Carpenter’s Union, was the house band at The Beardstown Worship Center, led by the Rev. Dr. Steve Griffin from 2002-2005. In our worship services on Sunday mornings & evenings we played a variety of modern and traditional hymns based around our instrumentation of guitars, mandolin, bass guitar, and drums. I feel strongly that God led me to this church, this band, and Steve's teachings, and I have never been happier with the decision to "suit up".
Behind The Music: The band, originally named "City On A Hill" was formed in late 2000, with it's first concert on New Year's Eve at the BWC. Founding members were Steve Griffin on vocals and rhythm guitar, Matt Haberman on drums, John Crowe III on lead guitar, and Mark McCombs on bass.
In January of 2001 Haberman amicably left the band and was replaced by Matt Lovell. Guitarist, Justin Tippey, joined the guys in the summer of that same year. In August of 2002 Matt Lovell left the band to pursue a youth ministry position elsewhere and that's where I came in. Glad I did!
Pastor Steve writes much of our music. We perform those songs in church as well as on outside dates at other churches, coffeehouses, etc. Much of our musical repertoire is made up of songs by Third Day, with a sprinkling of Big Tent Revival, Sonic Flood, and Bebo Norman among others. We have finished a CD of Steve's songs, releasing in May of 2003. Steve has also recently had his first book, God & His World: A Christian Theistic World View published, and is expecting distribution to begin in mid 2005.
We have performed over the last two and one half years at a variety of places outside our own church and have been well received.
Tippey left the band in the summer of 2004 to devote more time to his other band, A Thief's Promise. As can happen with bands, difficulties arose over these last few months of 2004 as other interests and musical viewpoints lead us in different directions. For numerous reasons, the band has decided to stop playing amplified live shows and concentrate more on church services.
In April 2006, I left the band, Jason McCleary replaced me on the drums.
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Our little corner of the Worship Center