This Says It All

E-MAIL FROM MARK MILLS

In case anyone is considering coming to the hospital, don't. Save the gas, save the time, it will do you no good. I'M FREE!! They released me this afternoon after only six days and I am home. We were shocked when the Dr. walked in this morning and told us. But after hours of poking and prodding they finally let us go. So we will be resting the next few days. I'll get back to everybody after some of this soreness has subsided. For now we will enjoy not having wake up calls every two hours. Mean time thank you for all of your continued prayers and concern. they lift us up.

******************************

Thank You Lord!
V

I just want to thank the LORD!

Great news today. Mark's Tumor was a stage 1 not stage 2, and he is healing at a miraculous rate! In fact he is being put on solid food as of today, all tubes are being removed and he could be home before the end of the week. Never let anyone tell you that Prayer does not work. Mark is proof that it does, God has big plans for Mark and for X-ALT! and nothing will stands in God's way of making his plans happen!
THANK YOU GOD! Thank you for your healing touch, Thank you for the blessings that you pour out on us every day, thank you for family, friends and complete strangers that are led to pray for us. Your greatness is seen in everything that happens in this world and it is up to us to see that greatness and understand that You are in control. Your hands touch us daily and we so often dismiss Your work as fate or coincidence. Fate does not exist, coincidence does exist, Only You are in control and we are safe in your hands and live with the assurance that no matter how it happens when our time comes we will have a home for all eternity with you. Until that time we live to serve You, praise You and spread Your word for all to hear.
You are the one true God and we thank you.
Amen

V

God Is Good and Prayer Works!

Thank you all for your prayers for Mark as he underwent cancer surgery this week. The doctors tell us that the surgery went as expected and that their was no immediate indication that the cancer had spread. This is great news, that means that there will be no need for cemo or radiation treatments!!!
Mark is recovering in the hospital for the next week or so then will need a few weeks of recovery at home before getting back to a more normal schedule, but he will be back soon.
Prayer works folks and we thank you for yours.
V

Checking In

Wow it's been an interesting month!!!!
But at X-ALT! we are not the type of folks that let
life get us down. We continue to write new material for
the next CD and let me tell you it some pretty good stuff.

We have beeen batteling some health problems, most noteably
Mark Mills recent cancer diagnosses, but the news is good
and the doctors tell us that surgery should take care of the
problem and Mark should be back up and running in a couple of
months. Untill then we will continue to write, do what recording
we can and be ready for late spring and Summer appearances.

We ask for your prayers for Mark and his family and for the X-ALT!
family, and keep watching here for further updates.

We will continue to lead our monthly service at New Beginnings as well as a few other churches that have contacted us but we will be doing these without
Mark untill he feels ready to come back.

Thanks for all your prayers and support
Vince

It All Starts Tonight

Well this is it, tonight we start what will be the next chapter in the X-ALT! story!
This will be our first night concentrating on writing and refining the new music that will make up the next X-ALT! CD. This has been a long time coming and after a long conversation with Mark Mills last night I can promise you that this CD will be more diverse than the last. One thing X-ALT! has always done is pride itself on not adhering to any musical boundaries and with the addition of some new key players since the last recording, and simply becoming a tighter band with all the live performing we've done I think we are going to produce a very different CD. One I'm sure you all will enjoy and one that hopefully will help lift your spirits and bring you closer to God. That is our prayer and our purpose - to help make your journey a smoother and happier one and as a good friend of mine put it, "To plant seeds" that hopefully will grow into a stronger relationship with the Creator.
We are all looking forward to the spring when we will be taking X-ALT! back on the road, there are some very exciting new opportunities on the horizon. We are looking forward to expanding our relationship with New Beginnings Fellowship and creating new relationships everywhere we go.
If you would like to have X-ALT! come to your church or special event, leave a comment here and I will get back to you, and keep watching because as the time gets closer to the release of the CD we will be premiering our new website and will be giving you more ways to get in touch with us.
Please pray for us as we start this process and thank you all for your continued support.
Vince

A Little Nashville Gospel

A while back I told you that X-Alt! would be providing the theme music for the TV program "Nashville Gospel" Well here is a sneak peek at the music and the new opening segment for the show.



