No idea why I keep doing this, but here's another guitar instrumental!

Fans of one J Beck might appreciate this original composition of mine.

Just uploaded an instrumental which I have called "Grimshaw". For explanation see excerpt from my blog on my www.bernamica.com  website as follows;-

 I have just read an incredible book which was NOT written by a christian author. In fact the author is from my home city of Leeds and he is called Bernard Hare. this book got nominated for I think it was the Booker prize. Anyway it is a true story about some kids who lived in a shed and were surrounded by deep depravity, we are talking prostitution, hardcore drugs, sexual abuse and underage sex as well as glue sniffing and child battering...the story is brilliant and you have to read it as it is funny and dark at the same time.
Brilliantly written and I hope I meet up with the author some day!
It also got my attention due to the Kids Klub voluntary work I do here in the inner city of Leeds - the book is called "urban grimshaw and the shed crew".
So, after having a short break in Spain where I read this book, I decided to write my April guitarist collective task as a theme tune to a film of this book, not that there are plans to film it and not that my tunes would be considered, but anyway, download it from my music section!
Peace,
Graham

I have just uploaded a new tune with the strange title of "the turmoil of the return of the son of the turned cheek, revisited".

Below is a cut/paste from my www.bernamica.com website that is the story of the tune.... well, sort of...

6th March 2008       
More learning.              
You know this "turn the other cheek" lark........? well, this is one of those Jesus sayings that most of us just skim over. I mean, it's just not practical is it? Especially in the violent society that we live in, right?       well....       no, wrong!       
            
I've also been learning about GRACE, something that we read but somehow always seem to not quite grasp.......
So, someone has done me a big injustice, normally I would get very agitated and perhaps seek revenge or at least try to point out to the purpatrator the error of their ways and the injustice of it all..... but......... I seem to be hearing the word G R A C E and I know I need to give this person boatloads of it, I will try.                 
                                          
So the offering of the other cheek business..... hmmmmmmm well up till now I have read that to mean be a pacifist, or be meek, or in 21st century terminology, be a wimp, except that just recently I have caught the odd glimpse of what "turning the other cheek" actually means! and it seems to be linked to GRACE & it is quite hard to do, in fact far from being a wimp, offering the other cheek and showing grace is a mighty powerful thing to do!, again i will try!     
                                                                        
Sorry for going all religious on you, but for all the good works we might do (and some of us go far beyond the call of duty) actually, to God, they don't mean a jot, nada, zilch, nowt......... you see, all that God is interested in, is our heart and to see if it is good, so if we do great and good things but have an attitude or something that we are good at hiding or use our tongues unwisely, or gossip.... then in God's eyes, those good works count for nothing........   which is why showing grace even when we have been wronged and even offering the other cheek is one of Jesus's teachings, once again he taught something that stands the world on its' head! after all, who would turn the other cheek?    
Learn.
Graham                 

I debated about posting this.... it is I think, meant to be funny, but... it touches on one of those issues that people in churches tend not to want to speak about (here in England that is).

Feel free to comment.

Anyway, here goes, it is a letter sent to a TV station after a certain TV programme;-

 "Thank you for doing so much to educate people regarding God's Law. I have learned a great deal from your show, and I try to share that knowledge with as many people as I can. When someone tries to defend the homosexual lifestyle, for example, I simply remind him that Leviticus 18:22 clearly states homosexuality to be an abomination. End of debate.

I do need some advice from you, however, regarding some of the specific laws and how to best follow them.

a) When I burn a bull on the altar as a sacrifice, I know it creates a pleasing odor for the Lord (Lev 1:9). The problem is my neighbors. They claim the odor is not pleasing to them. Should I smite them?

b) I would like to sell my daughter into slavery, as sanctioned in Exodus 21:7. In this day and age, what do you think would be a fair price for her?

c) I know that I am allowed no contact with a woman while she is in her period of menstrual uncleanliness (Lev 15:19-24). The problem is, how do I tell? I have tried asking, but most women take offense.

d) Lev. 25:44 states that I may indeed possess slaves, both male and female, provided they are purchased from neighboring nations. A friend of mine claims that this applies to Mexicans, but not Canadians. Can you clarify? Why can't I own Canadians?

e) I have a neighbor who insists on working on the Sabbath. Exodus 35:2 clearly states he should be put to death. Am I morally obligated to kill him myself?

f) A friend of mine feels that even though eating shellfish is an Abomination (Lev 11:10), it is a lesser abomination than homosexuality. I don't agree. Can you settle this?

