Newsletter 9/1

HOMECOMING 2016 - Once again this year, we will be hosting our annual Homecoming Concert at our home church, Forcey Bible Church on New Year’s Eve at 6 PM. The church is located conveniently a block off of 29 south near Silver Spring, MD. (2130 E. Randolph Rd.) A love offering will be taken for Bill and Karen Itzel Ministries to help us get started on a strong financial footing heading into 2017. Everyone is welcome and for the 27th year, this is our big concert debuting our new songs…

THE GLORIOUS TRIAL - Tracks are finished for the next 2 CD’s. The Itzels’ “The Glorious Trial” is set to be released late 2016 and the next CD, tentatively entitled “Hope” will be released mid-2017. We are excited to have new original songs to sing. The last time we had an album of originals was 2012’s “I Am A Christian”. We have changed up our style a bit as we head into our next “25 years”. The sound is said to be like the Itzels with some “Cracker Barrel” mixed in.

Here is a rundown of the songs:
He Is Risen, Hallelujah - a catchy contemporary praise chorus focusing on the work of Christ on the cross, in His resurrection, and in His atoning work.
The Glorious Trial - The first in our new series of modern hymns. This song is about the various trials we face and mountains we must climb. 2016 has been a rough year for our family, both physically and emotionally, and this song is written from that viewpoint.
Because You Love Me - When much of evangelical Christianity is proclaiming the self-esteem gospel of “God couldn’t do without us” and we are all “super special” somehow worthy of grace, this song brings us down to earth, reminding us that our value does not make Christ love us, but we have value just because He does love us.
Power of the Cross - A powerful modern hymn written by Keith Getty and Stuart Townend. Personally, I believe it is the best new hymn I’ve heard in 20 years.
How Firm A Foundation - The old standard, redone to help us remember that our foundation as believers is, has always been, and must always be God’s Word.
Don’t Be Afraid - As we watch the morality of our nation crumbling before our eyes and see the world coming unglued around us, it can get scary unless we remember that our Sovereign God is in control of everything and nothing happens without Him.
Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence - Other than perhaps “Be Thou My Vision”, no other melody in the history of Christendom is as moving as this one. This song moves the listener to focus on our God with awe like no other.
A Light In The Dark - speaking of “Be Thou My Vision”, we took that familiar tune and wrote new words to it and added a catchy refrain with a new focus on evangelism in every area of our life.
Band Of Brothers (Pastor’s Anthem) - Timed for the celebration of the 500th anniversary of the Reformation, this song, inspired by the yearly “Shepherd’s Conference” at Grace Community Church in California as well as other yearly pastor’s conferences around the nation is an anthem all Pastors should be able to join in and sing.
Grace Greater Than Our Sin - This album ends with a song to be used in invitation settings and brings us back to the grace God showed to us by electing us, calling us, drawing us, justifying us, and sanctifying us by His grace alone.