Bryan Sirchio & Crosswind Music October 2009 Newsletter

Hi Everyone,

I hope this newsletter finds you doing well!

Before I tell you about my new CD I just want to thank all of you who responded to my last newsletter article about fear and encouragement, etc. Thanks for all your thoughtful comments, and I was touched that so many of you requested the MP3 of the song I wrote for my mother, "In God's Hands." I love hearing from you and it's great to have a bit of conversation going on around these little newsletter articles I'll be sending out now and then. Thanks for taking the time to read what I write. I don't take that for granted at all.

But today my newsletter is primarily to announce the release of my new CD!

Of course that means that this newsletter is going to sound like one big sales pitch, but that's because that's precisely what it is!

But I'll be honest; since I've put my heart and soul into creating this music, and worked really hard to make it as good as possible in every way, and since it's all about trying to help individuals and churches draw closer to God and each other and to make the world more loving and just, and since the music is beautiful and inspiring (in my humble opinion!) and features excellent musicians, and since it cost me lots of time, energy, and money to write, engineer, produce, play, record the songs, mix them, have the project mastered and packaged, then I not only have no trouble "pitching" it to you—I'M DOWNRIGHT THRILLED TO FINALLY BE ABLE TO SELL THIS TO YOU! PLEASE BUY IT IMMEDIATELY!

Hope that didn't sound too desperate, opportunistic, or self-serving…J Yeah okay, it was all three.

But seriously, I want to tell you about this project that I've been working on altogether for almost 5 years now.

Finally!! "Something Beautiful For God:24 Songs for Worship and Group Singing" is now available!

Yeah I know, 5 years is a long time. The CD took about 2 years, but it was over 5 years ago that I began working on the "Something Beautiful For God" Worship Music Package that includes a songbook, 3 music CDs, and a CD of Lyrics in PowerPoint images and PDF files of bulletin inserts for each song. I'm so grateful that this marathon project is completed, and I'm delighted to be able to say that I'm really happy with how everything turned out!

Let me tell you a little about the new CD. This new recording features 24 songs that I've written over the years to be sung by groups of people (Bible studies or small groups, congregations during worship or at retreats, denominational gatherings of various kinds, etc.). I worked hard to try to make this project work both as a resource (an example to church worship bands of what each song is supposed to sound like), and as an album to listen to just for pleasure and encouragement. I think it works well as both, and I look forward to getting feedback from those of you who choose to buy it and give it a listen.

Of course one of the biggest "selling points" of this collection—as with all of my recordings and resources--is that the project shows deep sensitivity and attention to things like inclusive language and theology, social justice, compassion for the poor, respect for creation, the need to move beyond individualism into community, etc.. If you're confused at all why these things are a selling point or why I highlight them, I'll explain all of that in a book I'm currently writing called Progressive Christian Music. More about that in another newsletter!

Below I've copied the "blurb" I put together to describe my new CD and the comprehensive New Worship Music package that I'm now offering. I hope you'll find it interesting and that it's something you'd like to hear and possibly bring to your church.

But if you know you'd just like to purchase only the CD, then you don't have to read any further unless you'd like to. The CD alone is $15 plus $1.99 shipping/handling.

This new CD and package are so brand new that they are not yet up on my website. My web designer is working on this.It should be ready by about Nov. 1 2009.

For now, If you'd like my new CD or any other items in the worship music package, please just e-mail me your order or call my toll free line 1-800-735-0850.

I'll get your CD right in the first class mail to you. I'll either send you an invoice, and you can pay with a personal check, or if you'd like to use a credit card just call my toll free line and we can handle that over the phone.

Thanks again for reading this far, and before I paste "the blurb" I mentioned that will tell you more about the overall package deal I'm offering, I just want to thank you once again for reading my newsletters, for listening to my music, and for sharing it with others. I appreciate your support more than I can ever begin to adequately express! Thanks from the bottom of my heart…

Bryan

October, 2009

Have you heard about my new worship music package?

"Something Beautiful For God: 24 Songs for Worship and Group Singing" is now available!

A $75 value for only $59.00!

The package includes the following 4 items:

The "Something Beautiful For God" Songbook (piano & guitar arrangements)

Fully Produced CD of all 24 songs

Accompaniment Tracks CD (music without the vocals)

CD with Lyrics in PowerPoint, Word docs and PDF Files of bulletin insert size melody line and lyrics.

1. The "Something Beautiful For God Songbook (24 songs for worship and group singing with theology that "fits" mainline churches—the songbook has piano arrangements for each song, guitar lead sheets and chord diagrams, and comes with a CD that has the piano and acoustic guitar accompaniment without the vocals on it for each song). This songbook enables churches that don't have a "worship band" to use the songs with just an organ, piano, and/or guitar. This is a great initial step from traditional music to more contemporary sounding songs without blowing people away with a full band if a congregation isn't ready for that or interested in going in that direction. Comes with complete copyright permission to copy in any way desirable for ministry purposes, and complete permission to use the songs in worship without further registration or record keeping requirements. ($38 by itself)

2. A CD I've just this week finished (been working on it for 2 years!) that has all 24 songs from the songbook fully produced the way I would do them with a worship band in church. This way you can hear what they're supposed to sound like, and band members can get some ideas for their parts and the groove of the song.Plus, it's a great listen as an album on it's own.($15 by itself)

3. A CD I've also just released this week that has the full band music for each song on it without the vocals for churches that might want to sing along with the CD by running the CD through their sound system. Great for churches that want a more "rock" sounding worship at times but that don't have musicians to play the songs. ($12 by itself)

4. A CD that has each song in PowerPoint for churches that have big screens and are projecting lyrics. The lyrics are also in Word Documents so that the lyrics can be printed in other formats or for other purposes. This CD also includes PDF files of bulletin insert size lead sheets (the music and lyrics) for each song so that the notation can be included in the bulletins. This makes it much easier for the congregations to learn some of the songs—at least for those who can read musical notation. ($10 by itself)

The total value of each individual item in this package is $75, but anyone who buys the whole package will receive it for $59.00 plus $6.00 shipping/handling. It's a great deal if I do say so myself, and I'm really excited to offer this to churches that are looking for a comprehensive source of new songs for worship with theology that's inclusive, encouraging, justice loving, and that works in both mainline Protestant and Roman Catholic churches.

So give me a call or e-mail me again if you're interested in ordering this package, or any of the individual items from it. If you already have my songbook, I'll gladly mail you the other items in the package for $21 plus postage. Within the next couple of weeks you'll be able to order all of this on my website also (www.bryansirchio.com).

Grace and Peace, and I hope this music is a blessing to you and your congregation,

Bryan Sirchio

Crosswind Music

PROGRESSIVE CHRISTIAN MUSIC

SINGER / SONGWRITER

Bryan Sirchio & Crosswind Music October 2009 Newsletter