If you wander down to St Mary’s Silverstream on the occasional Sunday evening you’re just as likely to the works of U2, Sinead O’Connor, Phillip Phillips, REM, Johnny Cash, Bon Jovi, Springsteen or Linkin Park as you are more traditional selections from the hymnal. 

We caught up with Rev Kath Bier about what’s been happening and some of the feedback their hearing. 

“We’re blessed with a number of people in our community who love music almost as much as they love Jesus, and they hear and see his fingerprints in so much of the world’s music and humanity’s great artists.

“Putting these two passions together the team created the ‘Declare & Demonstrate’ music nights as a way of contemporary sacred space – a way to celebrate God’s gift of music in an environment that was welcoming and inclusive for anyone regardless of where they’re at in their faith journey.” 

The evenings are hosted by a large electric band that includes a couple of teens from our youth group performing in a band setting for the first time, alongside some more experienced musicians.

“In the band it’s an environment of invitation and stepping out of our comfort zones to bless others – there are moments of musical brilliance, and there’s moments were we all make mistakes and laugh it off together. The performance isn’t what matters,” says Kath. 

She says, “The evenings are designed to be a prophetic expression, using society’s songs to affirm that God fully knows and understands the human experience – He lived it’s pains, joys, challenges and griefs with us.

“Life isn’t always rosy, so we acknowledge that through our these songs. Then we gather around the communion table together – usually with naan bread and sometimes mulled wine – as we shift our focus from the pain of life to the offer of hope and healing, and that’s the focus of the second part of each night where we gather around more traditional hymns, with a modern musical twist.” 

The team have added one other unique element that’s been particularly popular: spoken word scripture over a musical background. It’s been quite something to hear passages like Job 38 or Psalm 23 read aloud, over a tapestry of drums and electric guitars.

Kath says, “We’ve had some lovely feedback from people who are not part of any church community at all and others who aren’t ready to join a Sunday morning gathering yet but are becoming regulars at these nights.

“We’re hoping it’s something God can use as another stepping stone to bring people that next bit closer to him and his people.” 

Kath and the team have extended their invite to anyone across the Diocese. The next night will be sometime in Spring, but you can keep tabs of their events here: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61560649285738.