g) Lev 21:20 states that I may not approach the altar of God if I have a defect in my sight. I have to admit that I wear reading glasses. Does my vision have to be 20/20, or is there some wiggle room here?

h) Most of my male friends get their hair trimmed, including the hair around their temples, even though this is expressly forbidden by Lev 19:27. How should they die?

i) I know from Lev 11:6-8 that touching the skin of a dead pig makes me unclean, but may I still play football if I wear gloves?

j) My uncle has a farm. He violates Lev 19:19 by planting two different crops in the same field, as does his wife by wearing garments made of two different kinds of thread (cotton/polyester blend). He also tends to curse and blaspheme a lot. Is it really necessary that we go to all the trouble of getting the whole town together to stone them? (Lev 24:10-16) Couldn't we just burn them to death at a private family affair like we do with people who sleep with their in-laws? (Lev. 20:14)

I know you have studied these things extensively, so I am confident you can help.

Thank you again for reminding us that God's word is eternal and unchanging.

Your devoted disciple and adoring fan."

A sort of "ROCK OPERA" style song!! ..... called "Empire Captures"

3 parts to it, 1st is about how empires, both Corporate and Militaristic, capture our imaginations - they tell us how to live and tell us what to aspire to and what to dream!how dare they!

2nd part is about getting a glimpse of "Heaven on Earth"... this keeps happening just lately....

3rd part is the story of someone who subverted the empire of his day (Roman and Jewish trad church).... without violence... in fact his subversion is legendary and no-one else has managed it since! but.... he tells us how!!!

It's an old song that I wrote ages ago, but only got around to recording it, tonight.

New SONG called Circle Around just loaded.

(wrote it and recorded it in 5 hours, very late last night!)

NOT a guitar instrumental for once!

Enjoy!

Graham (Bernamica Gray - www.bernamica.com  & www.myspace.com/bernamicagray )

I have just posted this on our local www.networkleeds.com forum and it occured to me that you guys might benefit/comment/argue....

The following meanders through several short subjects, but eventually the chase is cut!

Leeds has attempted the concept of Churches truly working together. This is evidenced by such works as Kidz Klub Leeds, The Youth Cell network, Leeds faith in Schools, Transform and many other works (apologies to those that I have missed & there are many).

My own small part in this is as a volunteer for Kidz Klub Leeds.

This work is good, has a good history and must continue.

For the most part, this work is centered upon kids and young people, nothing wrong with that as they are our future generations.

Tonight, whilst visiting the doctor, I discovered yet more, of my own ignorance. I am pretty ignorant of things medical and started to think about why I was ignorant and also what to do if I wanted to educate myself on this subject. I also wondered if most people like me had this same level of ignorance.

Tony Blair got it right when he came to power on the back of 3 words, “Education, Education, Education” but he and his party, were hamstrung by their powerlessness in turning policy into reality. You see, politicians need fairly quick results and results need to be measured. That is the way industry and commerce work. They measure things.

But, whilst I am no teacher and have nothing to do with our educational system, I can recognize that there is a world of difference between “results” and “knowledge”. My telecoms background and higher education taught me enough to get all the relevant bits of papers (qualifications) and for a brief time I had knowledge and understanding – enough to pass the exams, but largely that knowledge was not needed for my job and so due to the ebb of time, my higher education became reduced!

I know it appears that I am all over the place subject wise in this essay, but stay with me please.

I have been introduced to a series of talks by a Franciscan Monk called Richard Rohr on the “second half of life”, which I have found very helpful and educational. Not educational with a view to passing exams, but very educational with a view to using this knowledge to make sense of life! Particularly the 2^nd half of life. - Quite a gift actually!

On my travels via Kidz Klub Leeds, I have got to know a lot of kids and have got to know a lot of parents. It astounds me that there is poor understanding on things that I take for granted, by a lot of these people. Simple to me things like “why you should pay car tax” actually even more basic like, “where does the government get their money from?” and “where do the state welfare benefits come from and who actually pays for them?” . I’m not saying that all these people do not know this stuff, but I am saying that there is a large level of ignorance of this stuff.

Just like I am ignorant of medical technicalities (through no fault of my own, except that I dropped chemistry and never had the chance to do biology at school), these people are also ignorant of subjects that the so called middle class find basic, but again, through circumstances their ignorance is not always their own fault.

I’ve written quite a number of words already and still not mentioned Jesus or church, so here is that part! Over the past 10 years or so I have “learned to read”. What I mean by that is that I have started to seriously read books on Christianity, books about Church, how it came to be in the format that it now is and where and what shape it might take in the future. I have read books that centre on the actual teachings of Jesus and on how to read the bible, using contextual exegesis and hermeneutics. I am far from expert, but have increased my education and my own understanding and this has built upon my faith to the extent that I don’t fear entering into public forum debates, yet am still humble enough to know that the more I have learned the less I seem to actually “know”!!!

