So... here's the drill... you can scroll down and get the whole picture, or you can dive into our life together into the fountains of information in the various sections of this site. God bless, thanks for comin'!
What Is A Spirit feast
This is a good question. I think that that we are called to abandon our hang ups and let the Holy Spirit take us where it will. It requires trusting God. We use music to lubricate the transformation.
If the Spirit says dance...
We dance
If the Spirit says "sing!"
We sing...
We believe that any action given to God becomes a prayer and we pray! Real fast and Real Hard!!!!
This band was formed in Toledo, Ohio, in the Spring of 1997 when Ben needed a band to support the marketing of his latest CD. Using the Word of God, from... Ephesians 4:5- we have one faith, one Lord, one baptism... We decided to call the band ONE HEART.
The bad thing is...so did about 50 bazillion other groups.
We scrambled the letters and came up with the kool name of:
THEO RANE. For those of you who are not Greek scholars, "Theo" means
God. So, through our name we are declaring that:
HISTORY OF theo rane
AND... through our music, we proclaim that :
In 1999, there was a major realignment of players. Todd and i eformed the group and continued our ministry. This year, 2001, we are playing ans singing better than ever.
back to the Diving Board
Meet the Players
Jump over and see some Band Pix
We come from many denominations:
Ben Miller is the last pastor at Maplewood UMC and is now at Rossford UMC. He has been playing guitar for more than 30 years. We have just published the fifth edition of "Easiest Guitar System Ever! (originally published in 1976 by Black Hawk Press, Chicago) on this web site. He plays many styles of music, but, prefers to play sacred blues.
Ben and Tod met while making their solo CD projects at Kerry Clark's studio in Monclova. They became friends and determined to form a band.
Jonathan French shares the bass duties with Matt Currier. They are both very busy and we are blessed to have two fine players to choose from. In early 2000, they replaced John Brenning, the Great Bear. We continue to perform and record the songs that John wrote for us.
Her ministries are in music and healing. She has a gifted connection to the River of Life flowing from the Throne of God and the Holy Spirit that is awesome to the people around her.
Our 7th drummer is Rick Ryan. He plays drums in the Praise band at Church of the Cross UMC in Toledo, Ohio. He has a tasty, funky style that fit immediately with all of the styles that we play.
Ben Miller--Lead Guitar, vocals
Tod Anthony- Rhythm Guitar, Harp, vocals
John Brenning-Bass Guitar, Vocals
Sheila Brenning- Vocals, Rhythm Guitar
Paul Weis, drums
Our first recording, Good and Faithful Servant, was released in April, 1997. These are the songs on the first album:
ONE HEART #1--Good and Faithful Servant
Cleave To Me 1982- Best Wedding Song-Chicago SWA Hang Onto Jesus 1993 For the Least of These 1996 Good and Faithful Servant 1994 First Day In Heaven 1971-Chicago SWA, KC SWA Not My Will, Lord, but Thine 1990-Ohio Gospel Assoc Need You More and More 1995 Sweet Talker 1983 What’re we Doin’ Right 1971-KC SWA AWard, Milwaukee Folk Mag, Boston Folk Festival, Long Glory Ride 1980
For this album, all of the songs were written or co-written by Ben Miller. There are 7 different songwriting awards given to the songs in this collection.
THEO RANE #2 & 2.2--TR Live To Be Continued
The second album To Be Continued is a live set of recordings over a period 97~99, will featuring all three of the songwriters. It was released in in 1998 and then , again, with newer tunes, in 2000.
Our second studio recording was completed in April, 2001.
These are the songs on the first album:
Rhythm...
This project is in "post-production." That means that all the tunes are recorded. We are now awaiting artwork and then sending it off to the factory to make boxes of CD's for us to sell.
Acknowledging that the roots of Gospel Music is Rhythm and Blues, we share our relationship with Jesus through the Blues Music that we have played all of our lives. After the first album, radio stations didn’t know what to call us. They came up with sacred blues. The tunes are straight blues riffs and the words are from the Bible.
Blues can be bright and lively. This is the area of blues that we like to share most.
Lively "jump style" and "hot rhythm" Blues songs can express the joy that we feel as Children of God.
The slower pieces are useful to express our sadness over not being as good of Christians as we like.
Blues, in all its forms, lends itself well to the Spirit Feast concept that we share in our concerts.
Sprit Feasts are musical banquets of praise to our Father in Heaven and His only son, our Lord, Jesus. The energy builds until the Holy spirit intervenes. When the spirit says, "Shout!" The people shout. When the spirit says, "Dance!" The people dance. At the end, all are moved closer to the face of God through their own worship with us.
It is more than joy to participate in these feasts. Come be one of the feasters as soon as you can.
9/5 Put In Bay South Bass Island
9/6 Christ the King Lutheran Festival Temperance, Michigan
9/14 Rossford, UMC Rossford, Ohio
9/20 Soul Cafe Genoa, Ohio
9/21 Methodist Union Meeting-Toledo District
9/22-26 Groove House Extravaganzee
9/27 Williams County fair/NOGMA stage Hillsboro, Mi
10/18 Snyderstock V Perrysburg, Ohio
10/19 Erie Street Market Toledo
12/31/97 WATCH NIGHT, Central UMC, Toledo
2/98 WINTER HARVEST Owens Community College Northwood, Ohio