So I have been meaning my latest exciting news. As you may or may not know one of my favourite things to do is to write songs. And over the past few of years i have been working on a number of songs. But never really done much with them.

But the plan is that this will soon change! I have recently teamed up with Andy Baker and Resound Media in Sheffield, www.resoundmedia.co.uk. So basically I will be bringing out a new EP in the coming months, as well as hopefully investing some time into doing some concerts etc. My main hope is really to take worship in the form of music outside the church walls a little. We really do box ourselves in a lot at church, and we allow ourselves to believe enough that God can really speak through our music to people outside the 4 walls of Church. I have been really challenged to have a go at this, with nothing in mind other than to glorify God and take the emphasis on church from being about 4 big old walls and religion, to it being about community, fun, and God!

Over the past couple of weeks we have started the arrangement process of a few songs, in the hope to record in a month or so. I will keep you updated with everything…

There was a really excellent atmosphere to the place, everyone was up for everything we did, and I was especially inspired by how willing people were to learn, and grow in their walk with God.

On Saturday night I had quite the traumatic experience however, when I got dressed up as a hoola girl, (Still with my original clothes on, don’t worry!) And was made to do various tasks, against my will. Including the dreaded food game, I hate all games food related! And then was asked to make up a dance routine with my team, for the song ‘Stacey’s mom’, not one I will be introducing at church any time soon. The video of which will probably never be shown anywhere, ever!

Today I lead a session on Worship, with just the Lads. One of my greatest prayers for the church is that we really try a little harder to grasp just how great our God is. Church, in my opinion is far too casual. We don’t get excited; we often offer lame, heartless, small worship just because ‘that’s what we’re supposed to do’. And this just doesn’t seem to match whom our God actually is. Our God is huge, amazing, and has such a heart for us, when I’m pretty sure it should be the other way round!

The God who made the universe, the world, the God who breathes out the stars, the God who speaks and light appears. This is a God we need to get excited about. A God that deserves more than a half raised hand once a week. A God that deserves more than our too often, lame worship.

Yet the most amazing thing is this is a God who makes Himself relevant to us as well. The God who came down, to give sight to the blind, bring life to the dead, and bring the lame to their feet.

One of the guys asked the question, God created everything, even the sun, and there is even stars bigger than the sun. Then he must be bigger than everything he has created, so how does he speak to us?

This kind of baffled me, because I always go straight to Jesus for the answer to a question like this. But so often we dumb down the sacrifice that Jesus made. This is not about a great man coming to earth to help us out. This is about God, who created matter, time and space. Who holds the universe in the palm of his hand, giving everything for us, forfeiting all glory for us, becoming so small, for us.

In the scheme of thing’s a miracle like making a blind man see, is only the start of things, but a God so big we cannot even imagine, becoming a fetus so we could understand, now that is amazing.

These past few weeks have been lovely. After such a great Christmas with Church, Family and friends. I managed to get some good rest the week after Christmas, we popped down to wales for a few days to see the Grandparents, who unfortunately were not able to make it up for Christmas. And then, blessed by the snow got back to work!

There is something special about the new year, even though nothing has changed, just another day gone by. There is a real feeling of a fresh start, new inspiration, so i am really enjoying that.

This week is very exciting actually, i am going to Oxford for the weekend, along with a trip into London on the Saturday, for a bit of an intern reunion. I am so excited about this, I cannot wait to see everyone again, especially those who i haven’t seen since August.

This year I am also starting something very new and exciting with regards to my music and stuff. I will reveal all very shortly!

This, i hope will be the first of many regular updates, I will aim for at least one a week. I am willing for you to hold me to that!

However i have just ordered a new guitar amp! Which i am very excited about, it is a Fender Hot Rod Deluxe, for those of you who have any idea what that means! I can’t wait till it comes! I have had my eye on it for a while, had one last play of it today at Real Time Music, and then ordered it online for over £100 cheaper! Sweet can’t wait.

Now i just need to find a way to shift my old amp. Anyone wanna buy a Marshall AVT 100? excellent condition! Let me know and i will sort you a good deal!

I really need to get on with Christmas shopping. This week i will try and nail it all! Or it will be too late. Anyway, leading at 2 services tomorrow and drumming in the evening. Best get some sleep!

I remember as a child every bonfire night we would go to watch the fireworks at Stand Road, being the busiest firework display in chesterfield parking was always an issue. So we used to park on a housing estate and walk 10 or 15 minutes. Each year there would be one or 2 houses, who would have their Christmas lights up. And every year we would watch them as we walk past, and comment it’s a bit early for that isn’t it, its only just november! Yet this was over 10 years ago now. And it still shocks us, no doubt this problem has been occurring way before i experienced it!

So when will we get over this shock? Maybe we won’t ever. Maybe in the year 2056 when the Coca Cola advert comes on tv at the end of april we will look back saying will be ‘Do you remember back in the day when we used to wait until October to put the Christmas lights out? That was the day.’

Having said all this we do have a strict tradition in my household that Christmas decorations definitely do not come out before December, and rarely before Christmas Eve. And it will continue to stay like that! Consequently i should point out we don’t put them away until September!

But i thought i would give you some lovely news after the acoustic evening the other night, i have put some videos up on YouTube. To see some go on www.youtube.com/gazsimmonds

And also, about a week ago i put a new song up on my Myspace page, called Beyond The Love. This is a song i wrote a few months back, and over the summer have been recording it along with Laura Clayton, Abi Pierce, Harry Soar and Steve Willis, who also used his wonderful gifts in the studio to record it and do an awesome job!

So please do check that out at www.myspace.com/gazsimmonds

For now, i thought i would gift this page with a little video from my YouTube site, Its called Illuminate The Cross, its about a year and a half old but we revamped it a little for the acoustic concert, so i hope you enjoy it.

I will be sure to put more up

Thanks for reading
Gaz