Press release: April 2024
The Iona Community has appointed two world-renowned musicians to support church worship leaders.
Scottish conductor and church musician, Iain McLarty, and Jane Bentley, a specialist in musical participation, will start working for the Iona Community, as part of the Wild Goose Resource Group later this year.
Iain and Jane have worked alongside the Community for many years and will continue to use their talents to develop music in worship. Both musicians will lead workshops, produce new publications and recordings and continue to grow the Community’s work in the area of global song. Their work will inspire leaders gifted in worship and music to create participative and inclusive worship within their own faith communities.
Dr Jane Bentley is a specialist in music in health, communication and social wellbeing. In 2016, she was named a BBC Music ‘Unsung Hero’ for her work in the community. Iain McLarty is an experienced church musician in a broad range of styles, with extensive experience working with the Church of Scotland and the World Council of Churches.
Ruth Harvey, leader of the Iona Community said,
“We are delighted to welcome two such talented musicians, well known in the world of global church music, to the Iona Community. As a young person my own spirituality was brought to life by hymns written by John Bell and Graham Maule. These songs from the world church, full of praise and possibility, still encourage me to keep singing, keep acting for justice and peace, keep walking – ‘for the journey is long’. I’m confident that Iain McLarty and Jane Bentley will keep us singing along these long roads.”
The Wild Goose Resource Group (WGRG), as part of the Iona Community, encourages, enables and equips worship leaders and church congregations with new forms of worship. Founded over 30 years ago by John L. Bell and the late Graham Maule, their resources have been used and broadcast world-wide and honoured by academic and religious organisations across the globe.
Iain and Jane are already leading music workshops at Iona Abbey this year.
Jane will co-lead a Wild Goose Resource Group week entitled “Bones and Groans” from 18th – 24th May.
Iain will lead a week entitled “Global Song” from 27th – 2nd August.
Details of all programmes on Iona are available at iona.org.uk/programme
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The Iona Community is an international, ecumenical Christian movement working for justice and peace, the rebuilding of community and the renewal of worship. We are now about 280 Members and more than 2,000 Associate Members, Young Adults and Friends across the world. We remain true to that founding vision – sharing common work and community as we pursue justice and peace, in Scotland and beyond.
The Wild Goose Resource Group (WGRG), as part of the Iona Community, encourages, enables and equips the shaping and creation of new forms of worship that are relevant, contextual and participatory. WGRG also produce and publish songs, liturgies and recordings, most of which has been published by Wild Goose Publications.
The resources generated by the WGRG have been used and broadcast world-wide, appearing in published form in many different language translations. Their work in allying the worship of the church to the life of the world has been awarded honours by academic and religious organisations across the globe.
More information about the Wild Goose Resource Group is available on our website. Contact details for more information or comment from the Iona Community, please contact Wendy Lloyd (+44 7539 049831) or Leanne Clelland (+44 7539 053371).
