ArtServe conference 2010

Let's Celebrate!

There are still places available for our annual weekend conference, Friday 22nd to Sunday 24th October 2010 at High Leigh Conference Centre, when we celebrate 75 years of the Methodist Church Music Society (MCMS) and the establishment of ArtServe.

A highlight of the weekend is a celebratory concert by the Saint Michael's Singers, conducted by Paul Leddington Wright, in Hoddesdon Parish Church on Saturday 23rd October at 7.45 pm. This event is open to all and details of how to book tickets will be available soon.

The keynote address is by the Vice-President of the Methodist Conference. Workshop topics cover music, dance, drama, visual arts and storytelling.

Leaders and activities

We are delighted that Deacon Eunice Attwood, Vice-President of the Methodist Conference, will be with us to present the Saturday morning keynote address.

Paul Leddington Wright, an Artserve member, is well known for his work with BBC TV Songs of Praise. He is a freelance composer, arranger and organist, and well known for leading choral workshops. He was organist and director of music at Coventry Cathedral from 1984-1995.  Paul will open the conference on Friday evening with a singing session which hopefully will include some of the new material to be included in the new publication Singing the Faith. On Saturday morning Paul will lead a workshop entitled How to improve congregational singing.

Margaret Rizza composes hauntingly beautiful melodies that are recognised around the world as an icon of all that is holy and best in Christian composition. Her music is wonderfully melodic and can be heard regularly on Classic FM and BBC Songs of Praise. She will lead a Saturday afternoon workshop on material for Advent and Christmas.

Derek Davidson is a Methodist Minister, drama director, writer and speaker. As an actor he has ranged from Shakespeare to pantomime, on stage, TV, film and radio, with passion plays and chancel drama in between! A former chairman of the Methodist Drama Committee and a Vice-President of Radius, Derek will be leading drama workshops on Saturday.

Jan Dyer is the national coordinator of the Christian Dance Fellowship of Britain (CDFB), an inter-denominational organisation working across Britain to support and encourage dance and creative movement as an expression of the Christian faith. Jan and colleagues will be leading dance and movement workshops on Saturday.

Ken Luxon, Methodist local preacher and Christian storyteller, leads workshops on basic storytelling skills. Ken can tell tales until the cows come home (and will do unless you stop him) and is particularly interested in stories more suited to an older audience.

Rachael Singleton, an ArtServe member, will present workshops entitled Heart Vision - a chance to play and pray with mixed media. Participants will learn about visual journaling and make a simple book. Rachael's website is here.

On Saturday evening there will be a celebratory concert in Hoddesdon Parish Church. Members of the Saint Michael's Singers from Coventry, conducted by Paul Leddington Wright, will present a varied programme of choral music ranging from Purcell to Rodgers and Hammerstein - something for everybody. This is an open event: anyone can book tickets; for conference attendees your ticket is included in the cost of the conference.

Our Sunday morning worship will be a service celebrating and giving thanks for the work of MCMS over the last 75 years. Our guest preacher will be the Rev Dr John B Taylor. John has been a good friend to MCMS over the years and preached at the Diamond Jubilee Celebratory service.

Booking information

High Leigh is a well equipped and comfortable Christian conference centre set in attractive surroundings. Accommodation is provided in standard and en-suite rooms. The inclusive cost of the weekend per person is £140 (standard room) or £165 (en-suite). There are a limited number of Saturday day visitor places available at a cost of £35 (including lunch and drinks), or £50 to include evening dinner and the concert.

	click here to download a brochure giving full details of the weekend (booklet format: set print options to landscape if you print this double-sided).
	click here to download the booking form as a single A4 sheet (recommended for ease of printing).

For general enquiries about this conference please contact John Bailey. Enquiries specifically about bookings should be sent to Gillian Pengelly.