Last Saturday members of our church treated us to a lively concert of 100 years of music and entertainment, with something from each decade. They began with everyone singing wartime songs like 'Pack up your troubles in your old kit bag' and ended with the choir singing songs from 'Mama Mia', with improvements by the two 'vicars' wives' as they danced to the music! In between, we were entertained by piano recitals - one by a very quiet young man with autism whose talent was quite a shock to all who had never even heard him talk! - and poems by Pam Ayers. We ended with a hot supper of things like vegetable lasagne and shepherd's pie for so many people that we had to serve an overflow in the Woodcote Room. A very happy occasion.
For our next celebration we have invited the National Methodist Youth Brass Band for the weekend of 7th to 8th February, when they will give a concert on the Saturday evening and play for the Morning Service on the Sunday morning. Just in case anyone reading this lives near enough to want to come to the concert at Caversham Heights Methodist Church, Reading, tickets are £5 from Janet Offord 0118 947 0903 Email:janet@offordrs.idps.co.uk or from Viv Emerson 01491 572 531 Email: vivemerson@supanet.com
The Methodist Youth Brass Band was formed in April 1987 when 20 enthusiastic young brass players responded to an advert in the Methodist Recorder and got together at Surbiton Hill Methodist Church. After just two lengthy and concentrated rehearsals they gave a creditable first concert and then on the Sunday participated in morning worship by playing the voluntaries and accompanying all the hymns. The National Methodist Youth Brass Band had been born. It was evident from that first weekend that there was potential and promise for such a band and that God's Spirit was urging it on.
But how can you run a band on a national basis? How can they get together to practise and perform? What about the cost of travel and accommodation? The answer is 'weekends'. The band meets four or five times a year from Friday evening to Sunday afternoon. The players sleep on the floor in church halls and are fed by local congregations. They give a Saturday night concert and lead Sunday morning worship - a pattern set by that first weekend in Surbiton.
WE are eagerly looking forward to welcoming our young vistors and listening to their music.
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4 comments:
What a great ministry for Methodist young people! I am not available on that Saturday night, but I am so pleased that Caversham is supporting them! Enjoy!
I worked at MAYC's offices in 1987 and remember working with the founder of the Brass Band - it's great to know they are still going strong. I'm glad your celebrations are going so well Olive.
Thank you both so much. When you worked at MAYC's offices, Micky, was that in the time of The Revd Dr Mark Wakelin? Because we have Mark coming to preach for our Mission in Britain Sunday on March 22nd.
Just wonderful
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