Brad McConahay

Some quick highlights of Deb’s Gatlinburg 2009 trip with Sheri and Judy, taken by Debbi with the Flip camera.

When we got Holly, she arrived with a sweater. A Freddy Kruger sweater. We would never think of putting clothes on a dog, so we put it away. Four years later, we accidentally found it and thought we’d see if she liked it. She didn’t.

My boss and friend of 14 years, Randy Weeks, was recently spotted performing his new song “Invitation.”  It’s a heartfelt composition, partly inspired by the work of A Small Group, that encompasses the idea of local community and how we connect – a concept that he and our company have been focused on for a long time.  Here’s a video of him performing it at Ray Ash’s home.

And here’s an audio version with full instrumentation, recorded with Ric Hordinski who’s done production work with the likes of Peter Frampton, Phil Keaggy, and David Wilcox.

Invitation

This is the Invitation
To a new conversation
Of depth over speed
Of gift over need
A new Listening

The structure of how we gather
Speaks of what really matters
Telling a new
Story of Who
We are to each other

This is the Invitation
Community’s Restoration
By just showing up
We’re gifted enough
To birth a new world

And though we don’t know what it will look like
We’re feeling that world’s alive
Like it’s ready to bloom
Here in this room
The seeds in each life.

So community’s new frontier
Is finding all that we need right here
To weave a rich local life
Into  a tapestry lined
With the connections we share.

This is the invitation
To join a celebration
Of Neighbors and friends
Connecting again
Creating the new…

Neighbors and friends
Connecting again
Creating the new.

My neighbors and friends
I’m glad to come in
And be here
With you.

© 2009 Randy Weeks