As part of Tauiwi Youth Conference 2022, the worship team set about writing some original worship music for the gathering. Traditionally, youth events lean towards more contemporary expressions of praise and worship. This is not to say that young people do not engage with the long-held traditions of the church – our worship team is as adept in contemporary worship as they are with the hymn book – but rather, points to a reality that different generations can have different ways of connecting with God which can and should also be recognised as equally authentic and theologically enriching.

For TYC, Wez Machee and myself wrote a song called Metanoia, in line with the theme of the same name for Conference. TYC Metanoia and the corresponding song was based on a verse given to the organising committee by Rev Siosifa Pole from Matthew 13:52 (NRSV):

“And he said to them, ‘Therefore every scribe who has been trained for the kingdom of heaven is like the master of a household who brings out of his treasure what is new and what is old.”

Holding this concept together, that we as Methodists are an intergenerational church of what you could call the “new and the old”, we focused on the how God might continue to work in order to bring the treasure out of our reality. To us, this means that God is working in and through what is new and old, simultaneously. The young should not need to wait for the old to step aside. The old should not need to wait for the young to be deemed ‘experienced enough.’ Rather, God can and does reveal God’s own nature through both the old and the new together.

The lyrics of the chorus for Metanoia are:

“May the old and the new give you endless praise,

May the old and new sing your matchless grace,

God of the past, future and now,

Establish my steps, you’re breaking new ground

May the old and new give you endless praise.”

We worked away at the song with the team and at our final rehearsal during TYC, President Peter happened to be at the back of the church listening to the song for the first time. He requested that the song be sung for the induction service of Vice President TeRito and himself later in the year at Conference in Kerikeri.

We opted to record the song as opposed to playing live and enlisted the talents of Jerry-Moses Roebeck and Ivan Fuimaono who set up a studio at 409 (affectionately referred to as Studio 409). Our talented musicians recorded and produced the track in time for Conference.

It was a great honour for Metanoia to be used for the Presidential team and their induction service and it felt fitting in relation to the Conference theme of “He hoki nga mahara, Ka haere whakamua – Looking back and moving forward.” We look back because where we’ve come from and who we were is important. We move forward because where we’re going and who we will be is just as important. Metanoia is a worship song that captures that essence.

On New Year’s Day 2023, Metanoia was released on streaming platforms – namely Spotify and Apple Music - under the artist profile of Methodist TYTANZ. We are excited for this new avenue, where we will be able to compose, record, produce and share Methodist talent and music with the Hahi and other churches and organisations around the world. This is one way in which we are looking to offer resources to the church – using the skills of many gifted and talented creatives within our church.

To listen and download Metanoia, search “Methodist TYTANZ” on Spotify or Apple Music now, or find the links on www.facebook.com/methodistTYTANZ