East Coast Christian Community Music Festival

Bringing Church and Community Together Through Music
18-22 November 2009

After months of planning the East Coast Christian Culture Music Festival is beginning to take shape. Centred on Bridlington the festival has attracted the support of the Bridlington Urban Renaissance Town Team and the East Yorkshire Schools Music Service. The festival will open on Wednesday 18th November 2009 with a Big Band Night featuring the Buckrose Concert Wind Band and Hunmanby Silver Band. Thursday night will see local amateur groups performing various musical styles including country and western, jazz etc. Friday evening will see a distinct change of mood as Marylyn Baker the blind gospel singer and recording artists heads the evening supported by a local gospel choir.

We are currently finalising lunchtime and afternoon events concerts to take place Wednesday through to Friday. Both the lunchtime and evening concerts will be at Christ Church so get the dates in your diary its going to be a great week.

Saturday and Sunday (21-22 November 09) events move to the Bridlington Spa complex. Saturday afternoon will see the final of the East Coast Youth Musician Competition in the Spa Royal Hall. This competition has three categories under 11 years, under 14 years and under 19 years. Closing date for entry to the competition is Saturday 19th September but candidates who register by the 31st July can enter the competition free of charge. Schools teachers and private music teachers please note. The East Riding Senior Wind Band will be performing during the competition final. For details see www.ccmf.co.uk

Sunday afternoon sees the local schools performing in the Spa Theatre at the East Coast Festival of School Music Making. Many local schools have already agreed to take part in this event. This concert will demonstrate the wide range of musical activities in our schools and the talents of young people.

Throughout Saturday a seminar/workshop for worship leaders and worship teams is included in the festival programme. This is to be headed up by Rob Parker and guest speakers. It will cover many aspects of worship leading.

On Saturday evening the Spa Royal Hall will echo to the sound of one of the top Salvation Army bands. This is to be followed by the presentation of the Jimmy and Carol Owen Christian Musical “Come Together.” This was a great blessing when we did this at Christ Church on Pentecost Sunday. Anthony Clarke will be conducting an augmented Churches Together Choir. The Christ Church Choir will provide a core of singers but even if you didn’t sing with the choir on Pentecost Sunday you will be more that welcomed to join the augmented choir. Rehearsals start in September see Anthony’s article for further details.

Sunday morning 22 November 2009 the 9:00am service will be at Christ Church. We will then move to the Spa Theatre for a combined Network Service commencing 10:30am.

Finally on Sunday night at 6:30pm the festival will be brought to a close with a Grand Finale Concert and Thanksgiving in the Bridlington Spa Theatre. It is hoped that East Yorkshire churches will congregate at the Bridlington Spa in a combined witness to the strength of the churches in our communities. This exciting evening will include the mass singing of some of well-known hymns from Charles Wesley, Fanny Crosby, Sankey and the modern writers Darling Zschech and Graham Kendrick. During the evening soloists, groups and instrumentalists from local churches will be invited to take part. The evening will end with a tribute to heroes of the modern Christian church. There will be no charge for entry to this Grand Finale so it offers a great opportunity to invite friends and family to come along.

Booking the Spa for all day Saturday and Sunday is a faith venture. This festival is part of our mission to the community through music. This is a great opportunity to let Bridlington know that the Christian faith is not dead. To help cover the cost we are looking to attract at least 100 patrons. You can become a patron by donating £30.00 or more to the festival. In exchange patrons will be able to attend all the mid week concerts as guests of the organisers free of charge and your name will appear in the Festival Patrons’ list. See Andy Jefferson for details to become a patron or pick up a “patron form” from the rear of the church and become a partner in this faith venture outreach to Bridlington and the surrounding region.

We will be looking for stewards to help in the venues throughout the festival so if you would like to volunteer for this task please see Paul Lowe.

Thanks to Andy and Mandy Gradwell who have created our festival web site, those with access to the internet you can keep up to date with the events programme on http://www.ccmf.co.uk/ or contact The Festival Director, The Key Centre, Quay Road, Bridlington. YO15 2AP. Tel 01262 404100