Melanie Cave and Jessie Tang explore the significance of intercultural worship within the church. They discuss the intersection of music and identity, the importance of cultural heritage, and the role of language in worship. Jessie shares insights on creating inclusive worship environments that reflect the diversity of the congregation, while also addressing the complexities of cultural appropriation and identity in a multicultural society. The conversation emphasizes the need for humility, sacrifice, and community engagement in fostering a vibrant intercultural church experience. takeaways

• Intercultural worship reflects the diversity of God's creation.
• Ethnomusicology studies the relationship between music and culture.
• Heart music is deeply personal and connects individuals to their identity.
• Cultural heritage plays a crucial role in worship practices.
• Language in worship can bridge generational gaps.
• Multilingual worship fosters inclusivity and understanding.
• Cultural appropriation must be navigated with care and respect.
• Identity in worship is complex for second-generation immigrants.
• Creating an inclusive worship environment requires intentionality.
• The future of the church lies in embracing intercultural dynamics.

Sound Bites

• 'Music intersects with society.'
• 'We can all worship together.'
• 'How do we diversify our circles?'

keywords intercultural worship, ethnomusicology, heart music, cultural heritage, multilingual worship, cultural appropriation, identity, church diversity, worship practices, community engagement Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Ethnomusicology 04:34 Heart Music and Identity Formation 07:31 Cultural Heritage and Worship 10:05 Multilingual Worship Practices 12:51 Intercultural Church Dynamics 15:31 Navigating Cultural Appropriation in Worship 18:14 The Complexity of Identity in Worship 20:54 Fusion of Musical Styles in Worship 24:51 Bridging Cultures Through Community Engagement 30:50 Worship as a Tool for Cultural Understanding 36:50 Navigating Mixed Cultural Identities 43:12 The Vision for Intercultural Church 45:35 Living Interculturally Beyond Sundays 46:56 Introduction to Intercultural Worship Events 47:56 Resources for Intercultural Ministry

Show notes

WEC’s intercultural worship band https://artsrelease.org/en/music-worship

Training and resources for intercultural worship https://interculturalchurches.org/worship/

Songs2Serve Multilingual worship songs https://songs2serve.eu/ https://songs2serve.eu/songs

Jessie’s written a chapter in Polyphonic God on intercultural church and identity https://www.eden.co.uk/christian-books/theology-books/religion-and-culture/polyphonic-god/

Jessie’s podcast: ACross Culture exploring culture, identity and the Christian faith - because culture really does inform everything in life, including our faith! https://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/acrossculture/