Jesusfreakhideout.com Music News, January 2013: GATEWAY CHURCHS 1211 TO INTRODUCE UNPLUGGED THE BAPTISM

GATEWAY CHURCH'S 1211 TO INTRODUCE UNPLUGGED: THE BAPTISM

NEWS SOURCE: Turning Point PR
January 29, 2013

AUSTIN, Texas—1211, a worship outreach birthed out of Gateway Community Church and part of Rev1211 Ministries, introduces Unplugged: The Baptism February 5. The live project was recorded during a baptism service held July 18, 2012 and features worship led by 1211, a collection of artists, songwriters and performers who all share a past of brokenness.

Produced by Ramy Antoun for CAG, Unplugged: The Baptism features seven songs and two spoken-word tracks. Included are new renditions of popular worship songs “Agnus Dei,” “Manifesto,” and “Lead Me To The Cross,” as well as the original “Surrender,” written by Ramy Antoun, Lauren Tyler and Jacob Hildebrand.

“The night we recorded Unplugged: The Baptism, we knew something extraordinary was happening,” said Ramy Antoun, 1211 founding member and Arts/Downtown Grow Pastor, Gateway Community Church. “We had a baptism pool on stage with us, and all the focus was placed on that. Each time applause is heard on the recording, someone was baptized–it was a celebration. Our mission as 1211 is to lead people to surrender so they can start the journey of restoration. The Baptism is a beautiful reflection of that.”

1211 came together in 2008, originally as a small group or “life group.” What began as a season of restoration and healing for community members who had experienced broken pasts – including prison, addictions, and failed marriages – eventually found musical expression in the collective known as 1211. Each a worship leader in their own right, the 12 unique artists who comprise the group use their musical gifts to testify to the redemption and grace they have experienced. Among other notable performers, the group includes Sergio Andrade, a founding member of LIFEHOUSE.

In 2009, during an evening service at Gateway, 1211 stepped into a new form of corporate worship as they invited the congregation to join them on stage. Chairs were placed surrounding the worship team, and attendees sang, shared stories and testimonies, and celebrated communion together. Now called “Unplugged,” this unique service has grown into a monthly gathering of nearly 1000 worshippers.

Unplugged: The Baptism will be available online beginning February 5, and marks the first of five recordings in the Unplugged series, with future releases slated. For further information on 1211, visit http://1211.me. Follow 1211 on Twitter @1211band