The launch of a new multilingual Asian hymnal, and a rich array of worship-related resources through talks and training sessions – these are some of the highlights of the upcoming Worship Symposium 2015.
Said Dr Yeo Teck Beng, Principal of the Methodist School of Music (MSM): “The Worship Symposium is a bi-annual event organised by the MSM for worship pastors or planners, choir members, worship band members and all those who are involved in church worship to congregate at one place, to share and to learn from each other.
“Worship Symposium 2015 promises to be an exciting and enriching time of learning from the many distinguished speakers, trainers and practitioners who come from the United States of America, Australia, Hong Kong, East or West Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia and the Philippines. “The programmes for the three-day symposium include morning worship sessions, skills-training workshops, afternoon sectionals, plenary sessions, and ending off each day with an evening worship. So hurry and sign up now!”
Guest speakers include:
Prof Jeff Barker, Professor of Theatre and Speech at Northwestern College in Orange City, Iowa. He is also Professor of Music and the Arts at the Robert E. Webber Institute for Worship Studies in Jacksonville, Florida, and a much-produced playwright, including And God Said, a musical created with Broadway composer Ron Melrose. He has authored a book titled The Storytelling Church.
Dr Joel Navarro, a Professor of Music at Singapore Bible College, School of Church Music. Previously, he was Professor of Music at Calvin College, Grand Rapids, Michigan (2002-2014). He specialises in 20th and 21st century choral music, and takes an ardent interest in post-modern music, Southeast Asian music traditions, and global hymnody.
Ms Tanya Riches, a well-known worship leader, singer/songwriter and speaker. Her first song ‘Jesus What a Beautiful Name’ was published through Hillsong Church when she was 15 years old, and it quickly become the #6 most-loved Christian song in Australia and charted internationally. Her songs are used worldwide in churches of all denominations and she has newly released an album titled Grace.
Dr Ruth Duck is Professor of Worship at Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary. She has written many books and articles about Christian worship, most recently Worship for the Whole People of God: Vital Worship for the 21st Century (Westminster John Knox Press, 2013). Her hymn texts have been published in the hymnals and supplements of many denominations.
The new Asian hymnal titled Let the Asian Church Rejoice will also be launched on 23 June, the first day of the symposium. It is jointly published by the Centre for the Study of Christianity in Asia and the MSM.
Ms Mary Y. T. Gan, the Project Director/Editor, said: “Let the Asian Church Rejoice is a multilingual hymnal with original languages and English, Chinese or Indonesian translations. Consisting of 135 hymns in 23 languages or dialects from 18 countries, the hymnal testifies to the rich variety of musical and poetic gifts (traditional and contemporary) that Asian Christians are blessed with.
“Besides the usual indexes, it includes a Leaders’ Guide and a demonstration CD. It represents Asia’s small contribution to the universal church hymnody. Let us, the Asian Church, treasure our unique, rich and varied musical heritage and use this hymnal to widen our repertoire, to share and deepen our faith and to sing joyfully to the Lord!”
To enquire about purchasing the hymnal, email csca@ttc.edu.sg or msm@msmusic.edu.sg, or call 6767-6677.
23-25 June 2015 (Tuesday – Thursday) • 8 a.m. – 6.15 p.m. daily
Methodist School of Music (496 Upper Bukit Timah Road, Singapore 678099) and Trinity Theological College (490 Upper Bukit Timah Road, Singapore 678093)
Organised by the Methodist School of Music and supported by Trinity Annual Conference of The Methodist Church in Singapore.
Register by 31 May. For more info, visit www.msmusic.edu.sg, call 6767-5258, or email worshipsymposium@msmusic.edu.sg