In my youth, the ‘mix-tape’ was used to send a message to the one you were wooing! It was a collection of songs recorded onto a cassette tape, personally chosen, painstakingly edited and ordered to send the clearest message, voicing your affections for the recipient (the playlist of the 80’s…
During the heights of lockdown, we produced an online conference called ‘Together’, we were all missing gathering as a church, so I asked Garry Williams (London Seminary / Ebenezer Chapel, Luton) and Jonty Allcock (The Globe Church) to open up God’s Word and show us the biblical and historic reformed…
Why is it we spend so much time deciding what key to sing our songs in but so little time deciding what tempo to sing them at? Tempo matters The music we play should be helping people to sing. And as we sing together the Holy Spirit will cause Christ’s…
How to improve your congregational singing while we can't sing When trying to encourage our congregations to sing, we will sometimes reach for illustrations and examples from the few other places where people are comfortable singing nice and loudly in a crowd of people. These normally include watching your favourite…
Kid's songs. Always a bit marmite-like in the eyes (and ears) of a parent! Anyone who has been stuck with ‘baby shark’ or ‘the wheels on the bus’ on repeat, while maybe marginally grateful for that one time that it brought calm to a manic car journey, will also understand the…
I love counting in a good upbeat 6/8 to start a service! I’m sure musicologists can explain why such songs set a good musical tone, but for me they do. I also love the grandeur of a meaty old hymn. As I stand to sing I want the truth of…
Before we drown in the glittery sparkliness of Christmas, the drudgery of carol service prep and the painful torment of trying to hit the top descant notes of ‘Hark the Herald angels sing’ poorly pitched in key of G. Why not take a moment to have your head filled and…
Short review of the latest EP by City Alight Not all kids songs should be upbeat and rambunctious with numerous actions to humiliate the uncoordinated dads of your church, ‘Simple songs for the young and old’ by CityAlight offers an alternative, a well-trodden alternative and a warmly welcomed alternative. Since…
I wonder if you’re ever like me. Standing in church with your brothers and sisters, trying to sing songs about acceptance and forgiveness. Of the holiness of the Lord, and of what Jesus endured to save his people. And feeling like deep down you’re not sure it can be true…
A lament is “an honest cry of the heart, expressing the paradox between the pain of life and the promises of God.” (Joanna Jackson) How are we doing at encouraging these honest cries? How can we do it better? What part might music have to play? Is there a place…
‘Suffering is not a mark of God’s indifference towards us, or his hatred of us. Suffering is a mark of his love for us. It shows that we are his’. (chapter 6) ‘Suffering and Singing’ is short, focussed and beautifully written, by someone who gets it. Short - The book is…
NEW SONG: 'Halfway Empty' by Matt Redman https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VSKm4I0OYfk Scraping ice from the car windscreen yesterday morning, I turned on the ignition and saw the temperature gauge flash icy blue, revealing a seasonal affective disorder inducing -4.5C. The cold, dark days of January are upon us. It was only 8am and…
Before, during and what about AFTER? Crossing the finish line with a euphoric Gsus4, you dream of handing your instrument to a roadie to dutifully pack up for you, but the reality is very different. Once a church musician plays their last note, that is just the beginning. Whilst you…