So here comes the challenge.

Perhaps I have had a small glimpse, some might refer to it as a vision, but I don’t think in such grand terms.

Economics, politics, money, commercial power, celebrity, fashion, consumerism, capitalism and everything else that is based on human power, seems to have no answer to the problems of the so called “Sink Estates”.

Perhaps that’s because they don’t see the human beings that dwell there?

We have had some clues.

Jamie Oliver used his celebrity fame to discover and try to put right the scandal of school meals. He had the spin off that people started to see increased concentration in the children and an improvement in health (not really measureable just yet, but probably right).

Recently there was a short 3 programme series called “last chance kids” which highlighted the poor results in terms of reading and writing and the programme showed what was possible by investing time in teaching these kids on a more personal level.

Then at the other end of the scale, we have millionaires who perhaps for the fun of it, perhaps for the adventure, perhaps for their fame or perhaps because they were genuinely moved, they went on the streets and lived as the homeless do and got a shock and learned about life from a different perspective, for most of them, they agreed that until they took part in that programme, they could never have had that perspective and indeed many of them had extremely the opposite view prior to the experiment.

All of these things are good, they are welcomed and will contribute to improving the society we live in, but more initiatives are required.

I mentioned various kids and youth works at the beginning of this piece and they are all worthwhile, they all contribute and they all work in harmony to improve society and in their cases also to spread the true word of God. But more is needed.

What about these adults that can’t understand why it is important to pay car tax and insurance?

What about educating these people about where their benefits actually come from and why some of us pay basic rate tax and others pay a higher rate of tax?

What about educating (not lecturing and not with a view to taking an exam) these people on the very important subject of parenting?

Do we really believe that when these people (not that many actually) come into our churches, they can comprehend all that is said to them via our time honoured sermons?

Isn’t it time we took Alpha Courses to a new level? – shouldn’t we be teaching these people how to fish?

Instead of lecturing on the abhorents of abortion and promiscuity, shouldn’t we be educating them on Love.

It’s time we took this TO the people (This is the BIG CHALLENGE).

And not just Sink Estates… ditto all the above for the middle classes (add or subtract the odd question/subject matter, but you will still be astounded by ignorance!) What else do we expect when we are told what to believe via an all too powerful media machine? when we are built into the DNA of a culture that worships at the idol of mammon (don’t get me wrong, I have the house and car and stuff… lots of stuff)

I’ve probably missed out loads of possible initiatives, but you get the idea, you now have a glimpse.

Yes, just like the birth of Kidz Klub Leeds and all the other good things we’ve done, all of the above will take time, valuable time, our time, voluntary time (that’s the thing we have that commerce and politics don’t really have) and of course money.

But for now, all I ask is for you to pray about it. Talk about it, discuss the implications the benefits, the heartaches, the misunderstandings that all of this will bring, but…… see the vision, catch the glimpse of doing heaven on earth, the glimpse of bringing the kingdom to Leeds.

To make my glimpse a bit clearer;-

Create volunteer run “schools/classes” on the above type subjects – stress the none exam syllabus – go out and “sell” the idea to the volunteers first and then to the people who need to attend (remember that they don’t know that they need to attend, so the selling process will be long winded and time consuming and you know what, you’ll need to build a relationship!!!– perhaps the classes could actually be in one of the attendees homes? Or perhaps it could be at the local community centre or sports complex? – be creative.

Comments?

Here in Leeds, we have an internet network called Network leeds. see http://www.networkleeds.com and there is a forum where we write and read about all kindsa stuff, not just to do with Leeds (Leeds is a city where churches are attempting to work together....), but it can be about anything re the Christian Life.

During a reacent thread called "recommended books", someone posted a comment about being cynical........

