Celtic Christian worship leader John Bell to present chapels Feb. 17, 19

Events: Chapels with worship leader and musician John Bell, from the Iona Community in Scotland
Dates and times: Wednesday, Feb. 17, 10 a.m. – "Songs of Iona"; Friday, Feb. 19, 10 a.m. – "Ten Things They Never Told Me About Jesus"
Location: Church-Chapel
Cost: Free and open to the public
Event sponsor: Goshen College Campus Ministries
Web site: www.iona.org.uk

GOSHEN, Ind. – John Bell, of Scotland's Iona Community, will be at Goshen College Feb. 17-19, and leading two chapel services open to the public. On Wednesday, Feb. 17 at 10 a.m., he will lead a service on "Songs of Iona," and on Friday, Feb. 19 at 10 a.m., he will preach about "Ten Things They Never Told Me About Jesus."

Bell is the music leader of the Iona Community in Scotland, and is best known as a musician and composer. An ordained minister in the Church of Scotland (Presbyterian), he also is known as Scotland's finest preacher and a gifted teacher of Scripture. After five years of working as a youth pastor, he joined the Celtic Christian Iona Community. It was there that he cultivated his interest in generating music and texts that were able to express a new way of speaking about God to the people and about the experience of the people to God. His efforts have brought about several collections of music. Among the sources of the items contained in the dozen volumes are countless texts and tunes of his own along with the music traditions of Brazil, Peru, Zimbabwe, South Africa, Czechoslovakia, Russia and Korea. He offers seminars and workshops around the world and across the denominations.

Bell's ecumenical and inclusive approach to music for worship is only part of his success as a church music leader. The other half is his remarkable power as a leader of song. Relying only on his voice, Bell compels the assembly to sing by the sheer force of his charisma and singing. Bell transforms each gathering of people into one voice, one song. His respect for the various traditions of the world has brought about an understanding of tapping into the musical roots of other cultures.

Bell said, "I do think it's helpful to sing the songs of other cultures. By singing their songs, we can stand, to some extent, in deeper intercession with these people. And through that experience our understanding of mission and evangelism and the reign of God and the Trinity is enlarged."

Bell will also be leading an all-day workshop at Prairie Street Mennonite Church in Elkhart on Saturday, Feb. 20 about how to encourage singing in congregations. And on Monday, Feb. 22, he will lead an all-day interactive workshop at the Associated Mennonite Biblical Seminary in Elkhart for pastors on "Reclaiming the Bible as the people's book." Registration required for both events.

Editors: For more information about this release, to arrange an interview or request a photo, contact Goshen College News Bureau Director Jodi H. Beyeler at (574) 535-7572 or jodihb@goshen.edu.

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Goshen College, established in 1894, is a residential Christian liberal arts college rooted in the Anabaptist-Mennonite tradition. The college's Christ-centered core values – passionate learning, global citizenship, compassionate peacemaking and servant-leadership – prepare students as leaders for the church and world. Recognized for its unique Study-Service Term program, Goshen has earned citations of excellence in Barron's Best Buys in Education, "Colleges of Distinction," "Making a Difference College Guide" and U.S.News & World Report's "America's Best Colleges" edition, which named Goshen a "least debt college." Visit www.goshen.edu.