mgpcpastor's blog

Some of you know Mark Peterson, musician and song writer.
He’s currently posting a series, Diary Of A Musical Transition, about the changes which the church he serves (Holy Trinity, Adelaide, Australia) is going through in musical style.
The model which is being implemented is similar in philosophy and practice to what we try for at mgpc.
Part One: The Background.
Part Two: The First Week.
Part Three: Why Ask People To Change?
The posts demonstrate grace, humility and thoughtfulness.
I think Mark has been part of Holy Trinity for some time now, so he implements these changes as one who is part of their community, not as someone who has come to ‘fix’ them.

From Part Three:

I don’t like doing things that make people hurt. I’m often more likely to back down than go through with things that I know are unpopular. I hate seeing people in distress, especially when it’s my decisions that have brought this about.
I must admit, I didn’t realise that the prospect of musical change would cause pain. I think that pain has been partly caused by the implementation of something new that people say they don’t like. But really, I think the main cause of pain has been the fear of losing something precious. I think the precious thing is actually not just the music, but the experience of church. This place in which people have been meeting together in Christ’s name for many decades for some of these people… it’s kind of tied up with organ music for some reason.
I really think our memories and fond recollections are crucial to consider in any changes that we implement to how we do church. Although these memories are not the gospel themselves, they have often been part of the means by which people have heard the gospel.