Happy 35th Anniversary TO Minnesota Association of Christian Songwriters!!

A LOOK BACK AT  M.A.C.S. [35 YEARS AND COUNTING]

In 1989 John Bennett attended a local songwriter meeting bringing his Christian songs to be critiqued.  Here is the account of what happened next: “At that meeting I heard a bunch of hopeless heartbreak songs, but I was surprised to hear someone with a soulful voice sing a Christian song, the only other one that evening. That person turned out to be Christine Fox. After attending a couple more of these secular meetings Christine and I realized that this was not a good place to get support for our Christian songs. So she invited a few of us to the first Christian songwriters meeting at her home. That first meeting was a blessing for me and I continued to go every month with a few others.  We began to meet in a Church and there we’re only four of us that regularly attended, then there were six, then there were eight. We met there for about a year and a half and things kind of fizzled out. At that time I wanted it to continue and I began having the meetings at The Church of the Open Door and called the group the Minnesota Association of Christian Songwriters. That first meeting was in a small room crowded with about 20 people. Then more and more people came, we had guest speakers come talk, we held concerts, and we listened to each other’s songs. When I asked for help to run the group many people came to my aid, and began taking over the duties of diligently sending out the newsletters, being responsible for the MACS library, leading the meetings, writing the Bylaws, helping with the concerts. I saw God’s blessings in many forms in many ways all along the way. When we needed a new place to meet, our current meeting place was provided. When we needed a volunteer lawyer to make us a nonprofit organization one was provided. When we needed a graphic artist for our brochures God provided. When we needed a website you brought us people who came forward to make one.  When we needed new places to have concerts God provided. When we asked for a compilation CD God bought us a leader. When we needed other volunteers they came forward. Everything fit into place, every need was met.  Since then, we have experienced much growth, with a mailing list of over 400 Christian artists.  In 1999, we became a non-profit organization, governed by an elected board of directors, dedicated to serving local Christian songwriters. MACS met on a monthly basis to network with members and sharpen our songwriting skills.  Some exciting events have taken place at MACS throughout the years. We’ve hosted many songwriters showcases over the years at coffee houses, Famous Dave’s BBQ and Blues, the Crossroads Chapel, and various churches.

“I wasn’t educated or experienced in becoming a non-profit arts organizer,” John explained, “but I and others made ourselves available and God did the rest. Who knows how much it has helped to bring others into God's Kingdom.”  Over the years MACS has helped countless songwriters, listened and evaluated over 2,000 songs written by Minnesota Christians, hosted numerous songwriter concerts, brought many people together in recording studios to record their music,  published quarterly newsletters, released 3 compilation albums, and has begun a thriving Christian networking community.  MACS hopes to continue to help and nurture Christian songwriters, as they seek God's will for their individual ministry.