Watt Gram
a measure of Salt & Light...

Recent Releases...

Offering Songs - We are excited to announce the newest addition to the VII Series, a collection of seven offering songs.  These songs are an exciting and unique way to encourage children to give and tithe in offering time.  These themed parody songs are easy to learn and fun to sing!  Perfect for VBS, Camps, or any other program event where kids are gathered together in community and taking up an offering. 

The Offering Songs DVD/CD set includes a CD with a performance and background track for each song as well as DVD with PowerPoint presentations for each song in performance and background versions.  Order the Offering Song DVD/CD for just $30.  Order the individual songs as downloads below for just $10 each.

Manhood Ceremony: A Rite of Passage Ritual for Young Men - Every year for the past 11 years, my boys and have taken a pilgrimage into the woods to build relationships and bond doing a host of father-son activities together.  But the premier event for the weekend is the Manhood Ceremony; a right-of-passage ceremony initiated to speak blessings and affirm the manhood of boys graduating from high school.  I initiated this ceremony after reading books by Robert Lewis like, “Raising a Modern-Day Knight” and John Eldredge, such as “Wild at Heart”.  Lewis, in particular, talks a lot about the role of ceremony and ritual in response to affirming the manhood of boys.  I have decided to make the Manhood Ceremony available on our website as a download for $5.  It is a ritual that can be used by churches and families as part of a process that affirms young men in their manhood and speaks blessings over our boys. 

My Spiritual Walk as a Runner - One of my favorite Christian songs was written by Kyle Matthews.  It's called "We Fall Down."  The chorus is quite simple but profound:  "We fall down; we get up.  We fall down; we get up.  We fall down; we get up.  And the saints are just the sinners who fall down and get up."   Even if it is just a metaphor; it's a good one...life is a race.  You can even think of it as that 'human race'.  At some point you will fall down. Everyone does. The secret to finishing the race is learning how to get back up and start running again. The Bible doesn't make the claim that the prize goes to the person who finishes the race first.  I believe it goes to the person who finishes the race set before them.  As you read these devotionals, I pray that you find the strength to endure and the inspiration to finish the race set before you and receive the prize.  Read Day 1 now or order your downloadable copy for just $10!

Easter Basket - Easter Collection:  A Collection of Pieces about the Cross is now available!  This new resource in our “Movement for Non-Movers” series includes four songs about the cross and suitable for Easter.   Songs include: Christ the Lord is Risen Today by Steve Green (choreography for 4 (Flexible) uses sign language); God is God by Steven Curtis Chapman (choreography for 6 or 7 uses fabric and God Rods); In the Garden lyrics by Jeff Smith to the background of Via Dolorosa (choreography for 7 uses tableau and sign language); and This Man by Jeremy Camp (choreography for 4 uses God Rods).

Since your initial response to the downloadable videos and has been very favorable, we've decided to add selections for Halloween/Fall Festivals and Veteran's Day!  We have added The Web, Shine Jesus Shine, Set Me Free, God Bless America and Honor to Serve.  We've included both the performance and teaching clips for each one for only $10 each!  Order yours today!

Christmas Canes – Four pieces choreographed using the God Rods to contemporary Christmas music.  Song selections include: Let There Be Light by Point of Grace, Christmas Carol by NewSong, Joy to the World and While You Were Sleeping both by Casting Crowns.  Click on the song title to order the downloadable performance and teaching (when applicable) for just $10 each!  Or order the complete DVD for just $20!

