4 minute read
Rocking for the Christian Fellowship
BY KERITH WADDINGTON
To worship is to show respect, either to an entity or an idea, and there are as many different ways to do that as there are people on earth.
Lisa and Chris Burness of Ladysmith embrace rock as both muse and metaphor when they worship: they are founders of both the Celtic rock band Skellig (Gaelic for “rock”) and the Rock Christian Fellowship, which gathers at the Eagles Hall in Ladysmith every Sunday at 6 p.m. for services.
Indeed, Isaiah 26:4 9 (ESV) states that “the Lord God is an everlasting rock.” Chris and Lisa summarize this sentiment beautifully on their website, where they state, “The journey in our music started from Skellig Michael on Ireland’s west coast. It provides constant inspiration, standing as a rock against the ever-shifting sea. Our music comes from our heart and soul, providing a source of encouragement and hope to all who will take time to listen.”
Skellig has been a Celtic rock staple in Ladysmith for 17 years, but got its start in 1993 when the Burness’s lived in South Africa and then the United Kingdom. Lisa and Chris have written a lot of Skellig’s music, much of which is faithbased, but they also play a lot of secular tunes and covers, in particular Led Zeppelin.
While they are perhaps most known for their success in the Hard Rock Rising Finals and nominations for the Vancouver Island Awards, these musicians have loads of experience playing nightclubs, weddings, private events and festivals. They have written and produced many original tracks, and their music can often be heard on radio, TV and in film.
When this family-based band isn’t practising or performing, they are preparing for weekly services at Eagles Hall. The Rock Christian Fellowship is affiliated with the Evangelical Free Church of Canada, and Chris says the services are “informal, friendly and low-key.” Newcomers are always welcome, and the Fellowship — which is run as a lay society — has no professional staff. Any money that comes in is used to help others, says Chris.
But just how did the Fellowship get its start?
In 2008, Lisa and Chris started to gather once a week with other band members for prayer meetings and bible study. Although most of them belonged to larger churches, they were all seeking something more informal and intimate. Music, of course, was part of each service, but so too was discussion and a teaching or lesson.
Over the years, as more people joined the Fellowship, the group needed a larger space for its weekly meetings, hence the Eagles Hall. And the group itself expanded: children were always included in the Sunday Service, but there is now a youth group for kids 6 to 19 years of age, regular prayer meetings, potlucks, fundraisers and online mediations.
Chris believes Skellig is a beautiful extension of who he and Lisa are as Christians.
“Music is an expression of love for our God, each other and life itself,” says Chris. “People have been raising their voices in praise and joy since the beginning of time. What we are doing is no different. It just has a slightly Irish lilt to it!”
The new year has brought a new focus for Skellig. While Celtic rock is their passion, they are currently working on a meditation project, featuring new music and spoken word, to be released in early 2025.
Lisa has this to say of amalgamating music and worship: “A lot of people love music and connect through it, so it’s a great vehicle for faith. At the same time, the purpose of fellowship is connection, with each other and being part of something that’s outside of yourself. But the Fellowship is not performance. It’s about enabling the congregation to come to a place where everything else of the world drops away, where you praise God and affirm the truth of what you believe.”
Chris acknowledges that, to date, “Happy in My Skin” is his favourite track, although “Captive” — a love song to God and his wife — gives him chills whenever he plays it.
To find out for yourself what Skellig and the Rock Christian Fellowship have to offer, visit their website or Facebook pages. The music of Skellig is also available to download from Bandcamp, on Spotify, Apple music, iTunes and other digital platforms.
