…which is why we’re extremely interested in a new, local initiative. Over to Dr. Alan Kerry, of West Leigh Baptist Church:-
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Dear Friend,
The Worship Exchange
You are cordially invited to attend the inaugural meeting of a new inter-church worship initiative ‘The Worship Exchange’ – on Saturday 13th October from 9am to midday.
‘The what?’
This will be forum where worship leaders, worship groups, musicians and technical guys and girls can come together for fellowship, learning with and from one another, sharing ideas and songs and encouraging more joint working.
In the course of the morning we will hope to explore the highs and lows of worship. How is it that being involved in a worship group can call us to the highest of spiritual goals, but at the same time press our basest human buttons for self-fulfilment? We hope to come away better equipped to bless all of our churches with worship that has been purified of ego and rededicated to the creator.
What is ‘The Worship Exchange?’
One of the outcomes we’d like to see is to establish a habit of worship group exchanges – rather like a ‘Pulpit Exchange’. We think it would be great if worship groups swapped around occasionally – we’ll play at your church service, you play at ours. If each group could achieve 2 or 3 such visits a year that would really grow inter-church fellowship and be great for all concerned.
‘Great for who exactly and how?’
Great for the host church – congregations generally are more receptive to new ideas when they come from outside people, and they also tend to be more forgiving of ‘outsiders’. In this way their congregation may be encouraged to approach worship from a new perspective – breaking out of the comfortable routines we all slip into and exposing themselves to new ideas.
Great for the visiting worship team – who have to learn humility, flexibility, coping with different PA, positioning etc. Again this shaking-up of the comfortable can be very fruitful in terms of learning how to put a band together.
Great for the PA teams – new instrument mixes, new and less familiar equipment, all great learning opportunities.
Great for God – he can use us best when we are prepared to move beyond our own strength – rising to a challenge requires us to depend on Him.
‘OK – sounds just about reasonable so far – but we don’t actually have a worship group – just a lady on the organ, a chap on a piano and a teenager with a funny hat – so I guess it’s not for us?’
We really would value your presence. If your church is struggling to find musicians, perhaps the exchange could help out? Maybe you’ve developed skills in small-group worship, using CDs or unaccompanied singing, come and tell us about that. It would be a huge mistake (though not a particularly uncommon one these days) to equate ‘worship’ with ‘worship band’. Lets explore all the other ways that we can come together in God’s presence to worship Him.
I’d be delighted to answer and other questions you may have – email me is easiest APKerry@aol.com or ‘phone 01702 472710.
The morning on Saturday 13th October will be pretty free-form, we’ll have the lightest of refreshments so there’s no charge and no need to confirm numbers, just turn up with however many people you care to bring and we will look forward to God stirring our nests (Deuteronomy 32 v11).
With much love in Christ
Alan Kerry
(PS – some of you know me, others may be wondering who this guy is – so I should perhaps introduce myself. Along with my wife Lisa, we co-ordinate the musical worship at West Leigh Baptist Church, I also dabble in a bit of home recording and work as a GP in Rayleigh. I’ve got a website at www.ackworthstudio.co.uk and also webmaster the West Leigh Baptist Church website at www.wlbc.org.uk)
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