A Dozen Dowels 4 Christmas – 12 Traditional hymns performed with the God Rods. The choreography is designed to be performed by 2-7 people of varying ages, but all use God Rods as the primary tool of interpretation. Selections can be used to accompany congregational singing or solo performance in a live setting or adapted to be performed with these hymns recorded by contemporary Christian artists. All songs on the DVD are performed with a vocal soloist singing acapella. DVD $30

Jeff's new children's Christmas music, The Lone Manger, is the story of Woody, the manger of the nativity, and the inanimate props that surround the telling of a traditional children's Christmas play.  The story of Christmas has grown old and the props are fighting the feeling that their best days of telling the Christmas story are behind them.  When the manger is inadvertently stored with the Easter props for the season, he meets the cross who tells him everything that happens after Christmas.  Feeling so terribly betrayed, Woody decides to leave the ensemble.  The rest of the cast is devastated and tries to convince Woody to stay by sharing their personal stories of Christmas.  But the plan backfires and Woody spills the horrible truth about the Crucifixion.  When all seems lost, the hills of Judea bursts forth with a revelation she didn't even know she had:  Jesus is alive!  The Lone Manger is a play about the importance of community and the need to share the story of how Christmas changed us all forever! 

The play includes 12 new songs by Jeff Smith to include "You've Got to Learn to be Content", "One", "Glitter Like Gold" and "The Last Thing He Wanted to Do".  This resource along with the Split-Trax CD to The Lone Manger is everything you'll need to stage the rousing production.  Remember...before they can experience the miracle of Easter, someone must tell them the mystery of Christmas.    The Digital Resource Kit includes the full-length performance DVD, the production DVD with teaching on costuming, props and choreography, CD-ROM with Production notes, Director's and Technical Scripts, Administrative support, costuming support, sheet music and lyric sheets as well as the Split-Trax CD for only $199!  Or order a listening CD for just $5!

VII Series Moving Pictures Training DVD Our newest training DVD is part of the VII Series and is called "Moving Pictures".  If you've ever seen our crowd favorite, "The Feeding of the 5,000", you're familiar with this storytelling convention.  We've taken the general idea here and expanded it to include sign language, exercise balls, various rhythm instruments and other crazy and innovative techniques.  Stories include: Daniel and the Lion's Den, Jonah, Creation, Feeding of the 5,000, the Miracle at Cana, the Names of God, and the dynamic new "Prayer for the Nations."  Watch the video clip!  The package includes a DVD and CD-ROM for just $30. 

VII Series Tableau Training DVD Tableaus, or ‘staged pictures’ are a simple but very effective art form that are very useful to creative ministry teams. Anyone can do them and our ideas will make you look like professionals! It’s a great tool for movement ministry teams, puppet teams, youth groups, or children’s ministry events. Our “stories” for this project are seven parables in the Bible: The Good Samaritan; The Unmerciful Servant; The Rich Man and Lazarus; The Seed and the Sower; The Parable of the Talents: Two Parables about Being Lost; and The Prodigal Son. This training resource includes a DVD with performance and training, and CD of the narrated stories set to appropriate musical underscore for only $30! You’ll love the conventions we use to change scenes!!!  Watch the video clip!

Movement Conference

We are excited to announce Happy Feet will return on March 23-24, 2012 at Mt Pleasant Baptist Church in Colonial Heights, VA (right outside of Richmond, VA).  Be on the lookout for song selections, theme and faculty information!

Seasonal Selections

Training DVDs and Video Resources

Halloween and Fall Festivals

 The RODfather – "We have rods and we are not afraid to use them." This video is all God Rods with choreography to "Concert of the Age" by Phillips, Craig and Dean, "Arise" by Luke Garrett, and "Untitled Hymn" by Chris Rice (sung by Jeff Smith). The fourth piece, entitled the Web, is a stunning work that is a Halloween favorite! A great resource for any group that wants to add to their movement repertoire. DVD $20

Lightning Rods – This addition to the Movement 4 Non-Mover Series features a light and darkness theme. Choreography includes blacklight, battery-operated candles, dowel rods and body sacks. Songs include "Go Light Your World"and "Light Your World" both wonderful pieces for celebrating Jesus, the Light of the World for the advent season and "Shine, Jesus Shine" and "Set Me Free" an ideal piece for Halloween.   DVD $20

