‘Jones the music’ on song for CRE Midlands

‘Jones the music’ on song for CRE Midlands

With 24 musicals under his belt, musical maestro Roger Jones (above) will bring a Birmingham-based choir to CRE Midlands 2023 (8/9 Nov) for a 50-minute performance of his sixth musical – Saints Alive.

Now 74, Roger recalls becoming a Christian in the late 1960s because of the work of Christian Endeavour. When the mission celebrated its 100^th anniversary in 1981, he was asked to write a musical to mark the occasion.

‘As the mission’s motto was “For Christ and the Church” I thought Pentecost would be a wonderful subject,’ he said. Saints Alive will be a revised version of the musical which Roger completed last year, when he added a song and made other changes to the original.

‘It includes 11 numbers highlighting events in Acts One and Two,’ he said. ‘It has a Songs of the Spirit section with a new setting for Breath on me Breath of God and others. Peter’s sermon on the day of Pentecost gives the whole presentation an evangelistic touch.’

The musical has been performed in many parts of the world – including a memorable one in Jerusalem in 1983, the first of many trips Roger has made to the country. His vision for musicals began as head teacher at Aston Manor School (now an Academy) in 1973. The school choir performed Jerusalem Joy – a performance he wrote around Jesus’ ride into the holy city on a donkey.

He then wrote five more musicals before going full time into Christian music, becoming director of Christian Music Ministries, publishers of his music and other books.

Birmingham-born, Roger also hosts Heart and Soul, a two-hour weekly programme on Brumside Radio, presenting church music. In between he chats to guests. He is looking forward to seeing old friends and making new ones at CRE Midlands.

• Christian Music Ministries are on stand DS42 at CRE Midlands 2023

Book your ticket for CRE Midlands 2023 here from as little as £3

Organisations looking to book a stand should contact James Batterbee 0161 250 2306 (E: james@creonline.co.uk) or Carol Malpass 0161 250 2467 (E: carol@creonline.co.uk)

Click to view the latest floorplan and price list for available stands