A NIGHT IN WITH EMU CONCERT (23 FEBRUARY | 7:30-9:00PM)
Join us for a night of songs and storytelling as the Emu team shares some of their songs and the passages and moments that inspired them. Hear the gospel shared and sung at this family-friendly evening of live music.
WORD IN SONG CONFERENCE (24 FEBRUARY | 9:30AM - 1:00PM)
In these past few years, most of us have experienced a time of extraordinary disruption in our churches. More than ever, we need to be clear on what the Bible has to say about singing and its place within the church. At this year's Word In Song Conference, we'll be thinking about how to create a healthy culture of singing, how to lead with clarity and confidence for the sake of the church, and how to best use our gifts to love and serve. As always, we want you to be equipped and encouraged by God's word, and to leave with useful practical skills and ideas for your music ministry. Come and join us for a fun and foundational morning of training for your church music team!
PROGRAM
8:45am: Doors and registration open
9:15am: Main Session: Bible teaching
10:00am: Church Music Masterclass
10:50am: Break
11:10am: Seminars
Leading from Piano and Guitar
Leading a Team
12:35pm: Seminars
Song Leading
Ministry of Sound
What Songs Should We Sing?
12:40pm: Final session
1:00pm: Conference Close
Please note: program is subject to change.
Location coming soon.
Early Bird ticket price ends on 17th December 2023.
Seminar Descriptions
Leading from Piano and Guitar:
Many of our churches have just these two instruments, so how do we make the most of them? And how to we lead in a dynamic, engaged, complimentary way from these instruments?
In this seminar, we'll unpack both the harmonic and rhythmic elements of great congregational leading, and provide the tools for pianists and guitarists to understand each other better and play together well.
Helpful for guitarists, pianists, band leaders, vocalists.
Song Leading:
In many ways, the song leader is the single most important person in leading great congregational singing. We will spend our time on the practicalities of how to lead singing well – including how to prepare, how to communicate clearly and with confidence, and mic and singing technique.
Helpful for singers, song leaders, pastors.
Leading a Team:
Effective music ministry can’t happen without someone in charge. But many of us land in the job of music director or band leader with little experience or knowing how to take the ministry forward. This session will look at the role of those in leadership, how to shape a team culture, how to shape a culture of singing in the church, and run an effective rehearsal.
Helpful for song leaders, music team leaders, music directors and those aspiring to these roles!
Ministry of Sound:
This session is about training your ears and the practical implications of the church being called to hear God’s word: spoken and sung. We will consider how we play for different-sized congregations, volume, balance, the critical mass of a space, how to self-mix, ambient sound, and how to foster good relationships between musicians, the tech team, and the congregation.
Helpful for music pastors, musicians, sound technicians.
What Songs Should We Sing?:
Choosing songs thoughtfully and intentionally is key to an effective word-based music ministry. However, there is so much to consider when creating services week in and week out – and it can be hard to keep our focus on what is important! In this seminar we’ll think about how to create a well-rounded repertoire of songs for our church and talk through all the factors we need to consider when choosing from this list each week. We’ll also consider how style, instrumentation, lyrical content and liturgy affect our song choices.
Helpful for pastors, singers, song leaders, songwriters.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Is there a group discount?
Yes! Group discounts are applied automatically at checkout (10% off each ticket for groups of 5-14, and 20% off each ticket for groups of 15+). To arrange for a unique code for your group so that you can all sign up individually at a discounted rate, you can contact us at hello@emumusic.com with your church name and group size.
2. Who is this conference useful for?
Every member of a church music team, especially those starting out in this ministry. At nearly every conference we meet someone who tells us they wish they had brought the whole team along - as listening and learning together makes the biggest difference back in your church.
Yes! The ministry of the word in song flourishes when it deliberately complements the spoken word. As the leader of the congregation's praise under Jesus, we hope you'll see the responsibility and joy of overseeing the music ministry at your church. What's more, your musicians will find it a great encouragement to see you supporting their ministry.
4. I've been doing music for many years. Will I learn anything new?
Most definitely. Many people come to Word In Song simply for the refreshment, encouragement and fellowship with those doing similar ministry.
5. We are a small church with few resources - will this day be relevant?
Yes! We love helping smaller churches work out how to effectively use their resources to lead singing. There will be lots of opportunities for applying biblical and practical principles to every context.
Cancellations
Delegate cancellations will incur a $10 administration fee. Sorry, no refunds will be given for cancellations within one week of the event. In the event that we need to cancel or postpone the conference, Emu Music will provide a full refund.
Communications
By registering you are agreeing to receive communication about this event from Emu Music. We will email you before and after the event in order to keep you informed and gather feedback.