4 Nights at a Museum - This resource examines the art of black light and movement.  Originally designed as a companion DVD for our upcoming VBS curriculum “4 Nights at a Museum”, the DVD has five pieces that can be used with black light puppetry:  “God of Wonders” by Caedmon’s Call; “You Make All Things New” by Steven Curtis Chapman; “Footprints” by Leona Lewis; “All Rise” by Babbie Mason; and courtesy of our “Rodfather” DVD, the choreography for “Lazarus” by Carman.  A word to the wise:  Although the choreography is highly effective and wonderfully dramatic, this venue is not for the faint of heart.  Those who work with black light puppetry know that it can be labor intensive.  However, if you have any interest in black light puppetry at all, I highly recommend this resource.  John Coen, Director of Virtuous Reality, a black light theatre troupe from Lancaster, Ohio, is a guest director/commentator and his experience is worth the cost of the DVD.  Excellent for Fall Festivals!

Veteran's Day

Patriot Acts – This extended DVD is a compilation of six pieces that are choreographed for 'patriotic' holidays using God Rods, streamers and flags! The four new pieces include "An Honor to Serve" by Ray Boltz, "Freedom Battle" by Michael W. Smith, "God Bless America" by Celine Dion and "Star Spangled Banner" by Jeff Smith. This resource also includes "Pledge Allegiance to the Lamb" by Ray Boltz and "God's Got An Army" Carman from the previously released project "DowelMations".  DVD $25

Christmas

Christmas Canes – Four pieces choreographed using the God Rods to contemporary Christmas music.  Song selections include: Let There Be Light by Point of Grace, Christmas Carol by NewSong, Joy to the World and While You Were Sleeping both by Casting Crowns.  Click on the song title to order the downloadable performance and teaching (when applicable) for just $5 each!  Or order the complete DVD for just $20!

A Dozen Dowels 4 Christmas – 12 Traditional hymns performed with the God Rods. The choreography is designed to be performed by 2-7 people of varying ages, but all use God Rods as the primary tool of interpretation. Selections can be used to accompany congregational singing or solo performance in a live setting or adapted to be performed with these hymns recorded by contemporary Christian artists. All songs on the DVD are performed with a vocal soloist singing acapella. DVD $30

Stickin' Around 4 Christmas – This video introduces the "double dowel rod" technique. Four pieces choreographed specifically for Advent using God Rods. Selections include "Little Drummer Boy" by 4Him, and "Perfect Tree", "Still Her Little Child" and stunning choreography to "Sent By the Father" all by Ray Boltz. Video only $20

Joy Stix – Our second Christmas training DVD includes "Mary, Did You Know?" and "Joy, Joy" both by David Phelps, "O, Holy Night" by Point of Grace and "Christmas Lullaby" by Amy Grant. Choreography features the dowel rods.  DVD $20

Twigs – The group is younger in age so we're calling the new DVD, "Twigs."  The choreography targets primary age students, grades 1-6, performing:  "One King" by Point of Grace (Christmas); "The Tale of Three Trees" narrated by Jeff (Easter); "Longer" by Dan Fogelberg, but performed by Jeff (Mother's Day/Father's Day); and "Do I Do" by Carman.  DVD $20.

Fish Stix - "Fish Stix" is a follow up to our widely successful "TWIGS" DVD. The pieces are choreographed using middle school-age students, but the choreography is dynamic and dramatic and should not be limited to that age group. Songs include two Christmas pieces, "Breath of Heaven" and "Christmas Eve in Sarajevo 12/24." "Just Like He Said" is a Carman song for Easter with a fun, upbeat Latino beat. The last song, "Voice of Truth" by Casting Crowns" is a dramatic call to walk on water.  DVD $20.

Children's Resources!

