A fellowship of hymn lovers ministering the Word through music
THE Methodist School of Music (MSM) will launch the Charles Wesley Circle – a fellowship of hymn lovers ministering the Word through music — at the Trinity Theological College Chapel on Sept 21 at 6.30 pm.
The launch will include a buffet dinner, special music and a lecture entitled “The Importance of Wesleyan Hymnody for the Contemporary Church” by the Rev Dr S. T. Kimbrough, author of many articles on the life and hymns of Charles Wesley.
The Charles Wesley Circle aims to honour and preserve the legacy of Charles Wesley. It will consist of a body of Members and Fellows who recognise the importance of music as instruments of Christian worship and witness and for the edification of the saints.
This body will comprise Christians who are hymn and song lovers, enthusiasts, musicians and scholars recognised for their interest and dedication towards preserving the church’s heritage of hymn literature and quality music, promoting their use and inculcating a love for them in the ministry of the Church.
Members and Fellows of the Charles Wesley Circle will:
· HELP the MSM propagate and explain the importance of Christian music in worship, spiritual edification and evangelism,
· SUPPORT the education and preparation of Christians in the music ministry and the development of Asian Christian music and liturgy,
· ADVISE on the priorities of the music ministry which should be undertaken by the MSM, and
· DEVELOP a network of prayer and funding support for the music ministry from individuals and among churches and related bodies.
The Charles Wesley legacy
Throughout the years, The Methodist Church in Singapore has placed great importance on its music tradition. Methodists have used music as a medium for both the preaching of the Word and the edification of the saints.
In John Wesley’s days, when the communities he preached to consisted largely of miners, factory workers and rural people with limited literacy, Charles Wesley’s hymns enabled not only the essential truths of the Gospel to be presented powerfully, but also served as a means through which these truths could be remembered, internalised and propagated. They brought home the message of the Gospel and God’s love for the world in a way which unleashed the spiritual revival of England. This very revival served as a critical element in saving the English from the ravages of a secular revolution.
It has been acknowledged that no study of Methodist theology is complete without the study of Charles Wesley’s hymns and, therefore, they have become a valuable source for the study and understanding of our Methodist heritage.
To register for the launch of the Charles Wesley Circle, call the MSM at 6767-5258.