Posted by: Clayton Fopp
on 27 May, 2011
In July this year Trinity will be presenting the inaugural Revelation Music and Ministry Conference. The goal of the conference is not primarily to improve the skills of musicians in church, although there will be workshops aimed at developing particular skills. 
Rather our goal in running the event is to help Christians; musicians, pastors and members of churches grow in their understanding of the role of music within the Christian community and particularly the important part that music plays in our Sunday gatherings.
We are very pleased to have Rev Dr David Peterson giving the keynote talks at the conference. David is an internationally respected theologian, teacher and author, having written and taught extensively on Christian worship and liturgy. David is the author of the seminal work on Christian Worship, Engaging with God.
Posted by: Clayton Fopp
on 13 May, 2011
When I write to people who have visited our church, I often tell them how encouraged we are when we have newcomers amongst us.
Newcomers help teach us some really important things about what it is to be the church. We’re reminded that our church gathering isn’t all about us. Sunday mornings aren’t just an opportunity for us to do a range of things the way we like them. When new people come amongst us, we’re reminded that other Christians express their faith in different ways. They have traditions and expectations that are different to our traditions and expectations. We’re also reminded that lots of people in our community have no background in the Christian faith. Some newcomers don’t know where to find a given passage in the Bible. They don’t know at what points in the service we generally stand and at what points we tend to sit. Many newcomers don’t know why we say declarations of faith together or why we pray.
Posted by: Clayton Fopp
on 7 May, 2011
In a few weeks I'm giving a talk on "Technology, Connectedness and the Christian Life." In preparation, I've been doing some reading on how different people use various aspects of technology to communicate the gospel of Jesus.
On the website of Global Recordings Network, I came across something that I saw first-hand more than 20 years ago and which ever since I've struggled to convince people actually exists!
It's the "Card Talk" cardboard record player, pictured at right.
Back around 1989 we discovered one out the back of our school library. Initially we couldn't work out what this strange piece of folded carboard was and why it had a needle attached to one end, but the fact that there was a vinyl record with the cardboard suggested this was in fact a record player!
Sure enough, we placed the record on the eyelet on the cardboard, folded the end of the carboard so that the needle rested on the record and when we spun the record, we could hear the sound! The vibrations of the needle were amplified by the 'baffle' of cardboard and we could clearly understand the spoken word recording.
Posted by: Clayton Fopp
on 4 May, 2011
A number of people have indicated they'd like to be praying for our church along the lines of 
Paul's prayer in Colossians 1 during our Colossians series.
The prayer I'm praying is below. I'd love you to join me in praying!
Because of the faith and love we know through the gospel of Jesus, I pray Father, that you will fill us with the knowledge of your will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding.