The Lone Manger – This new musical from Jeff Smith is the story of Woody, the manger of the nativity, and the inanimate props that surround the telling of a traditional children's Christmas play.  The story of Christmas has grown old and the props are fighting the feeling that their best days of telling the Christmas story are behind them.  When the manger is inadvertently stored with the Easter props for the season, he meets the cross who tells him everything that happens after Christmas.  Feeling so terribly betrayed, Woody decides to leave the ensemble.  The rest of the cast is devastated and tries to convince Woody to stay by sharing their personal stories of Christmas.  But the plan backfires and Woody spills the horrible truth about the Crucifixion.  When all seems lost, the hills of Judea bursts forth with a revelation she didn't even know she had:  Jesus is alive!  The Lone Manger is a play about the importance of community and the need to share the story of how Christmas changed us all forever!  The play includes 12 new songs by Jeff Smith to include "You've Got to Learn to be Content", "One", "Glitter Like Gold" and "The Last Thing He Wanted to Do".  This resource along with the Split-Trax CD to The Lone Manger is everything you'll need to stage the rousing production.  Remember...before they can experience the miracle of Easter, someone must tell them the mystery of Christmas.    The Digital Resource Kit includes the full-length performance DVD, the production DVD with teaching on costuming, props and choreography, CD-ROM with Production notes, Director's and Technical Scripts, Administrative support, costuming support, sheet music and lyric sheets as well as the Split-Trax CD for only $199!

The Joyful Journey – This addition to our Christmas resources is an interactive presentation of the Christmas story for a children's audience.  Join Mary and Joseph as they re-tell their story through traditional Christmas carols, drama and an interactive nativity scene using the children!  Note:  This is a play performed by two adults involving children from the audience.  $15

Drama Resources

The Love Liner – A 70’s interactive dinner theatre about the pursuit of love, liberty and lava lamps. Put on your ‘smiley face’ and ‘hustle’ on board the Love Liner, a Love Boat-like cruise ship traveling back in time to 1976 to celebrate ‘Love, American Style’ and our nations Bicentennial. Published by Lillenas Publishing and written by Jeff Smith. It’s an excellent resource for Valentines Day or patriotic holidays.

Yule Fuel: Cool Drama Scripts for Christmas – Fuel the season with hope, joy, peace, and love through the eyes of some diverse and out of the ordinary characters in this new script book by Jeff. The eclectic mix of scripts includes traditional biblical moments as well as modern characters struggling with today's conflicts. Scripts include: "Comfortable with Joy", "All Strung Up", "Mary's Moment", "A Carpenter's Rule", "A Christmas Narrative" and eight others!  For more detailed descriptions, click Yule Fuel Promo!

All the Best Sketches – This collection from Lillenas Publishing features sketches from four of their best writers: Jeff Smith, Martha Bolton, Chuck Neighbors and Custer & Hoose!  Jeff's sketch "Joy to the World" is an excellent parody for the advent season questioning the focus of our worship. $18.99

Body, Mind & Spirit – Our second collection of sketches from Lillenas Publishing includes 11 sketches. See how God gives His peace during the busyness of the holiday season in woman's monologue, "Victory Report".  God wants to bless us with more than we could ever imagine in the woman's monologue, "The Box". $18.99

Downloadable Scripts!

Joy to the World - Comedic Sketch for Christmas.  A parody of the traditional Christmas carol asks "who do you adore this Christmas?" (4M)

Search for the Warm Fuzzies - Dramatic Sketch for Christmas.  Fairy-tales collide in this version of the true meaning of Christmas. 8(3M/5F)

Christmas Box - Dramatic Monologue for Christmas.  They say you can't put God in a box. But unpacking an old storage box in the attic helps an old man find God at Christmas.

O Little Town of Bethlehem, PA - Dramatic Monologue for Christmas - also available in "Water from the Well".  A pregnant woman.. a broken-down car...in a place far from home...alone...her husband looking for a place to stay...in Bethlehem, PA. It gets worse! A Salvation Army band, led by a man named Gabriel...and a faithful dog, Shep, at their side. Shall I go on? You get the picture.

Bible Ballet - Parody.  It's the complete history of the Bible to Tchaikovsky's "Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy" from his most famous work, "The Nutcracker Suite". It's a classic!