An evening with Graham Kendrick in Norwich 

A ‘father of modern worship music’ Graham Kendrick led a full house at Norwich Central Baptist Church in worship.

Graham Kendrick played songs from across his 50 years of songwriting accompanied by Jason Carter (harp guitar), and David Fitzgerald (saxophones, flutes and whistles) 

The evening comprised a mixture of familiar songs for people to join in and also songs for the audience to listen and reflect. Graham talked about the background to some of his songs. He said, "It was many years as a songwriter before I started writing songs for the church to sing. I'd grown up with Bible stories - I had no choice, my father was a Baptist pastor!" Some of Graham's more recent songs were inspired by Bible stories, such as Simon's Song, which focuses on when Simon Peter first met Jesus and how his life was utterly changed. Graham said, "This is what happens when you encounter Jesus. The whole trajectory of your life changes."

Another of Graham's songs, which also appears on his recent EP 'Where it Began' is Sister, which was sparked by the bible story featuring Mary and Martha when Jesus arrives at Lazarus' house and the different responses the two women have to Jesus.

Graham also wrote a song dedicated to his own sister Jenny, who tragically died at the age of 40 after a battle with cancer. He said, "I always wanted to write a song to honour her. She had a big influence. She was in our band. She was our secretary. Jenny was well organised and used to lead worship with this guitar." Graham performed a song on Jenny's guitar to the tune of Danny Boy showing that there is a bigger picture when it comes to painful events. His song Jesus of the scars is an attempt to say something about the fact that we have a god who entered into humanity and suffering. 

The audience were up on their feet for the familiar March For Jesus songs, which impacted the lives of many people as it became a global phenomenon by mobilising millions of Christians to ‘take the walls off the church’ and bring praise, prayer and acts of goodwill and reconciliation on to the streets.

Graham Kendrick has been at the forefront of the worship music scene for over 50 years and has recorded hundreds of songs in that time. Many are well known around the world, not only played in church services, but at weddings and school assemblies. 'Shine Jesus Shine' even featured during a set at Glastonbury this year, and was a fitting song for Graham and the band to finish on.

There was a presentation about the work of Compassion International, a charity close to Graham's heart, and the opportunity to consider sponsoring a child https://www.compassionuk.org
There was also a book stall provided by Dereham-based Christian bookshop Green Pastures https://www.greenpasturesdereham.org.uk/