Cradley Heath Salvation Army Band’s 2010/2011 season kicks off this evening as we support our Over 60s Club and their anniversary celebrations.

The Band is taking part in a concert with Kingswinford Singers and Black Country vocalist, Pearl Tipton. The Band will contributing the March: Down the street and the Chorus Arrangement, O how I love Jesus!

Why not come and join in the celebration? The concert starts at 6:30pm at The Salvation Army, Meredith Street, Cradley Heath, West Midlands B64 5EP.

View Cradley Heath B64 5EP in a larger map

Cradley Heath Salvation Army Band’s contribution to this Sunday evening’s worship meeting will be the lively March: He keeps me singing.

You can find out more about this music by visiting this page.

This Sunday we are celebrating our Over 60s Club anniversary.

Why not join us for our worship meetings at 10:30am and 6:00pm at The Salvation Army, Meredith Street, Cradley Heath, West Midlands B64 5EP? You will be most welcome!

View Cradley Heath B64 5EP in a larger map

[Image Credit: tanakawho on Flickr Creative Commons]

Cradley Heath Band of The Salvation Army are pleased to announce that tickets for the concert by the Melbourne Staff Songsters of The Salvation Army go on sale from the end of our concert tonight by Risca Salvation Army Band (starts at 7:00pm).

You can find out more about the concert with Risca Band here. Tickets for tonight’s concert will be available on the door at £7.50.

Our Australian friends will be giving a worship concert on Wednesday 22 September 2010 at 7:30pm at Cradley Heath Salvation Army, Meredith Street, Cradley Heath, West Midlands B64 5EP.

Tickets for the Melbourne Staff Songsters concert are priced at £7.50 on payment in advance or £10.00 when paid for on the door. Please get your order in early as we anticipate the concert will be a sell-out. Tickets will be available online from mssatcradleyheath.eventbrite.com or use the ticket form below (a small booking fee will be added to the price of your ticket(s)) from midnight on Sunday 27 June 2010 or by post to Margaret Shepherd, The Salvation Army, Meredith Street, Cradley Heath, West Midlands B64 5EP (money with order please – make cheques payable to The Salvation Army) or from the office at that address, Monday to Friday during office opening hours from Monday 28 June 2010.

Melbourne Staff Songsters is a Salvation Army gospel choir who communicate the love of God and invite listeners to respond to Jesus Christ. The group, which performs at both Salvation Army and community events, has travelled to all states of Australia and toured Canada, the United Kingdom and New Zealand. Current repertoire includes contemporary, classical and gospel music, with some drama, choreography and humour thrown in to the mix!

Members belong to Salvation Army churches around Melbourne and regional Victoria. Their ages range from 18 to 60, and they are employed in various occupations including school teaching, community work, management and sales. All give of their own time and expense to be part of the MSS.

We are delighted they will be with us at Cradley Heath in September as part of a tour to all parts of the United Kingdom. This concert is their only visit to the West Midlands.

Don’t miss out on this very special event!

View Cradley Heath B64 5EP in a larger map

Cradley Heath Band of The Salvation Army will present a piece of music for the first time this Sunday evening as part of our Fathers Day worship meetings.

Psalm 91 by Stuart Watson is a musical meditation on the words of Psalm 91.  In this ancient text, the psalmist testifies that, even though circumstances may feel threatening, creation is essentially a safe place to be because God rescues and protects those who love and trust him:

Psalm 91
1 He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High
will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.

2 I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress,
my God, in whom I trust.”

3 Surely he will save you from the fowler’s snare
and from the deadly pestilence.

4 He will cover you with his feathers,
and under his wings you will find refuge;
his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.

5 You will not fear the terror of night,
nor the arrow that flies by day,

6 nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness,
nor the plague that destroys at midday.

7 A thousand may fall at your side,
ten thousand at your right hand,
but it will not come near you.

8 You will only observe with your eyes
and see the punishment of the wicked.

9 If you make the Most High your dwelling—
even the Lord, who is my refuge—

10 then no harm will befall you,
no disaster will come near your tent.

11 For he will command his angels concerning you
to guard you in all your ways;

12 they will lift you up in their hands,
so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.

13 You will tread upon the lion and the cobra;
you will trample the great lion and the serpent.

14 “Because he loves me,” says the Lord, “I will rescue him;
I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.

15 He will call upon me, and I will answer him;
I will be with him in trouble,
I will deliver him and honor him.

16 With long life will I satisfy him
and show him my salvation.”

(New International Version)

The Band will conclude worship by playing The Lord is gracious, a benediction written by Darren Bartlett (and transcribed for brass band by Olaf Ritman) which takes its words from Psalm 145:

The Lord is gracious, abounding in perfect love.
And slow to anger, he rules the earth in Heaven above.
He offers his compassion still to those who trust his name.
The Lord is gracious, his mighty works proclaim.
Amen.

Why not join us for our meetings at 10:30am and 6:00pm on Sunday at The Salvation Army, Meredith Street, Cradley Heath B64 5EP?
View Cradley Heath B64 5EP in a larger map

Members of Cradley Heath Salvation Army Band and Songsters recently enjoyed a social outing to Much Wenlock in Shropshire.

The visit was one of a series of regular social events organised by the Band and Songsters.

Saturday 5 June 2010 marked the beginning of the Much Wenlock Festival. The Festival began with a fair held on the green outside the parish church. Members of the Band and Songsters enjoyed visiting the various stalls and watching a display by Broseley Goju Kan Karate-Do which featured amazing feats of smashing pieces of wood and slate!

After a couple of hours of wandering around the fair and the town, we enjoyed refreshments at The Copper Kettle tea rooms in the High Street.

