News for May 2011

Many Thanks and Welcomes

Hey folks checking out this site for the first time, welcome.  If we met yesterday at the festival of homiletics you may be wondering about the music we sang and my vocation.

For reference, here’s the bulletin:

FoH Bulletin

The first song, Holy Ground, is one I learned a few years ago.  I don’t know the history, but I know it’s simple, accessible and a wonderful way to start worship.

Christ is Coming is by my friend Richard.  Richard is an ecumenical liturgical mastermind.  I’ve had the privilege of getting to know him better over the last year and love his work with his wife Trish as River’s Voice.  You can here Trish sing this song here:  http://www.worldmaking.net/christ-is-coming.php,  and while you’re there explore a bit, load up on resources and book them to come to your congregation.

After those songs the rest is by yours truly.  The Psalm arrangement was written for the event and is mentioned in my last post.  The remaining songs are off my album, “Becoming Liturgy

With me leading were some of the Lutheran Church’s finest musicians.  I’ve known Jonathan and Rachel and Lowell since about 1997.  These are the folks that play the big National Youth Gatherings on the main stage for 20,000 youth.  I’ve played in their bands and they’ve backed me up before and I was really thrilled that they were able to join in.  Honored and grateful too.

Book them and check out their resources here: www.jonathanrundman.com and www.rachelkurtz.com.  Lowell is serving as Sr. Pastor at Reformation Lutheran Church in Wichita KS and is the drummer in the band Echelon.

So there’s a bit about the who and what of the service.

Before the service we were singing songs from my newest release, Reform Follows Function.  I’m pleased as punch with this album and was even more pleased when I sold 3o copies of it yesterday!

And that’s my job.  I go around and do concerts at churches and other listening environments, I lead worship services, I do workshops/guided conversations with other church musicians around the topic of ‘homegrown music’ and I try to do this often enough to pay for groceries, medical insurance and Vanagon repairs.

You can be part of this wonderful vocation!  Call me (612.269.9023), e-mail me (nate@natehouge.com) , friend me on facebook, and book me for an event!

I love the work and the money needs me.

Peace. Nate.

Posted: May 20th, 2011
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Psalm 31 arrangement for guitar and voice

This Thursday I’ll be leading a worship service with my wife Jodi, and Karoline Lewis at the Festival of Homiletics.  We’ll be using the lectionary texts for this coming Sunday (John 14:1-14).  I came up with this arrangement for Psalm 31:1-5, 15-16.  The antiphon is based on verse 16 and the verses are paraphrased, two bible verses per cantored verse.  I figure I’ve got enough churchy types reading this blog that perhaps you’d like to use it.  Or sing it at home.

Here’s the leadsheet:

Psalm 31

And here’s a bulletin insert of the antiphon.  Hmmm… It doesn’t seem to want to let me upload a .tif

Well, if you want the insert e-mail me (nate at natehouge dot com) and I’ll send you the attachment.

Party on folks.

Posted: May 16th, 2011
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On Gates Complex and Wild

I preached tonight on John 10:1-10.  Not ’cause I’m a preacher but ’cause I was asked to share about my time in Guatemala.  A few friends wanted to hear it but couldn’t make it so here it is in all of it’s PDF beauty.

On Gates Complex and Wild

There are a few inside jokes that make more sense if you’re a regular at Humble Walk.  And I’m guessing the facts aren’t exact, but they are as I remember them.  If you’re not familiar with ELCA church structure – Synods are big groups of churches sorted by region and anyone coming from Chicago is coming from the main church wide office.

Hope it makes sense.  Hope you enjoy.

And if you’re one to time things (Mary, Marc, and Alicia) it clocked in at 12:38 seconds.

Posted: May 15th, 2011
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Hola.

Two weeks ago I was in Guatemala with a delegation from the St. Paul Area Synod of the ELCA.  I think seeing how things (in this case, church) are done in other cultures gives refreshing new insight and perspective into our own lives, and how we do things (and yes, I’m still talking about church.)  This Sunday I’ll be sharing during the sermon portion of our service at Humble Walk about my experience and some of my insights into church and community.  It might be really boring, but why don’t you come see for yourself?  Humble Walk.  (and with it being an evening service you can still go to your regular a.m. service.  Twofer.)

I’m also stoked to play music with Jason, Erin, and Micah for the month of May at Humble Walk.  The Honest Folk rides again!  We’ll be doing a bunch of stuff from Becoming Liturgy and a Taize song (Raise a Song of Gladness).   And we’ll probably add some stuff from Reform Follows Function during the offering.

Following our Terminal Bar shows I’m switching gears for a whole bunch of churchy stuff.  I’ve Jodi and I were just asked to be the liturgists for one of the services at the Festival of Homiletics next week and I just got invited to join Rachel Kurtz in leading songs and worship at the LaCrosse Area Synod assembly in June.

I’ve updated the tour schedule with those dates and times and a few more as well – check it out and hopefully we’ll connect at a show down the road.

In a less exciting turn of events I had to cancel my appearance at the Wildgoose Festival in NC.  Originally I was curating worship and working with the Wild Gosslings but I had a pile up of little details that made it apparent that this was not the right  time for me and the fam to be trekking halfway across the country.  Hopefully the festival is wildly successful and I can do it in future years.

The sun is shining once again in Minnesota, the worms are digging through our compost, Jodi’s digging through the garden, the girls are riding their bikes, and I’m happy to be alive and thankful for all your support that allows me to do what I do.  See you soon,

Adios.

Posted: May 10th, 2011
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