EVENT REPORT
CMS 2018: WOW! | Kent Morris
The 2018 edition of the Christian Musician without worrying about the song selection, IT TAKES A LOT OF WORK TO PULL THIS OFF.
Summit is finished and I must say it was one of ProPresenter slides, audio cues or lighting For months prior to CMS, Bruce and Matt laid
the best spiritual and musical events of the past issues. Watching from the tech booth gave out schedules, sent hundreds of emails, booked
decade. Bruce Adolph and Matt Kees make up me a broad view of church staff engaged with artists and speakers, rallied volunteers to help
the dynamic duo that pulls together worship abandon and that alone was worth the price of out and invited sponsors to join them for two
leaders, musicians, technicians, pastors, and admission. days in November. Once the event began, Matt
staff for a two-day intensive focused on renewal
had to oversee all the technical challenges and
and “being better by Sunday.” In the past, CMS PEOPLE NEED TRAINING. band changeovers lasting well past midnight
has been a mega event at a mega church with From guitar technique to Dante networking, while Bruce herded musicians who were likely
mega personalities, but it has evolved into an we all need to better ourselves on an ongoing to be off-site at a local diner catching up with
intimate, sincere investment into the worship basis. CMS covered all aspects of worship as old friends at 3AM.
community. Here are my take-aways from our practiced today with beginner to advanced time together in rainy Seattle: classes
on
everything
teams
encounter
“BRINGING DOWN THE HOUSE BAND”
weekly. The low-key, laid-back tone of CMS The “Bringing Down the House Band” is one
WHEN GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY, WORSHIPPERS gave attendees the safety to ask questions in seriously amazing quartet of musicians – all
WILL WORSHIP. a group context without embarrassment and of them top drawer Nashville session players.
CMS freed attendees from the responsibility some of those questions were profound and With Dave Cleveland on guitar, Jason Webb on
for the proceedings and they responded with instructive to us all. keys, Gary Lunn on bass and Scott Williamson
vigorous acclaim. They could simply worship
176
on drums, this house band set a high bar for
December 2018
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