Up in Grand Rapids, at the Calvin Worship Symposium, we started discussing some cross-cultural implications of the Re:tuned hymns movement. One thing I forgot to mention to several of the people that had questions was the work that New City was doing. James Ward (and now his Son Kirk Ward, in Chattanooga and Saint Louis respectively), have done some great work in putting together cross-cultural resources for music that honors several historical contexts – both the rich tradition of the whole Church and the rich tradition of Africa-American spirituality.
I wold highly encourage you to go look over his site - New City Music - even if you don’t think you’re “in the need” for things like this, it is good for us to know and praise God for the work that is happening in different parts of the church.
From the site:
Many musicians leading this worship have been trained at New City Fellowship. This site hopes to further extend this movement, offering music, video, instruction, and reflection for those who want to take part in the vision of cross cultural worship.
Like the New City congregations that support us, we are passionate about the Biblical view of racial reconciliation through Christ. Yet we recognize the difficultly of cross-cultural ministry. Our unique histories and dreams, beliefs and biases, images and idioms, often seem at odds. But through the Lord our different lives interlock. In Christ we find the places where the pieces bind.