Below is a cut and paste of what I have just posted, NOT to promote my music, NOT to promote my self image, just something that doesn't get preached about much in churches generally and so I thought I'd share it here;-

"I'm afraid to say its when reading that last review I realise ho cynical I have become - sorry. Any suggestions?" ---- William
	Bernamica Gray	25/09/2007, 21:55
William and anyone else still reading.... er, well. By cynical, do you really mean that? or is it that like me and I suspect others who share your view, it's more about "frustration". A wanting to believe it. A craving to "see it for myself, 1st hand, just once" Is it perhaps spending years in a church like mine and yours where there appeared to be 2 sets of people, the demonstrative, loud, always at the front types, the ones that spoke the "crazy" language of tongues. The ones that spoke out interpretations, often interpretations of a tongue that they had just uttered! (is that the way it "should" be done???) The ones who were labelled "prophetic". The ones that saw visions. The ones that dreamt crazy dreams. and.... then the other types who seemingly just watched.... silently..... not actually tut tutting, but perhaps were more confused. Even made sad that their fellow Christians were so much "in touch" and yet I feel nothing types. Up until the last few years I was the one stood watching. Still am actually.... However, my daughters have seen and felt what can only be described as miracles! "So howd ya feel about that then Graham?" asked God! I think now that after reading too many books, after trying to analyse, after praying a lot, after attempting to become one of them, yet seemingly failing! I have realised that actually this stuff DOES happen! it is REAL! it's just that unlike Thomas i haven't been privellaged to put my hand inside the wound. I think it's ok actually to doubt, so long as you don't lose the faith! ???????!!!!!!!!!! I "think" it's about God living outside the space time continuem. It's about you and me living "inside" of space and time restrictions. I think God gives some of us "Glimpses" . Glimpses of miracles, Glimpses of his Kingdom. Glimpses of heaven on earth. Perhaps even Glimpses of him. (can you tell that my next FREE made to give away, Album in mp3 free to download, did I say not for profit? did I mention not for any other agenda than to put my thoughts and walk, to my type of music and NO this entry is not a plug because hardly anyone is reading these days! - is to be called "GLIMPSE") & for good reason, because? Well because I call this time that we are living in the age of the Glimpse. Too many people are reporting things. Too many people are excited. Too many people are seeking to go even deeper having only had a glimpse. It's happening Graham! It's all around me! yet I can't actually see it, can't actually touch it, but it is here now. So, it's ok to be cynical, God understands! Suggestions? I think in my case I had to investigate this because it got too close to home! literally! Rather than position ourselves at the edge of the congregation, as bystanders, as the doubters, lets instead rejoice (that's an old word I don't often use) in the fact that our brothers and sisters are catching these glimpses, let's rub shoulders with them and ask our probing questions, but more importantly let's listen to their experiences! trust them! be glad for them! and keep that little bit of hope alive that one day we too will catch ever such a short "Glimpse!" I say again;- I think it's ok actually to doubt, so long as you don't lose the faith! ???????!!!!!!!!!! Peace be with you brother, (these old sayings that were just sayings, are now coming alive to me!) Graham

Quite a while back now I got my STREAMING AUDIO PLAYER installed on my www.myspace.com/bernamicagray website and it worked a treat.

Unfortunately I couldn't get it to work on my www.bernamica.com website..... UNTIL NOW!

Big THANX to Andy Windsor for helping to sort that out for me!

So yeah, my STREAMING AUDIO PLAYER works on all my websites and that means a BIG THANX to one website called er www.mychristianbands.com Yowzer!

Just uploaded another rock instrumental guitar toooon.

I will now copy paste an extract from my website blog that maybe helps you to understand this tune. (www.bernamica.com)

9th September 2007
A long while ago now, I set up this website and dreamed of releasing music regularly and explaining stuff as and when! it seems now that these dreams have slowly turned into reality without me really knowing it! I love digital technology, the recording, the music equipment and of course the internet oh & b4 I forget my darling daughters bought me an iPod and I love that too! - in fact, the iPod and mp3's seem to have just come alive for me.
Anyway, the point of this months jotting is simply to say that i was really thrilled with my latest guitarist collective offering and called it "complikashunzzz" simply because it seems a complicated type of music in these dull musical times... oo er contentious! but that is how I feel at the moment as nothing seems to excite me like the music from the 70's and 80's and early 90's....
But there was also another reason for using a word-extended word based on
"complication" & it was simply that as i have entered the 2nd half of life and have been listening to 4 x 1 hour long talks by Richard Rohr, that it has dawned on me that during my first half life I would race to a conclusion, more or less like the world and especially business and the media do now, you know, "so mr politician on the issue of x is your answer yes or no????" & in early life I was frustrated at long winded answers, assuming that they just wanted to avoid giving away their true position. However now I can see that avoiding giving away their true position might well be a tactic, but also there are for some subjects no real clear cut yes or no's in fact there are more grey areas now than I ever thought possible!
So......... I am well aware that in the so called bible belt area of America and within the churches that are now labelled "republican right", there is an almost obsessive interest in Homosexuality and Abortion. In my 1st half life days, I would have accepted what these preachers preached and bowed to their superior knowledge of the bible and agreed to their views that these 2 practices are abominations...... there's an however coming.......... however, these days i see things differently and could go on about the different grey areas, but that would take up too much space, let me just say simply though that whilst i might be against the practice of abortion and am very deffinitely against it for lazy birth control, the grey areas kick in when your daughter comes home after being raped and says she just wants a quick abortion right now, well, I'd drive her straight to the clinic. By the way, please don't use the "your turning into a lilly livered liberal" coz I most definitely aren't!. So, this 2nd half life stuff is starting to kick in with me and i have been questioning and learning a lot over these past 10 years and you know what, after i've read countless books, been on dozens of forums and talked and listened for hours in fact days! I have now concluded that i know even less than I thought i knew and life is very complicated - et voila - I present "Complikashunzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz"

