I think I was being desensitized and was able to look past the nudity. This was the case until a guy who had too much to drink got up and started dancing and shaking his business around in the general direction of the one attractive female at the event. It was all peace, love, and  rock-n-roll until somebody can’t keep their hormones in check. Security came and carted him off saying that this is a “family” resort. I was embarrassed for the girl, and pretty much the rest of humanity as well.

The night was coming to a close as our drummer’s dad and his band took the stage. These guys were pros. They knew how to play to the audience and make the night as amusing as possible for themselves. The audience was cutting loose as the band made their way through a set list of hits from the 60’s and 70’s. The closing number created a scene that will forever be burned into my memory; 300 naked people doing the hand-jive. There was so much jiggling it looked like an earthquake had struck southern Michigan while everyone was just getting out of the shower.

They ended up taking home the  prize. Well, most of it anyway. They handed us an envelope with a 100 bucks inside for making the drive. Classy guys for sure. We piled into the van and made our way north in silence.

I imagined the scene that would get to play out 40-50 years down the road as I sat in my rocking chair in front of the fire surrounded by my family. “Hey, did I ever tell you about the time I performed at a nudist resort?”

 

 

 

 

2011
11/06
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SHIFTING SAND: AN INTERVIEW WITH MIKE VIAL

If you have ever been one to enjoy a good story that involves the main character taking a huge risk, giving up comfort and security, to follow a dream, you’ll find yourself inspired by my friend, Mike Vial. Mike left his job of teaching high school for the last 7 years to have a go at a career in full-time music. He has 3 releases under his belt and has grown with every effort. If you met him at one of his shows, his warm, unassuming attitude wouldn’t give you the impression that he’s such an adventurer. But that’s what he is and that’s what makes his story so compelling to me. A guy, a guitar, and a big heart taking a chance out on his own. Have a seat and listen in to our recent conversation.

You recently left a job as a teacher to pursue music full time. Can you talk a little bit about what was behind that and how the process has been for you?

Great question, Jason! Leaving the schedule of a high school teaching career was a difficult choice, but it was essential to focus and dedicate time to practicing, writing, and working through the music business.

For seven years I felt I could walk two roads and do both well, but there was always a fork in the path; I always had to put the guitar down and give up gigging until summer returned. The number of papers that followed me home and the constant, changing curriculum plans made teaching a 12 hour a day job, taking many hours of my weekends too. I really loved working with the students in the classroom, but if you look at my past gig schedule, you can see where I just stop gigging.

I also think I needed to experience more to become a better teacher. Only working in the classroom started to feel like I was running out of life experience to offer my students. Being an independent musician is like being a small business owner, so if I return to the teaching profession, I’m excited to have a lot more business and travel experience to bring to my classroom.

However, let’s not forget I’m still teaching. I now do private lessons for guitar and really enjoy it.

Over the last few years you have released 3 records. Can you share a little bit about each one of those releases and what your learned from each experience or writing and recording them?

My first EP, Three Men Make a Tiger, is a snapshot of a 25-year-old learning how to be a studio musician for the first time. Marshall Block at Real II Reel Studios helped guide me through that recording process.

“Mahogany” was written in my dorm room and “Intelligent Fool” and “Faster Than Slow” were written my second weekend as a teacher, so you have a young Mike Vial on that record! The chinese proverb of the EP’s title highlights the theme of “Pieces of This World,” but it also hints at the over arching theme of searching, making choices. And who isn’t searching when they are 19, 21, 25? Right? Boy I sure was!

Burning the Boats didn’t feel that different to me until quite a few people told me how it felt like a hearing a new Mike Vial. Bill Keith of the Trinity House told me he could hear the songwriting growth between the two records, and that gave me confidence. Honestly, what I love about that EP is how long I left some of those songs on the shelf before deciding they were strong enough to record. I played Cory Glover part of “Kalamazoo” which I almost never finished, and he told me it was going to be a great song and that it had to make the record.

Plus, working with Dan Achen at Catherine North Studios (before he passed away suddenly) really affect my life. Dan taught me things through his musical direction that I’m still practicing–how to add counter melodies to songs and move beyond a solo acoustic guitar player. He had a great, musical ear.  Some of the best direction he gave me is in Kalamazoo, from the guitar fills to the vocal cadences, and the band production on “Only the Rain Knows Why.”

Where the Sand Meets the Tide is about arrivals and departures. The theme of “transitions” is hiding beneath the love stories, and my career change is obviously inspiring that. One new arrival for me is working with more full band arrangements. Stuart Tucker’s playing drums, David Mosher’s on fiddle and mandolin, Kirk Starkey’s on cello, Hannah’s on backing vocals.

I’m really proud of this little release. Working with moon:and:6 (Michael Chambers) again at Catherine North was like a musical vacation, too. Michael and I became close friends while finishing Burning the Boats, so it just made sense to cross the border again to do the third EP.

Can you share a little bit about how community and/or collaboration has influenced you as a musician? Read more

2011
11/04
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