You can see photos of our event by clicking on the photo below:

The Much Wenlock Festival continues until 27 June 2010 – check out their events page here.

Salvation Army composers often write music for special occasions and for particular Salvation Army centres.

The music Cradley Heath Salvation Army Band will feature as part of this week’s evening worship meeting is no exception.

The march Exeter Temple was written for the 100th church anniversary of The Salvation Army centre at Exeter, known as Exeter Temple.  Leslie Condon was a Salvation Army Officer (Minister) and a prolific composer of Salvation Army brass and choral music.  For seventeen years he was a member of The Salvation Army’s International Staff Band, serving as Deputy Bandmaster for seven of those years.  Sadly, he was Promoted to Glory (died) whilst carol playing with Croydon Citadel Salvation Army Band on Christmas Eve 1983.  This march includes the hymn, Who is on the Lord’s Side? and Leslie’s own chorus, Good News.

Who is on the Lord’s side? contains this promise, one which the bandsmen continue to aspire to today:

Master, Thou wilt keep us, by Thy grace divine,
Always on the Lord’s side—Saviour, always Thine!

Why not join us for our worship meetings, this Sunday at 10:30am and 6:00pm?

View Cradley Heath B64 5EP in a larger map

The sound of singing will ring around the grounds of Himley Hall in Dudley once again as the thirteenth annual Dudley Songs of Praise takes place on Sunday 13 June 2010.

Members of Cradley Heath, Dudley Citadel and Lye Citadel Salvation Army Bands will accompany massed church choirs from around the area as they lead the crowd in singing some of the hymns.  Other hymns will be lead by the Church of God of Prophecy Area Choir.

Families are urged to come along to the grounds of the Hall from 2:00pm onwards when children’s activities and light refreshments will be available and then to join in a giant sing-along at 4:00pm with the other three thousand or so people expected to attend the service.

The service will be led by the Bishop of Dudley and will be held in the presence of the Mayor of Dudley, Councillor Peter Miller.

The St Andrew’s Players will also be taking part.

Admission to Dudley Songs of Praise is free.  People are encouraged to bring their own chairs and picnic baskets.  Car parking is within the grounds, as close to the audience area as possible.  Seating will be available for people with disabilities.  Reservations for this are advisable, call 01384 815201 to book a place.

Click this link for a map of Himley Hall.

What do you do best in the Body of Christ – the church? This is the question members of Cradley Heath Band of The Salvation Army will consider as they meet with other members of The Salvation Army Church in Cradley Heath for a retreat day.

This special occasion will be led by Majors Steve & Mandy White from West Midlands Divisional Headquarters. It has been designed to help us discover our spiritual gifts and how best we can use them in the service for Christ in his church.

The day commences at 10:30am with morning worship. After a coffee break, two sessions: How can we best serve? and The purpose of gifts, the latter of which will include a spiritual gift assessment.

After a faith lunch, there are further sessions, including: The discovery of gifts, The value of personality (which includes a personal style assessment), The influence of passion (including a ministry passion assessment) and The promise of ministry before a final worship session, The power of love.

We are praying that during this time God will reveal to us gifts and skills which can be used in his service. Our church will be enriched and our work in reaching out to the people in our community in Cradley Heath with the message of Jesus will be enhanced as we our brought into a closer relationship with God. Would you please consider joining us in this prayer?

N.B. Our usual evening worship at 6:00pm on Sunday will be cancelled on this occasion.

Our soldiers undertaking duties in Iraq and Afghanistan, and in other places around the world, are extraordinary men and women.  Anyone who places their lives at risk in time of war is nothing short of a hero.  Help for Heroes is charity which helps wounded servicemen and women returning from war zones.  It encourages us to “do our bit” to show they are cared for by us.  This message was taken up by Don Howle, a local musician, who decided to produce a CD recording in aid of Help for Heroes.  He has enlisted the help of Cradley Heath Salvation Army Band.

The recording takes place on Saturday 12 June 2010 at Kinver Methodist Church.  As part of the CD, the band will accompany Don singing:

When I survey the wondrous cross – Words: Isaac Watts / Music: Edward Miller

Lord, for the years – Words & Music: Timothy Dudley-Smith

Thine is the glory – Words: Edmond Budry, translated by Richard Hoyle / Music: Georg Frideric Handel

O valiant hearts – Words: John S Arkwright / Music: Rev Charles Harris

The Band will also be contributing their own items to the CD:

Trumpet voluntary – Jeremiah Clarke, arranged

Fight the good fight – Music: John Hatton (Duke Street)

I vow to thee my country – Music: Gustav Holst arranged by Ray Steadman-Allen

Jerusalem – Music: Sir Hubert Parry arranged by Albert Jakeway

We understand the recording will be available shortly before Remembrance Sunday.  More details of how you can support Help for Heroes by purchasing this CD will be available on this website as soon as they are known.

Cradley Heath Band of The Salvation Army are pleased to announce the visit of Risca Salvation Army Band, under the leadership of Bandmaster Ian Browning, in celebration of The Salvation Army Cradley Heath’s 129th Anniversary.

Risca Salvation Army Band has been providing its music ministry to a diverse audience for over 25 years. Playing to a repertoire of religious, classical, popular and secular music, the band is constantly in demand. Recent venues include the Wales Millennium Centre and the National Eisteddfod. The band provides music for worship every Sunday at the Risca Salvation Army Church.

You can find out more about the events taking place over this weekend and how to purchase tickets for the Saturday evening concert, by visiting our sister site for Cradley Heath Salvation Army Songsters, here.