RAISE YOUR VOICES ON A SATURDAY NIGHT
Warm up those vocal cords and perfect your rhythmic clapping! On August 17 at 7 pm, New City Music plans to host a Saturday-night worship concert fundraiser, with all proceeds going to Mission to Stoney Creek. “The idea of a concert has been floating around in the back of our heads for a while now,” says Dan Kikkert, who’s been writing original songs with Moses Lee since 2022. Envisioned as an “enhanced version” of our Sunday morning worship, this concert should be music to the ears of anyone who feels like we could squeeze a few more songs into every service (just me?). It’s also got a choose-your-own-adventure quality: the planning team is welcoming input from the congregation on the songs they’d like to sing (cast your vote!). There will be concessions, merch, and even a songbook available. I spoke with Dan about what else we can expect from this exciting fundraiser.
What’s your elevator pitch for this event?
We want to celebrate the growing, vibrant life of our church community! We will lead songs that have resonated powerfully with our people and introduce some of the original songs we have been working on. We will be praising God for his providence in the past and his presence with us in the present, and looking forward with expectation to the future. Pairing it with Mission to Stoney Creek was a natural fit, as both are part of the overflow of the work that God has been doing in New City.
How can people get involved?
Once the promo materials are ready, feel free to share on social media and invite your friends and family to come. We are also looking for sponsors to help with the cost of the event (renting additional equipment, for example), so if you know of anyone who would like to support, please direct them to Dan or Moses.
I hear there will be merch for sale! What kind of merch?
We are looking into stickers, buttons, tote bags, Phil plushies… All jokes aside, we’d definitely like to offer the songs in a physical book with sheet music, so that anyone can take home and learn the songs themselves. And while it won’t be available on the night of the concert, we’re planning to record an EP of some of the original songs. We hope to release the album in the fall of 2024, and you’ll be able to pre-order the EP at the concert. All proceeds from sales will go to Mission to Stoney Creek as well.
Which instruments can we expect to hear?
We’ll have a full band (drums, bass, keys, violin, etc.). But everyone who attends and sings along will be part of “the worship team.” Our aim is not simply to perform, but to give the congregation new songs that will help remind us of the truths in God’s word. In that way, the vibe will be more like a hymn or a carol sing. The goal is not to showcase Dan’s or Moses’s work, but to offer this music as something that could become the church’s songs, to be OUR songs—something that the entire church can take part in collectively.
When my family first started attending New City, we knew you as “the guy with the tambourine on his foot.” What are the chances that the ankle tambourine makes an appearance at the event?
Ha! Oh, I had repressed that memory! There are no plans to bring back the tambourine, as my gut says it’ll probably be a distraction (mostly to myself!), but if that is truly the best way to serve the congregation, I may consider it!