onehundredhours - engagehivaids

Passion 07, Britannia Stadium, Stoke on Trent

There are few things finer than a summer evening. Add in a great crowd, a lovely vibe, and one of the planet's legitimately great bands, and you've got a cracking night on your hands. Standing at the back of the crowd as the D: boys turned it up and turned us all to Heaven, with my girl by my side, I felt incredibly alive.

Which is quite interesting considering how tired I was... I and the rest of Onehundredhours had just come out of the studio after almost 30 days of non stop recording to play at the Passion '07 event in
Stoke. And if the tiredness wasn't enough, I was very discouraged after hearing the previous night's news of the G8 summit and the failure of the world's richest nations to keep the promises they made to the world's poor just two summers ago. In fact, I was trying to get more information but was unable to as the 24 hour TV news station I was watching had bumped the reporting on the G8 summit to carry non-
stop coverage of Paris Hilton's return to jail. Sheesh.

So my heart was fairly worn out when we arrived in Stoke. But the sunshine, all of my friends from so many great bands, and the brilliant crowd began to remind me of the Hope that never fails. After our set, I stuck around as I was speaking to the crowd just
before Delirious? took to the stage. For me, one of the best things about these big events is the chance to catch up with all of the members of other bands. Travelling around playing gigs and speaking doesn't make it that easy to stay connected to your friends and a day like today was superb, if only for the many cups of tea and moments of hilarity as we all sat around backstage.

When I finished speaking, I went out into the crowd to watch the good men of Delirious? bring their extraordinary blend of rock n roll, served up with hope and volume, to the gathered crowd. I guess my
tears started during "Majesty," but I hid them pretty well until "History Maker." The many faces of ordinary people like you and me flashing across the screen simply overwhelmed me with faith. By the time Martin, Stu, Tim, Stew and Jon ripped into the chorus of "Our God Reigns," the tiredness and discouragement had fallen away and I was filled with hope, faith and resolve again. Our God does reign,
indeed.

6500 Africans will die in the next 24 hours from a treatable, preventable disease. We can change that in our lifetime. HIV/AIDS is simply not bigger than our God. In fact, neither is poverty, injustice, or despair.

There's still time to change the world.

Delirious? have so often been my soundtrack for that change and I could never thank them enough for the ways that they've given a voice to that ache within me. Long may they remind us all that there is still history to be made.

Wow! What an evening!
 
The first surprise was driving up to P.C.C. What an amazing place (forgive me Lord, but I was a little envious), but 'thank you' Dave and Karen for inviting the 'boys' to Peterborough.
 
This was the one I personally had been looking forward to, not having been able to get to a gig for the past 18 months (more later). I wasn't disappointed.
 
The count down began, the expectation rising, the adrenaline starting to flow. ZERO!
 
Then the sirens and flashing lights.
 
Being someone old enough to have lived through air raids, the sound being a warning, and so it was, telling people there that this evening could affect your life for ever.
 
Still the expectation rises. Then out of the mist come the 'boys' straight into the first song - "Here I am send me". More adrenaline as we hear Stu G's voice.
 
Viv and I look at each other, grinning like cheshire cats. Yes, that's our 'boy' singing and we are filled with ...yes, just a little pride...and with the others, Martin, Tim, Jon, Stew - they have all become our 'boys' as we have watched them grow and develop into Delirious? and seen them stick to their guns when it comes to getting God's message over.
 
And I'm sure that when they play God must have a smile on his face, as well.
 
Then other songs that have become standards - 'Rain Down', 'Solid Rock', and 'Miracle Maker'.
 
Just before 'Miracle Maker', Martin spoke of this time last year being in America and Stu G. receiving my phone call to say that I had to have tests and a biopsy for suspected lymphoma. That evening at their gig, Stu G. lit a candle and played 'Miracle Maker' for me as a prayer. That moment will stay with me forever as it was recorded on film and sent to me. The tests proved positive, but from that moment I knew that this was just a temporary set back and that God was in control.
 
Tonight, I'm here with the help of the Miracle Maker, having had a CT scan knowing that all the cancer has gone!! So as I listen tonight, the memories come flooding back, the tears flow and God gets all the glory.
 
As the boys carried on with other songs - 'I Could Sing of Your Love Forever', 'Majesty', 'Paint the Town Red', 'History Maker', 'Investigate' - God showed up. He moved amongst us. He touched peoples' lives.
 
So the warning sirens were right. Yes, lives were changed.
 
Good on you, Boys!
 
You're special!



 

Cherish conference, ALC, Bradford.

Now, we have done a lot of things in the past 15 years. Radio One road shows, Big Breakfast, Stadiums around the world, Small Churches, Big American churches with escalators in the lobby, but... In all those years we have never played at a 'Women's Conference', welcome Cherish and Bradford into our world.

We didn't really know what to expect apart from Abundant church would look after us like no other. We have made great friends with these guys and girls
and we absolutely love them, great people with love running through there veins.

Our job for the 2 days that we were there was to deliver 30 minutes of high octane induced worship to 2,000 beautiful women. The very moment that we lit the touch paper the room erupted, what an amazing time we have had. I have had the most amazing time, catching up with old friends and making new ones. We will never be the same, thank you ladies. Stew Smee