Keep checking back for updates on the new CD and appearances beginning in March when the CD will be ready for release (Hopefully)
V

Catching up and winding down

First off MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!!!

We kicked off our Christmas season with an incredible Coffee House at New Beginnings. Our special thanks to Tom Shiness, Jim Webber and The Sounds Of Life! They were all just fantastic and we can't wait to work with them all again soon.
We will wrap up our Christmas performances this Sunday at Belle Meade UMC and invite you all to come join us in celebrating the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!

Beginning next week we will start the process of preparing and recording our new CD. We are very excited in that this band has grown and evolved so much since we recorded our first CD a little over a year ago. This should be a very diverse CD and I can't wait to share all the new music with you all.

Hopefully the CD will be ready by March and we are in the process of setting up a show schedule that will keep us busy and hopefully give you all a chance to come out and join us in some great nights of "Rhythm & Praise".

I will keep the blog updated with the progress that we are making and as always you are all welcome to join us at New Beginnings for a Sunday service. Watch the appearances section of the blog for those dates.

Thanks for all you support and love.
Vince

Christmas Coffee House

Don't Forget the great CHRISTMAS Coffee House, this Saturday night at 7:00 at New Beginnings Church, 7700 George E. Horn Road, Nashville Tn 37221 (Map Quest the address for directions).
The Coffee House is FREE (no cover charge) and features

The Sounds Of Life
Jim Weber
MEN-U
Tom Shinness
and
X-ALT!

It's going to be a great way to kick off the Christmas Season.
See you there
V

Where the River Bends...

Hi everybody! It's Ginger here, and I wanted to take a moment to share with you the blessing that we experienced last weekend as we went back out to Riverbend Maximum Security Prison. We once again sang to a group of inmates who showed such genuine appreciation, and blessed us with their kindness. They played and sang for us at the end of the service, and the fellowship was just amazing.

Vince told them about how earlier in the week, we got to sing at The Wildhorse, but if he had to choose between that and playing for them, he’d choose playing at the prison.

I’d have to agree. Knowing that you are giving a person a bit of joy through your smiles, singing, interaction, and acceptance of them, means much more than any amount of applause ever could.

While most assuredly these guys know what it’s like to be at the very lowest one can be, it was beautiful to witness the healing power of music as it broke down the barriers of pain, grief, hurt, doubt, hate, racism, hopelessness…and, even if but only for a few moments, replaced those things with faith, hope and, the very greatest of these, love.

Jesus once said…

"…for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.’ …‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these, My brethren, you did it to Me.'"

With experiences like these, I believe I'm beginning to grasp what He truly meant.

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Rockin' at the Wild Horse Saloon

SO what is a christian/gospel group doing playing in Nashville hottest Bar? Well, hopefully taking a little bit of Gods word to folks that needed to hear it but also we were competing in the first annual Media Challenge to benefit the United Way. We were one of three acts asked to represent WSMV-TV Channel 4. We didn't win but that's not important. What is important is that God was glorified, a great charity was helped and we had a blast playing on the biggest stage we have ever had a chance to appear on, and as you will see Tommy made the most of every inch of it!



We really had a great time but now it is time to get back to what X-ALT! is really about as we head back to Riverbend Prison this Sunday to bring the service to the men who are incarcerated there.
God has truly blessed us with opportunities to do so many different things and to serve him in so many different ways.
Always remember that God is good, and his blessings overflow.
V

John Wesley UMC

Thank you so much to the great folks at John Welsey UMC, especially our dear friend Elder Kenneth Edmondson, for inviting us to take part in the Homecoming celebration. We were blessed, and I'm not just saying that, to be a part of this wonderful afternoon of Praise and worship. The speaker for the service was Pastor William Dobbins II of Springfield Parish United Methodist Church who preached on Peace. Peace in the world, in our homes, in our relationships and in our personal ministries. The Springfield Parish UMC Choir also joined in the festivities and lifted the Word to a all new level. It was so cool when we did "Put a Little Love in Your Heart" and "Lean On Me", they joined in and added so much to our music that I just could not believe how cool it all sounded.
It was truly a wonderful afternoon.
Thanks again to Pastor "E" and the good folks at John Wesley UMC.
God Bless you all!
Vince

