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08 Jul 2013
2

The Video Release Party of the Virtual Year!

Malcolm Gordon

So here it is.This is the release party for the music video to the song, 'Our Father is waiting'. Right now we're milling around, hobnobbing and scoffing canapes, hors d'oeuvres and other spelling impossibilities while waiting for the big reveal at 9pm on Wednesday evening.In the meantime, why not cruise around the 'room' and check out who else is here. Wanna join the fun, email your self-take to malcs@onevoice.org.nzExcitement is building outside the venue.And a sneak...

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05 Jul 2013
1

Christchurch visit

Malcolm Gordon

Hey guys, if you're in or around Christchurch, we're heading there today!Tonight (Friday) I'm playing a combined youth event at St Stephen's Presbyterian - Bryndwr (how can it be a word without any real vowels!?!) from 7pm.Tomorrow (Saturday) I'll be leading two workshops at St Marg's Presbyterian in Bishopdale. From 10:30am we'll be looking at 'The story of worship' and after lunch we'll explore 'Worship and mission' - and whether they have anything to say...

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02 Jul 2013
11

Traditional, contemporary or…

Malcolm Gordon

In 1972, the first Scripture and Song book was published. It began, or marked the beginning of the movement broadly called, 'contemporary worship music.'That was 41 years ago. I've been working on a wee theory. Back in 1972, a musical and liturgical revolution occurred. That much is clear. The folk music that people were listening too on the radio began to be used as a vehicle for their songs of praise, confession and intercession in...

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26 Jun 2013
6

Chasing dragons and learning a new language

Malcolm Gordon

A couple of weekends ago, I led the music at a weekend long conference led by Jackie Pullinger in Tauranga. If you haven't heard of Jackie, like I hadn't, she has spent the last 47 years working with the drug addicts and prostitutes in Hong Kong, helping them to live the life of a beloved child of God. It's a powerful story. She wrote a book called, 'Chasing the Dragon' if you want to learn...

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25 Jun 2013
2

Set you free – New song

Malcolm Gordon

This one has been a while coming.So things can go wrong in our lives. Often its easy to remember whoever it was that made things go wrong. At night, when the lights are out, we go over what they had said, what they did, and how they had conspired to ruin our lives. We keep taking out these grievances to examine them, that they almost become precious to us. And yes, I know what I'm...

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19 Jun 2013
0

More road time ahead

Malcolm Gordon

We've just enjoyed our 4th straight weekend at home. Its almost felt normal. We're about to plunge back into our 'weekend home, weekend away' rhythm again.Not that staying at home is all easy! In the last week we had a day long conference in Mangitangi and a weekend long conference with Jackie Pullinger in Tauranga where I led worship. Intense, life-giving times!The weekend of the 30th of June I'm playing at Papakura East Presbyterian Church...

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12 Jun 2013
9

New song: Come now, Breath of Life

Malcolm Gordon

So something's happening. I've written 3 songs this week, after a hiatus of a couple of months. But every one of them has been melodically born, that is, I get a tune stuck in my head and then have to work a concept to fit. This is unfamiliar territory for me. I like to work out where I'm going, and then sing about it. Somewhat fittingly this latest song is about the Holy Spirit, which...

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07 Jun 2013
1

Family sharing time in Luke 15 – new song

Malcolm Gordon

So I've been musing on Luke 15 again. Since I first posted this reflection, I've written this song to go with it. Now you can listen and read at the same time! Multi-sensory theology - bliss.I am all for youWe are all familiar with the story of the lost sheep, and the shepherd who leaves behind the 99 to go and rescue it. Jesus is not all that shy about calling himself 'the Good Shepherd',...

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01 Jun 2013
0

‘You owe me’ vs ‘I’m not worthy’ and the God who can’t tell the difference.

Malcolm Gordon

For sometime now, Ness, Sam and I have taken Saturday as our family Sabbath. Today as part of it, we went for a walk down Tuapiro (a little harbour side settlement 5 minutes from our place) to collect some pine cones and read the Bible together. This was our pulpit. Not a bad spot. Perhaps a little reminiscent of St Francis preaching to the birds!The reading was this week's gospel passage, Luke 7:1-10 - the story...

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31 May 2013
0

Embodied worship: The first trial run

Malcolm Gordon

If you're new to the idea of 'Embodied worship' - you can read some background on it here.This is the story of how I used it for the first time with a group of unsuspecting workshop participants at the South Island Ministry conference.So I began writing pieces of music that were sparse lyrically, but still rooted in the classical liturgy, which is itself, inspired by the big-story of God's salvation. First we are called by...

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31 May 2013
0

Embodied worship – background

Malcolm Gordon

So while I was down south, I led a workshop at the South Island Ministry Conference, held at East Taieri Presbyterian Church. The conference has become a bit of an institution now, in a really good way, and this year I got to lead a seminar entitled, 'Where is music going in worship?'It was a dangerous title. It was also given to me, because I didn't come up with one before they had to send...

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28 May 2013
2

New Zealand Music Month: free music

Malcolm Gordon

So, as I lay awake last night wondering if the NZ cricketers could dig themselves out of this present hole (this morning told me they couldn't) I figured I'd like to mark the remaining few days of NZ Music month with something nice.March was an incredibly creative month for me. I wrote a bunch of songs, recorded them and some others that had lain dormant for too long. I've been getting better at demoing songs...

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