Music in church ‘controversial’

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32554, 13 March 1971, Page 18

Music in church ‘controversial’

Controversies about music in church still existed, said the Rev. A. H. McLeod, minister of the Oxford Terrace Baptist Church and former president of the Baptist Union of New Zealand, in Christchurch last evening. He was speaking at a civic welcome for the Young World Singers, a group of young Baptists from New South Wales who arrived in Christchurch yesterday to start a two-week tour at the invitation of the Baptist Youth Movement in New Zealand.

About 100 persons attended the welcome in the Oxford Terrace Baptist Church hall. Mr Macleod said that the controversy about music existed not only because of differences in personal opinion, but because of the failure of many persons to understand the function of music in church.

There were five functions, he said. Music created atmosphere, expressed worship, was a medium for presenting a message, could be used as a means of teaching, and was above all a gift to be enjoyed. The national president of the New Zealand Baptist Youth Movement (the Rev. J. Skeet, of Dunedin) said that the Young World Singers were presenting Christ in a medium that was both vital and important. Other speakers were the Mayor of Christchurch (Mr A. R. Guthrey), the New Zealand field adviser for the Baptist Youth Movement (the Rev. B. Albiston), the president of the Canterbury Baptist Bible Class Union (Mr D. Adams) and the Australian tour leader (Mr A. Petterson).

After the welcome, the group, which includes about 24 singers as well as several

soloists, and accompanists, gave a short recital in the Oxford Terrace Baptist Church.

This evening, they will give a public performance in the Civic Theatre. The programme will include a variety of music such as gospel songs and Christian folkmusic. Tomorrow morning, the group will attend two church services before leaving for Wellington. In the North Island, the group will give concerts and visit schools and churches in Wellington, Palmerston North Rotorua, Hamilton and Auckland. The group—which was formed in June, 1965—appeared on a television series in Australia for three years as well as performing frequently in public. Recently, members made a tour of Australia with concerts in Canberra, Melbourne, Adelaide, and Perth.