Help us Support United Way

X-ALT! will be one of the acts representing WSMV-TV in the upcoming media challenge / talent show at he Wild Horse Saloon. The show is Oct. 30th beginning at 6:00pm. We will be competing against all kinds of acts representing the four major TV broadcasters in the area and the Tennessean Newspaper. Please make plans to join us at the Wild Horse on the 30th and bring you checkbook to make a donation during our set. The acts that raise the most money during their set will receive a 1st, 2nd or 3rd place prize there is also a professionals prize that will be given away by group of judges. So come on out and support United Way and X-ALT!
thanks
Vince

Check Out Our Guests

Two of our performers at this weekends coffee house have web sites where you can find out more about them, so head that way and check them out. Then be at New Beginnings Church at 7:00pm sharp Saturday night because you won't want to miss a minute of this one.
V




















http://www.myspace.com/sarahvalley

























http://www.jimweber.com

New Beginnings Coffee House is Saturday the 13th

You don't want to miss this one. We have tried hard to surpass (or at least live up to) the last coffee house at New Beginnings and I think we have done it. Check out the poster and make plans to attend. I'll be updating the blog with info on the performers as we get closer to the event.

God Bless

V

Now here's some of what you missed

Yesterday I posted some shots from our busy Sunday, here are two videos from the Word Of Life Christian Center Event.

First off, here is a group of incredible kids that performed before us. The Unity Steppers from Word of Life in Dickson, TN. How do you follow something like this?!?



Well, if you are X-ALT! you do it like this...



Need I remind you that God's spirit, strength and love was in the house that night.

More to come
V

Some Memories of Sunday!

Just a quick post with some pictures from Sunday's (Sept. 30th) activities. There will be much more to come...

Shots From Brotherton Baptist Church in Cookeville



>


Back Stage at Word Of Life Christian Center International






No explanation for this one.....

Some Days Will Last In Your Memories Forever

This is part of an e-mail I sent to the band this morning...

I hope you are all as proud as I am to have been a part of both the Homecoming in Cookeville as well as the incredible night at Word Of Life. I wish you all could have stayed through the end. To say we made an impression would be an understatement. Pastor Arthur has asked us to return to do the next Praise and Worship concert but he also wants us to do a Sunday Morning service as well. This is a huge deal! And honestly something I had not expected. You all took that extra step last night and were on the top of your game and proved that X-ALT! can stand with the best! God has blessed us and continues to do so and I truly hope you all felt God moving through us and through that church last night. God was there and let all of us know it!

I'm still reeling from our day yesterday, especially our appearance at Word Of Life Christian Center last night. When I've had more sleep I'll post pictures and video for the appearances and do my best to describe what was a totally un-describable evening of worship.

God Bless
Vince

Back in the studio

X-ALT! will be returning to the recording studio tonight to record the new theme song for Nashville's longest running gospel music program. "Nashville Gospel" hit the Nashville airways over 35 years ago and was for a long time the standard by which local "religious" music programing was judged. Over the past 10 years with the change in viewing habits, and management at WSMV-TV, "Nashville Gospel" has seen it time slot changed again and again till it came to it's final resting place in the wee hours of Sunday morning basically destined to defeat by scheduling. Lack of advertising income caused by it's ever changing position led the show to stop new production about a year ago and they have been airing re-runs while trying to create new revinue but unfortunately WSMV made the decision to drop the show off the schedule about a month ago. But host Tommy Lewis is determined to get "Nashville Gospel" back on it's feet. He has begun working with a partner that will allow for new content to be shot and they have brought on a new producer/editor (That would be ME)to update the look of the show. They are in talks with another local broadcaster about picking the show up, and it continues to run in a few other television markets. X-ALT's new theme is the first step in a hoped for revival of the program. Please add "Nashville Gospel" and it's producers to you prayers and keep your eyes open for it's return. I will keep everyone updated through this blog on "Nashville Gospel" news and watch for the theme to appear here first in the next few weeks.
V

A Good Thing - A GOD Thing

There are not words to express how proud and blessed I feel to be a part of a band like X-ALT. Last night we returned to Belle Meade UMC, the church where we used to lead the contemporary service and the church that was a source for great pain and heartache for so many of us after we were asked to step down from our leadership position there. I will admit that I was not sure of the reception that we would receive, would the crowd be small, would the ones that came for dinner leave once we started playing, I really was worried. But GOD took over last night and showed me that HE is bigger than our petty worries and that HE is in charge and last night's show became one of the highlights in my mind of anything this band has done so far.

