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NNPM National Conference

Chester University

Friday 23rd July to Sunday 25th July 2010

Pilgrims on a Journey

This year's conference had the theme "Pilgrims on a Journey". It was based at Chester University.

Attending the conference were: Bernadette Farrell, Chris Walker, Gary O' Neill, Andrew Maries, Richard Hubbard, Stephen Dean, Martin Foster and a couple of hundred pastoral musicians - the often ‘unsung heroes’ of many a successful liturgy.

Stephen Dean, Richard Hubbard and friends demonstrate the direction of flow in models of worship/performance/prayer at the final session of the NNPM conference at Chester 2010, ‘Pilgrims on a Journey’.

Here is one person’s take on it - do you have your own story to tell?

Chester 2010  ‘Pilgrims on a Journey’

A conversation overheard before the last morning session at Chester this year

‘it’s hard to explain how good the conference is – you have to get people to come and experience it for themselves.’

Here is my attempt to put into words some elements of the Chester NNPM 2010 weekend.

I arrived by train and was able to see the famous city walls of Chester, the Canal and the Cathedral before I headed to the University Campus. A spacious central building was where we set up to welcome people from all over the UK during Friday afternoon. At dinner I chatted to newcomers to the conference and returners, we told of our respective journeys, that had brought us around the table that evening.

We had a welcome from the Bishop of Chester, who spoke to us about the development of Chester University from an Anglican Theological college and we then moved to the University Chapel which had been built by a previous generation of students.

Night prayer followed, the first of several worship times filled with song, prayer, music and poetry interspersed with silence. We heard the unique combination of our voices for the first time.

Then, straight into a rehearsal with Christopher Walker for the next day’s morning prayer, after which many of us headed to the Student Union Bar to continue getting to know each other.

On the Saturday we were joined by about another 100 day visitors for a busy programme of workshops and talks.

I learnt a lot from the entertaining double-act of Martin Foster and Stephen Dean – considering the I/We, you /they, he/she aspects of the grammar used in hymns and prayers, they put the question ‘Who is the I ’ when you are singing a psalm, and asked us to consider ‘who are you talking to?’ at various points in the Mass.

Bernadette Farrell gave a very moving account of how music inspires people to join together to try to build the Kingdom of God here on earth in different ways.

Our keynote speaker – or in some ways keynote singer -Kathy Galloway echoed this theme as she described how songs are deeply embedded in our cultural memory and tell of journeys to freedom through great struggle. A particular example was ‘Freedom is coming’ that came out of the struggle against apartheid in South Africa and was taken up around the world.

We came together for a Big Sing, with more new music from Philip Jakob, and a Final Worship before saying farewell to the Saturday visitors. The Sound Blessing from Philip Roderick on the Hang Drum was mysterious and all-encompassing.    It was energising to be singing together in harmony with such a big group of musicians worshipping God.

Slightly fewer in number we made our way to the chapel for the Vigil Evening Mass for the 17th Sunday. We sang a setting of the Gloria by Christopher Walker using the new translation of the Roman Missal and also a Recessional Plainchant  ‘Send us out, O Lord with the love of Christ in our minds and hearts.’

After dinner we were entertained by ‘The Pilgrim Troupe’ led by Stella McGann.

We were brought ‘into the round’ and into the drama, song and poetry of the greatest story – from Creation to Pentecost. We were led through this presentation by a large all-age and talented cast, with clever use of costumes, lighting and minimal props. The ‘audience’ became participants as we sang well known hymns together at intervals in the action.

On Sunday we had a challenging talk from Dot Gosling about Christian youth work and the training of new leaders in this area. She asked us to support the young people we met in our music ministry and the Youth Workers in our Parishes.

Then a round up of the workshops from all the leaders made for a friendly and informal final session. Sorry to say that I had to leave to catch a train as the last worship time got under way.

I met some remarkable people, sang lots of marvellous new music and came back with great memories and a couple of new books from Decani Music!

Text: Vicky Dearing      NNPM membership secretary

Pictures: Jennifer Burridge