Methodist Church Music Society organisation

Serving music in Methodism

MCMS e-news – March 2008

In this issue:

A new organisation

MCMS is forming a new organisation, initially to run alongside MCMS, which will provide support and encouragement for those active in using other forms of creative arts in worship. We have had some legal problems in setting up the new organisation but we are now in discussions with the Charity Commission on how best to achieve our aims. Further details are on our website.

We are still adding to our database of interested people. If you know anyone who would like to receive news from us on this initiative, please ask them to complete our online questionnaire to register their interest. The questionnaire can also be downloaded (various formats), alternatively paper copies are available from John Bailey (0114) 236 7196.

Annual conference

Friday 24^th - Sunday 26^th October 2008
High Leigh Conference Centre, Hoddesdon, Hertfordshire.

Details of our 2008 annual conference are now available. Brochures and booking forms were enclosed with the recent issue of Notes and full details are on our website (click here). Our leaders for the weekend include:

Alison Adam of the Iona Community
The Revd Mark Wakelin, director of the Guy Chester Centre
The Christian Drama Resource Centre, an ecumenical group working to promote the dramatic arts
Members of the Music Resource Group developing the proposed new hymn book and associated resources.

We can also now confirm that Barry Rose, renowned choir trainer and former cathedral organist, will run workshops on organ playing.

Details of speakers and prices
Download a booking form (PDF format)
Enquiries to Graham Tidmarsh (01793) 782584.

An illustrated report of our 2007 Celebrate Wesley conference is on our website.

Wales Regional Training Day

Exploring Music in Worship, Prayer & Praise

A day for Musicians, Preachers and Worship Leaders

Our next regional training day will be at Trinity Methodist Church, Penarth (just south of Cardiff), on Saturday 7^th June 2008, 10.00 am to 4.30 pm.

The day includes the opportunity to participate in two of the following workshops:
Andrew Pratt - Not another hymn book
Roger Peach - Playing/singing without music
Michael Davies - What do we expect music to do?
Andrew Maries - Voices in harmony

Previous highly successful training days were held in Exeter (2006) and Wymondham (2007). These events are open to anyone interested in the use of music in worship, whether or not you are an MCMS member. They provide an opportunity:

To meet together to support and encourage each other
To experience worship together
To develop the use of all forms of music in worship
To share new ideas and resources for music in worship.

Full details are on our website as follows:

Programme for the day
Details of workshops and leaders
Download the full brochure (PDF format)
Download booking form only

Enquiries to MCMS training officer Christine Lawley 01403 257406.

If you know church musicians in South Wales, or within striking distance (eg. Bristol or Gloucester) please let them know about this event (preferably by forwarding this email).

MAYC O&S open rehearsal

The MAYC Orchestra & Singers are running an open rehearsal weekend Friday 25^th - Sunday 27^th April at Cheadle Hulme Methodist Church. This is an opportunity for young people in the 13-26 age bracket who are able singers or grade 8 instrumentalists to join O&S for a weekend as they prepare for their upcoming concert in London (part of Pentecost Festival). As well as experiencing what O&S has to offer, there is also the opportunity to audition and hence take part in Pentecost.

Please pass this information on to young people who might be interested. The cost of the residential weekend is only £15 all inclusive. For details email info@mayc-oands.org.uk, or phone or text 07842 161444.

O&S's Charles Wesley celebration album Rejoice the Lord is King is now available. Most of the tracks are familiar tunes in contemporary arrangements. The CD is available from PO Box 2237, Watford, WD18 1GD, price £12.99 (cheques payable to O&S Music Ltd). More details on the O&S website.

An Organ for a Methodist Church

This booklet, published by MCMS's Organ Advisory Service, provides an all-round introduction to the whole subject of church organs. Originally published in 1987, it has been comprehensively updated to cover all current technologies, and now includes photographs.

Although An organ for a Methodist Church cannot hope to answer every possible question, it will guide you towards which questions to ask. In only 18 pages, it surveys the differing types of pipe organ, summarises the technologies employed by electronic organs, addresses issues of siting and acoustics, and touches on alternative technologies such as "self playing" organs, electronic keyboards, and even pianos.

This is the perfect introduction for non-musicians needing to address the question of procuring or replacing an instrument for worship. It is also an excellent overview for organists who want to be better informed about alternatives to pipe organs.

Copies are available from the Organ Advisory Service, 50 Bayham Road, Bristol, BS4 2DR, price £2.95, or via bookshops (ISBN 978-1901084-65-8).

Click here to download an explanatory leaflet about the Organ Advisory Service (PDF format).

Methodist worship bands

Wherever did you get the impression that MCMS is just a club for organists and "traditional" musicians?! MCMS exists to support all forms and styles of music in worship. Rob Newton, who is a member of the MCMS Executive Committee, wants to contact all Methodist worship bands and music groups. To get this project off the ground, we need your help. We are well aware that most band leaders, and even many music group leaders, have no involvement with MCMS. But you know who they are (or know someone who does). Please forward this email, drawing attention to this item, and ask them to visit Rob's worship band page on our website and make contact with him.

Subscriptions

If you are an MCMS member and have not yet paid your subscription for the current year, please note that the covering letter accompanying the recent issue of Notes includes your subscription request. It would be most helpful if you could pay without further reminder. We naturally hope that you will wish to renew your membership, but if for any reason you will not be renewing, please let the Membership Officer know so that we don't have to contact you again.

Help needed

In connection with the development of the new creative arts organisation, we are looking for people willing to join the following two working groups:

Communications and Marketing - how we sell ourselves to the outside world (logo, website, advertising campaigns etc)
Activities and Resources - identify the various art forms that will come under the new organisation, build up a list of practitioners and available resources across the country and make recommendations on how we match resources to needs.

If you, or anyone you know would be interested in joining one of these groups, or if you would like to have a bit more information, please contact John Bailey (0114) 236 7196, or write to him at 23A, The Quadrant, Totley, Sheffield, S17 4BD.

Links and contacts

MCMS website
Join MCMS download an application form (PDF format)
Organ advisory service
Worship bands
Creative Arts (Methodist Church website)
Connexional music advisors (Methodist Church website)

Training events: Christine Lawley (01403) 257406
Annual conference: Gillian Pengelly (029) 2045 3968
Organ advice & instruments in worship: Philip Carter (0117) 977 9152
Worship bands: Rob Newton (01509) 233396
Long service certificates: Margaret Higson (01204) 852538
Membership: Michael Boxall (020) 8669 9744
"Notes" and all other enquiries: John Bailey (0114) 236 7196

Help our mailing list to grow

Please encourage church music colleagues to register for MCMS e-news by sending an email to e-news@methodistmusic.org. They will then be kept in touch with significant events and developments in the world of church music and other creative arts. Email addresses are not revealed to anyone else.

About MCMS e-news

MCMS e-news goes to MCMS members and others who have supplied us with an email address, and is a service to the whole church. Do you have a special event to publicise? Send items for inclusion to the membership officer. Wherever possible, please include a link to a relevant website and/or an email contact. Contributions should have some relevance to church music or other worship arts. MCMS does not guarantee publication and reserves the right to edit any copy received.

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