Dinner was scheduled to start at 5:15 but so many folks were showing up early that the decision to go ahead and start serving was made and for the next hour or so a steady stream of people made their way into the fellowship hall where they were treated to an incredible dinner prepared by the ubber talented Susan Meador and her staff. Pork Tenderloin, Cheese Grits with Shrimp, Green Beans and "That Special Salad", Hot Rolls and Pie. It was truly a feast. Looking around I was watching the different band members prepare for the show, I think all of us were a bit surprised at the size of the crowd that was making their way into the fellowship hall.

At about 6:00 Pastor Mike Ripski announced that tables had been set up in one of the nearby classrooms to handle the overflow. It was just amazing. Smiles were starting to spread throughout our little group and worry was starting to turn to excitement and optimism.
At about 6:20 Pastor Ripski started with the weekly announcements, birthday and anniversary celebrations and generally welcoming everyone back to Wednesday night activities after a summer off. Then after blessing the meal he introduced X-ALT! and we took the stage to a full house.

We had purposely put together a set list that mixed our original music with contemporary worship standards and hymns done X-ALT! style, a little something for everyone. We opened with our version of "Down To The River To Pray" then went straight into a beefed up version of the standard "I'll Fly Away". The crowd was singing along and clapping their hands and my head was spinning, I never expected to receive this type of reception, it went from being a concert to being worship.

It was amazing, the little kids were dancing around, folks our age were on their feet clapping and getting into it and the older ones were smiling and singing along. This has got to be what church will be like in heaven! Or at least I hope it is!

40 minutes later when we closed with "Oh, Happy Day" the good people at Belle Meade came to their feet and came forward to shake our hands and hug our necks, congratulate us and tell us how much the music meant to them, and I can't tell you how much it meant to me.


I got this e-mail from our guitarist Mark Pierce who was not with us at the time we were leading the service at Belle Meade...
"Being that I was one from the outside looking in, I saw from my own observation that the people there really loved all of you that were part of that church prior to X-ALT!. Just the interactions that I observed showed that. I think the message that went unspoken but was definitely illustrated was just loving people and all the good stuff WE are and were made of. As I remind myself each day..........WWJD! Rock on!"

Mark Mills our music director and resident piano player sent this along...
Great job last night! I thought the energy was way up (especially for middle of the week!) and alot of people were truly blessed. I spoke to Susan Meador (she did the cooking) and she told me it's about the largest Wednesday night supper crowd they've had. And they came to hear X-ALT!. Thank you all for your giving of yourselves.

This just in from Susie...
Being back at Belle Meade was like visiting family...everyone was so receptive and supportive...I kinda had to take a step back for a moment and ask myself if I was at the right place! But I was, and I also feel like X-Alt was...at the right place to mend the hurts caused so long ago...the people that were there loved having us back and we truly appreciated their warm reception and good hugs...maybe we can do a contemporary service or music there for them sometime!


We need to say a special thank you to few folks.

Ben Jones a member of the youth group at Belle Meade and Mark Mills' nephew filled in on drums for Eddie who was in school and did a great job. THANK YOU BEN!!!


Our Old Buddy Lawrence Bailey returned to play sax for us and as always did a wonderful job. THANK YOU LAWRENCE - AGAIN!



Also a great big THANK YOU to Brandon Boozer who did sound for us, and to my daughter Lucy for all the pictures I've used in this post.


A Special THANK YOU to pastors Mike Ripski, Pam Hawkins and Regina Proctor for inviting us to come out and play. It was a wonderful night of music, praise, and rekindling of old friendships and a time for making new friends. Wounds were healed and hearts were opened, and most importantly GOD was glorified.

It was a good thing - It was a GOD Thing.
V