FROM the Heart to the Heavens – A Symposium on Worship will be held on Aug 25 and 26, 2006 at Trinity Theological College (TTC). It is sponsored by Calvin Institute of Christian Worship (CICW), Grand Rapids, Michigan together with the Methodist School of Music, the Anglican Diocese of Singapore, the Presbyterian Church in Singapore and the CAC Board of Worship and Music.
The CICW is well-known for its annual Calvin Symposium on Worship that draws more than 80 presenters and 1,600 participants from around the world. This year more than 50 people from abroad attended the symposium, including several from China, Hong Kong, Japan and Singapore.
A 10-member team from Calvin Institute of Christian Worship, Calvin College and Calvin Theological Seminary will be in Singapore from Aug 23 to 26 as part of its study tour of Asia, including the Philippines, Indonesia and Singapore. The team consists of three professors, Dr Emily Brink, Dr Bert Polman and Dr Joel Navarro, a staff member, Ms Anne Zaki, four seminary students and two spouses.
At the symposium on Aug 26, the team will lead in worship and plenary sessions on the Eight Transcultural Principles for Christian Worship and a Top Dozen List where participants will sing through 12 commended songs gathered or composed in the last 50 years, with suggestions for performance. Local sponsors have also been asked to submit their recommended list of songs.
In addition to the plenary sessions, there will be eight breakout sessions on the following topics: Choirs in Worship/Dr Joel Navarro; Psalms in Worship/ Dr Bert Polman; A Balanced Diet of Congregational Song/ Dr Emily Brink; Worship, Hospitality and Pastoral Care/ Ms Anne Zaki; Conducting Masterclass/Dr Joel Navarro; The History and Spirituality of Western Hymnody/ Dr Bert Polman; An Annual Rhythm for Worship/ Dr Emily Brink (an exploration of the Christian year, and its implications for worship planning in preaching, music, and the visual arts); and Treasures of Asian Song for Worship by Dr Lim Swee Hong, a Singaporean liturgy lecturer at Trinity Theological College.
The symposium will begin with a Festival of Worship Songs on Aug 25 at TTC Chapel at 8 pm. This is a festival of congregational song and choral music for public worship, led by a worship team with the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship, the children’s choirs of Telok Ayer, Paya Lebar Chinese Methodist Church, Toa Payoh Chinese Methodist Church, a Festival Choir of members from the Methodist School of Music and various churches. Admission is free and all are welcome.
All pastors, worship leaders, choir members, musicians and anyone involved in the worship ministry are encouraged to register for the symposium. Call MSM at 6767-5258 for more information. Registration forms and detailed information can also be found at the following link:
http://www.msmusic.edu.sg/misc/ CME2006_Symposium.pdf
Mary Y. T. Gan is the Principal of Methodist School of Music.