To England!

Well, later today I will be traveling to England for my study leave this year. It's going to be an action packed week where I will be attending two worship conferences. The first is in Eastbourne and is called Mission:Worship. It has a pretty good line-up of UK worship leaders and speakers, but the main thing I am looking for from this conference is connections. I want to hook up with the people with whom I can make strategic relationships for the future - mutual encouragement, possibly even trips to Cairo - we'll see! So I am praying that God will help me meet the right people when I am there.

The second event is a Songwriter's Consultation that Graham Kendrick has been running for a few years now. He has invited me along as his guest, and the two days will be spent with a bunch of influential songwriters, including Matt Redman, Tim Hughes and Israel Haughton, in discussion with a bunch of theologians about what songs need to be written for the church to sing. Where are the holes in our cannon of modern worship songs? What do we need to be singing about? Are there any major pieces of doctrine or theology that are not represented in worship music at the moment?

So it'll be lots of fun, with meeting new people and making connections. I will also get to see some family and experience cold weather! Oh yes, and eating pork and drinking beer - very important indeed.