Just posted a new Rock Guitar instrumental that fuses with a hip hop beat....

it's called Glimpse part 1

part 2 is completely different!

Just uploaded some new songs (actually they are from my past albums, so maybe they are old songs!

Anyway, stay tooned coz I'm gonna be uploading some more soon!

Graham

I have just finished reading 2 PHILLIP YANCEY books and they inspired the song I have just posted, called Job.

Style of music I have entered as "Rock" but maybe it's Hip Hop....

Peace,

Graham

I have just uploaded an instrumental song that can be used by any of you for Kids Work!

You'll get the idea when you hear it.

(eg - like if you were making a DVD of some of your kids work and wanted an upbeat whacky type theme tune).

Graham

I did think about re-producing an interview I recently did here on this website, but in the interests of saving server space, please pop along to my website;-

 www.bernamica.com and then click on JOTTINGS which is a type of blog. Then you can read one dated 8th June, fresh off the press, well, just now actually!

 Peace,

Graham

I haven't been on here for a while.

I have however noticed that my music has had a steady amount of "plays" and so I just wanna say a big "THANK YOU" to whoever it is that is playing my music!

I will post some more songs soon!

 Thanks again,

Graham

Seeing it's Easter time, I thought I'd release to the waiting world...... my latest guitar instrumental called GOOD FRIDAY.

I would love to meet some Christian film makers who like my kinda stuff....

Peace, love and stuff,

Graham

If this works, I am going to cut and paste below a copy from Moby's journal.

I am not a massive fan of Moby, but like some of his stuff and have respect for him as a musician and a Christian.

Some will say he isn't a Christian and point to him not being a member of a Church... I know however, that he tries his best to live his life according to the teachings of Jesus, so for me, that means he is a Christian (when/if you read his writings in full, you will know he knows Jesus as a friend) - but I grant you that he is alternative and he rants quite a bit when he talks politics and he is not a fan of America's religious right....

I agree with a lot of what he generally says, but not all!

The following is the cut and paste, which I hope you find interesting;-

Since writing my last Blog called "BREAD" I have had some positive responses, thank you.

So, having made my big statement about the state of the music industry and the "monkey see monkey do" attitude of the "Christian Music Industry", it is somewhat ironic that within a view days of publicly nailing my colours to the mast, along comes a "dream opportunity" !!!! in the guise of the TV offer, through this very website!!!!! (though to be fair, I doubt that I would have been selected). Just in case you were wondering.... "NO" I don't want/need that opportunity!

Like I said, my music is ART, I don't need to turn it into a business or a career!

I have also had approaches (a bit more personal) on my myspace site re another "media opportunity", I have turned it down!

Thanks for reading and I hope to continue making none chartable music, about our faith!

Graham

I have joined an internet Guitarist Collective. There are some really serious players on this forum.

Each month they give out a task, it might be to create a tune using only flats and sharps or like this month it has more to do with a theme. This month, January it was to create a tune that depicts a new start a fresh beginning, new birth.

You can hear my entry on my part of this website and the song/tune is called "The Beginning".

If there are any budding Christian Film Makers out there, check this instrumental out.

Don't forget to get my permission if you want to use it!

 Graham

Had some good news this week about my new CD Album..... there are not just one but two internet radio stations that have approached me to get copies of the full CD - they have heard the mp3's posted on my websites and of course here on mychristianbands website, and are thinking of playing my stuff!- needless to say the requisite copies have been posted!

Also, mychristianbands album review of my CD will happen in 3 to 6 mths due to their backlog of work and Cross Rhythms have now received my CD, so as soon as they review it, I'll post another entry!

Graham

Happy new year to all who read this at the start of 2007!

Please note I have a new CD Album out called "Not 4 da Superficial" (brand new! this week!)

Peace,

Graham (Bernamica Gray)