Many of you have told us that you're still waiting for us to bring the Digital Storytellers seminar to your area. This may be the news you're waiting for, because our schedule has changed significantly, with six dates booked in the past month.

This means that our spring schedule is finally set, just in time for the first date coming up. Make sure and check out our final schedule for the first half of 2006 plus some fall dates:

The cost is $109 for an individual or $89 for 2+ from the same church.

Since we’ve been getting phone calls asking about large groups, as an unadvertised exclusive to our newsletter subscribers, we're also offering a special rate of $69 per person for groups of 5+ from the same church.

For more info or to register click here.

Judging by the emails and phone calls that are already trickling in, many of you have begun to plan for Easter. We wanted to help the process along with a sale on our popular Beyond the Tomb Easter media resource. Between now and Feb 13 through our online store, you can get Beyond the Tomb for $65, a $10 discount off the regular price.

Also be on the lookout for a brand new Easter resource for 2006, Stained. This compelling media collection will tell the story of Easter through shifting and moving pieces of stained glass. We’re very excited about this piece and can’t wait to share it with you. Check back often for a release announcement!

One of the enduring metaphors for Easter is the mysterious, transformational experience of a caterpillar becoming a butterfly.

Paralleling the life, death and resurrection of Jesus, a baby caterpillar literally eats its way out of its birth skin, then enters a tomb-like state as a chrysalis. After what appears to be a complete death, a beautiful butterfly emerges to soar away with a transformed body.

Speaking of transformations ...

Many of you have written in inquiring about the missing Design Matters articles that were collecting in our Reading Section for the past two years. Yes, they are gone. The reason: Those articles have undergone significant transformation and are going to emerge as new book/DVD resource just before Easter.

We have roughly doubled the length of the articles for book form, adding significant new information about the power of Design in communicating the Gospel. The companion DVD includes a video version of the 7 Principles for Design and three full-length, step-by-step tutorials. Each of the tutorials comes in video form and in the method presented on our website, via PDF documents. With each tutorial you’re invited to use the included source files to create your own graphic. We also have a tutorial like the ones on our site that is exclusive to the book, Middle C.

Keep an eye out for this major new educational resource for your ministry!

Speaking of tutorials ...

Have you ever tried to take a bunch of different photos and make one coherent design for worship? Many novice designers try but few succeed. The photo montage is one of the most popular ways to use Photoshop, but it's difficult to avoid the dreaded "8th-grade collage look." The key is good composition, visual balance and eye catching textures. Sometimes entire photos can be used as textures that give a richness to the image which is sure to inspire.

Now, we've created a roadmap for you to achieve the elusive but powerful photo montage through our new cross tutorial. This sixth edition of our popular series of free, step-by-step graphic tutorial downloads breaks down the Cross graphic on spark volume 2. In it you will learn how to combine a series of photographs into one compelling image. When you finish this tutorial you will have a better understanding of the concept of using photographs as texture. Hopefully this tutorial will be helpful in your ministry.

Download the cross tutorial here, and if you like this one, check out the whole series here. Note: You will need to be logged in to access the free tutorial.