The Big Sing

Our Shipley Churches Together wanted to commemorate Bradford's City of Culture year, and decided on an event called 'The Big Sing'. Hosted in Saltaire's beautiful United Reformed Church, we spent an afternoon and evening enjoying praising God through many wonderful songs and hymns of worship. 

The event started with a recital by members of Hallroyd Brass Band, who also happen to be celebrating their 80th anniversary, founded at Hallroyd Methodist Church in 1945. That was followed by a lively session of singing by our primary school children, with Shipley singer-songwriter John Froud, who regularly goes into schools to lead assemblies and workshops. 

There was organ music too, making use of the URC's pipe organ, installed in 1890, which occupies pride of place at the front of this 'Cathedral of Congregationalism'. 

My own church, St Peter's Shipley, then led us in 'Christian songs through the decades', starting with one of my personal favourites 'How Great Thou Art', which actually has a long history beginning as a Swedish poem from the 1880s. It was heard in Ukraine in the 1930s, having been put to music, then translated into English and published in 1949. It became popular here and in the USA in the 1950s, thanks to the evangelist Billy Graham. It's a wonderful song. 'Shine Jesus Shine' (Graham Kendrick) from the 1980s is a belter of a feel-good song, as is 'My Jesus, My Saviour' by the Australian Darlene Zschech written in 1993. Another of my personal favourites is 'In Christ Alone', that wonderful encapsulation of the Gospel - the good news of Christ - with words by Stuart Townend (a Yorkshire lad) and music by Keith Getty. 

In the evening there was a celebration of church music with strong links to Bradford and this part of Yorkshire. There's a surprising richness of history there, and the minister of Shipley Baptist Church, Keith Jones, guided us through it - dressed in very appropriate attire for the wonderful setting we were in, and with all the clarity and gravitas that one might have expected from a Victorian pastor.

All in all, a very good 'do'.