The Sunday Threads

"Who would have ever thought a Jew would be fronting a Christian rock band?" says Terry Josephson of The Sunday Threads, talking about himself in a joking manner. But in early 2001, that's exactly what he found himself doing. Originally from Virginia Beach, where he cut his musical teeth playing the east coast college circuit, Josephson could have never imagined how some very personal events would lead him to a small Southern California church where he eventually met God and his fellow band members.

"Life is this incredible, unpredictable journey," Josephson continues. "Since beginning my relationship with the Lord, I have learned that patience is the most important thing when you finally discover your true ministry calling." Without a doubt, patience has been one of the defining factors for the four friends whose diverse backgrounds and lives came together in a very unexpected way. Although all attended the same church and had been a part of the worship ministry, it wasn't until Josephson approached each about learning some cover songs that they began to realize the amazing music potential.

"I remember getting together in my living room to run through the first one we chose—Steven Curtis Chapman's, The Great Adventure. Although it was a little rough," Josephson says, "you could sense a connection musically, spiritually." It wasn't long before the band moved from covers to working out some of the first original songs Josephson wrote after becoming a Christian. The same magic that moved in those initial jam sessions continued to flow and ultimately fueled the passionate song writing present in the first CD.

After a few weeks of rehearsal, the band made its debut in an intimate Sunday evening service, playing The Mistake, a mood-driven rock ballad that moved the congregation and caught the attention of Music Director and Past Twelve Studios Producer, Glen Woodward. Woodward, a protég?of legendary composer, David Foster, invited the guys to lay down some tracks and was instrumental in helping mold the bands early sound and style. "It was my first time in a professional studio," recalls bassist Roger Ayers. "Glen has a strong work ethic and that meant a lot of late nights but it was definitely worth it. His creativity and drive were an important part of the process."

Upon completing the 3-song demo, Josephson sent the songs to a few industry connections he had. The overwhelming response got the band some immediate major exposure. The Mistake, the first track recorded, was licensed by Columbia Tristar Television for use in the hit daytime soap The Young and the Restless, while track three, Gabriel, was chosen to be in the airplay rotation for one of Southern California's largest Christian radio stations.

With some early success to their credit, the band decided to play a few local shows before heading back to the studio to continue work on new material Josephson was writing. "2003 was a difficult year for all of us," guitarist Eric Roemheld remembers. "Some amazing things were happening with the music and then we got the news that Glen was moving to Nashville. That was pretty tough." Totally committed to the vision God had given, the difficult search for a new producer began. "All we could do was trust God," says Josephson. "We knew if we stayed faithful to the bigger picture—reaching the lost with our music and ministry, God would bring the right person our way."

That person was studio owner, producer, and keyboardist, Raphael DiGiorgio, who happened to come across an ad the band prayerfully placed in a local musician's magazine. After hearing the demo, DiGiorgio decided to record one song to get a feel for the overall working relationship potential. "It was a really comfortable setting and things clicked right from the start," Josephson recalls. "After that first song was finished, we all knew there was something special here." Pleased with the outcome, DiGiorgio offered to finish the CD.

The end result was a fresh blend of the smooth contemporary style heard in, Letter Sent to God, Standing on the Edge of Time, and Give God a Try, the gritty, raw edge of, Lord's Train, and the big power ballad sound resonating in, Without Wings. Along with the remaining tracks that included the original three songs, two of which were reworked under DiGiorgio, the project was sent to famed mastering house, Future Disc (Steven Curtis Chapman, Alanis Morissette, George Harrison, Madonna, etc?, where owner, Steve Hall personally added the finishing touches.

It's rare in such uncertain times that a band stays together after enduring some of the challenges The Sunday Threads have faced. Although the 2007 departure of drummer Jared Rowell was unexpected, the members of the Threads have since adjusted and are more committed than ever. Six years of faith-testing trials have instilled a better appreciation for the meaning of the word, patience, and the scripture that says, "All thi