Album Notes

In the year 2000, First United Methodist Church in Mansfield, TX introduced a contemporary worship service to their congregation. It replaced the 9:30am traditional service on Sunday morning setting it right between two other traditional worship services - one at 8:30am and the other at 11:00am. The "middle service" as some people began to call it had quite an incredible start with passionate volunteers bringing their very best to the service in spite of minimal resources and little experience. In the first three years of its existence the group had at least half a dozen different leaders until in early 2004 the church made the decision to bring in a freelance musician and songwriter from Fort Worth, TX with no experience as a worship leader. His name was Brad Thompson. Although he only remained with the band for 20 months, the community saw God doing some radical work in the band and the church during that time.

A choir was introduced, as was a horn section to compliment the already large band; which was fourteen members strong counting the six member vocal team. This group was faithful in all of their work together from writing original praise and worship songs to selecting the most inspiring material from other songwriters and worship leaders around the world. God blessed their work and that is evident in this recording. All of it captured in one night late in September 2005 when the band packed their sanctuary full of 700 people hungry for worship and a glimpse of almighty God. It was a live praise and worship experience none of us will ever forget.

- I.H.S. Praise Band, FUMC Mansfield, TX