What songs are you ministering to for Christmas?

Now that Thanksgiving 2009 is behind us, we can talk about Christmas!

We're curious: What are some of the songs (or scriptures or readings) that people are planning to minister for the upcoming Christmas 2009 holiday celebrations? Email your selections to us as: HisHemPraise@yahoo.com

Last year, in December 2008, we ministered as part of a newly-founded Community Praise Dance group — representing about a dozen praise dance-ministers from about six area churches — for a special Christmas benefit concert. [The group was organized by Jasmine Robinson, founder of the Leaps of Faith dance school in southwest Michigan.]

We ministered to "Don't Forget the Baby (Jesus)," sung by Nakita Clegg-Fox. Click here to sample the song.

Learn the war of 'dance' at Augusta, Ga., seminar

Learn how praise and worship dance can be a spiritual weapon at this Saturday's (Nov. 28, 2009) "The Weapon of Dance Seminarshop" in Augusta, Ga. The workshop hostess is Prophetess Ebony Thomas of Passion Ministries International.

Jocelyn Richard, founder of The Praise Dance and the Worship Dance Institute, will present at Saturday's seminar. The seminar is also moving to Philadelphia, on Dec. 12, 2009, and to Newark, N.J., on Jan. 16, 2010; and New York City, Jan. 30, 2010.

Online registration is $25; at the door, $30.

For more details, call 912.245.3683, or visit www.weaponofdance.webs.com.

(Read about other praise dance and worship arts events by clicking here.)

Don't forget the colors, garments for Christmas

Many of us are probably still perfecting or putting the finishing touches on dances or deciding what props we will use to help us minister for the upcoming Christmas holidays.

Let's not forget to spend some time in selecting, modifying or enhancing our garments and props to make a worthy presentation.

Jocelyn Richard, creator and founder of The Praise Dance Life praise dance ministry, shares with us about colors for our garments and a wonderful place she's found to buy sometimes significantly discounted items!

Click here to read more.

'I am grateful . . . '

The upcoming Thanksgiving 2009 holidays has me thinking of one of my favorite songs: Hezekiah Walker's "Grateful."
I am so grateful — so thankful — for all that God has done for me, for my family, for my church and church family, for my community; for the revelations He is trusting me to begin to see; for the Hope that He Is and promises for this world . . .
Let us take the next seven days to each day reflect and meditate on a single item to thank and bless God for what He is and for what He has done for us. As 1 Thessalonians 5:18 reminds us: "Give thanks in everything, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."
Just like we remind ourselves at Christmas, let's remember to keep the 'Christ' in this day of 'thanks,' also.

Smokie, Take 6, in Chicago's 'Joy of Christmas'

If you're in the Chicago area this Friday night — at 8 p.m. Nov. 20, 2009 — you might be able to catch gospel recording artists Smokie Norful and Take 6 in the annual "The Joy of Christmas" concert hosted by Apostolic Church of God.

The concert is taped for broadcast in the greater Chicago area during the Christmas holidays.

Admission is free, AND it's strongly encouraged that you arrive way ahead of 8 p.m. to ensure you get in to the church for the taping! Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Friday at the church, at 6320 Dorchester Ave., in Chicago.

For more details, contact Apostolic Church of God at 773.667.1500.

Dates set for 'Equipping the Saints' 2010!

Worship arts ministers!

Please note that the calendar dates for "Equipping the Saints 2010" have been set: Sept. 9 to 12, 2010, back at the Doubletree St. Louis Hotel at Westport! The theme is "Marantha," according to Paneh Praise founder Lakita Humber. That, she explains, means: "Come, Lord Jesus!"

Sis. Lakita has also issued a pre-registration challenge: If 100 people pre-register by Dec. 31, 2009, then all the pre-registrants earn an 'Equipping The Saints' 2010 T-shirt at the conference!

So, let us mark our calendars, and as she is so wisely teaching and sharing with us on her blog and in her "Carnival of Praise Dance" posts, let us start to save and plan for this conference!