The Ministry of Music

Let me begin with a confession! I can’t keep up with the output of contemporary worship songs - there's just too much being streamed.

Peter Baker | 08:25, Thursday 17th May

I do enjoy discovering fresh musical expressions that take Christian truth and give it the wings of melody. For I am aware how influential the Christian music media is in shaping the spirituality of a generation and how important it is in helping us express and explore our relationship to God. That's why I'm delighted about the two events happening this Saturday. During the day, Highfields hosts a Making Music Seminar designed for both players and sound producers.

We have an excellent music director in Phil Holt and a team of 40 or more musicians who make music every Sunday. The quality of our music tradition was showcased via the BBC Radio 4 broadcast (which if you want to hear again - just ask the office). But Saturday’s inter-church seminar is a good opportunity to enrich our music culture as a Church by learning from and sharing with others.

Then if you want to enjoy singing with hundreds of people, a choir and large orchestra, on Saturday night, St David's Praise, co-conducted by Highfields' Jeff Howard, will celebrate hymns and spiritual songs from across the centuries. It promises to be a great occasion! There are still some tickets available.

On a final note! Our Vision 2012 Sunday last month inspired Tamsin Graves to put Chris Tomlin's "You're the God of this city" to lyrics which reflect our heart as a Church. Tamsin sent it to me and I was instantly struck by the power of the original and Tamsin's cover version! You can find renditions of Tomlin’s original on Youtube (alternative version) and Tamsin’s moving adaptation of it below.

I am always encouraged when God by His Spirit lays something important for the Church on someone’s heart. I believe these lyrics are in that category

The God of this city – Highfields 2012 anotated version (with apols to Chris Tomlin!)

You're the God of this City – in Cathays and Pontprennau,
Roath and Thornhill, Llanishen and all our homes

You're the King of these people – the unborn, families, students,
the homeless, the sick and the dying

You're the Lord of this nation – Welsh born and Welsh resident,
home and abroad, free and in prison

You are – we sing it on Sundays and daily in our hearts, we teach it on Sundays,
in our schools and in our homes

You're the Light in this darkness – atheistic or religious,
agnostic or prodigal

You're the Hope to the hopeless – in counselling, befriending, visiting,
leafleting, preaching and reaching

You're the Peace to the restless – the depressed, lonely,
disappointed, angry, doubting

You are – from our square mile to Wales and the World

There is no one like our God – we say it in preschool groups, kids clubs,
youth work, student groups, and 1 to 1,

There is no one like our God – we share it on the website, by Internationals,
small groups, 3Cs, at Dalton Street ,and CE

For greater things have yet to come – So we WILL pray

And greater things are still to be done in this City – So we WILL serve

Greater thing have yet to come – So we WILL give

And greater things are still to be done in this City – So we WILL go

For greater things have yet to come – by our witness,
by our worship, by your Word

And greater things are still to be done in this City – through our brokenness,
to your glory, by your will,

Greater things have yet to come – eternally, transformationally,
beyond all we can ask or imagine

And greater things are still to be done here - AMEN!

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