We wanted to update you on a significant development in Vineyard Worship UK and Ireland.
A message from John & Debby Wright
Harmony Smith has served as our Director of Worship for 6 years, whilst also leading Belfast City Vineyard with her husband Andy, and also overseeing the Region of Ireland. Over the last year, she has increasingly felt the call to lay down her Vineyard Worship role and invest that time and energy into what God is doing at Belfast City Vineyard and on the island of Ireland.
Harmony has led with grace, vision, passion and skill. Worship is our highest priority as a movement and Harmony has championed this at every level, investing in worship teams at churches of all ages and stages. She has also recognised the moment we’ve been in (during and since the pandemic) and stepped into equipping worship teams to continue to serve faithfully in difficult times through regular connection, podcasts and training events.
There have also been significant worship retreats, which have unified, galvanised, inspired and envisioned worship teams from every corner of our movement.
Like you, we have felt sadness as Harmony’s role comes to an end, mingled with heartfelt gratitude for her obedience and faithful service. However, it’s also easy to see the Lord’s fingerprints over her decision, so as she closes this chapter we honour and bless her. We are excited for all that the Lord has in store for Ireland and Belfast City Vineyard.
We have been seeking the Lord for his plan as we move forward. We have also been listening to worship leaders from around the movement for their thoughts, concerns and suggestions. We’ve spoken with the rest of the Vineyard Leadership Team and there is a great sense of unity behind our next steps.
As we look at where the Lord is leading us, the strong foundations that Harmony has put in place, the requirements of an emerging role, and the need within the movement, we can see a clear way forward that seems good to the Holy Spirit and to us.
When we became National Directors we cast the vision for ‘a great worship leader in every church’, and it’s this focus on worship development that we feel the Lord is impressing on us as we enter this new season. With this in mind the person taking on this role will take on the position of ‘Director of Worship Development.’
In agreement with the Vineyard Leadership Team we are pleased to announce that Jon Solway from Birmingham Vineyard will be the new ‘Director of Worship Development’. He will fulfil this role on a part-time basis whilst remaining the Worship Pastor at Birmingham Vineyard.
Jon is a passionate worshiper with a deep love for Jesus and is steeped in our values, with a proven track record of training and equipping worship leaders, teams and songwriters.
With experience leading worship in a range of national gatherings across generations, Jon is uniquely qualified to take on this role. He has also developed worship teams that lead in small groups, sites, and larger gatherings at Birmingham Vineyard. Many of you may know of Jon from the Vineyard Leaders’ Gathering, Youth Leaders’ Gathering, or from co-writing and recording the recent songs that Vineyard Worship captured at Dreaming The Impossible – ‘Running’ and ‘Look to Him.’
As Director of Worship Development, Jon will be responsible for working through the Regions to train, equip, support and develop worship leaders. We believe that Jon’s experience in leading worship in small and large settings, as well as his passion for diversity in worship, will enable him to facilitate meaningful training and development for all our worship leaders.
Personally, we have been led in worship by Jon in both very small settings and in large environments and have been blessed by how he has led us into the presence of God, and his depth of character.
We are excited to welcome Jon to this role and look forward to seeing the impact he will have in developing worship leaders and promoting diversity in worship across the Vineyard movement. We see God’s anointing on Jon and are so thankful for this outcome.
Please pray for Jon as he prepares to enter this new role and for Harmony as she hands over to him.
We are excited for the next season and grateful for all that has happened in this last season.
If you have any questions, please do feel free to contact us.
With our love,
John and Debby
If you want to hear more about Harmony’s decision, and the direction going forwards, click below to watch the announcement of this news that was recorded at the Come Holy Spirit worship gathering in June. Scroll past the video to read from Harmony and Jon.
A message from Harmony Smith
Dear friends, it has been a joy and an honour to serve you as Director of Worship for VCUKI. You have encouraged me and challenged me more than you’ll ever know.
I am full of expectancy for this next season. Jon Solway has demonstrated remarkable servant leadership, and I know he will be a faithful steward of what God has entrusted us with in the Vineyard UK and Ireland.
Let’s get behind Jon and the leaders he empowers, and let’s continue to be a family of worship leaders who love and support one another.
Thank you for all you are and do. And thank you to Jon for saying yes to God’s call to serve our worship tribe!
Blessings,
Harmony Smith
A message from Jon Solway
I am so grateful for the faithfulness and longevity that Harmony has led with. She’s truly leaving such a rich legacy of unity, shared values and spiritual development that she has built over the last years, which has strengthened our movement and our churches. I’m very grateful to be standing on this strong foundation that Harmony has laid, and very grateful to be part of this Vineyard Worship tribe that Harmony has so graciously presided over.
I for one want to bless Harmony to fully discover God’s plan for her in this next season for her local church, and the Ireland region; and I hope that we, as a Vineyard Worship tribe, can continue to enjoy this spiritual rootedness, shared values, and strong community, in the season to come.
Jon Solway
This change will come into effect from 1st September and we’d love for you to join us in praying for Harmony and Jon as they both follow God’s voice and take the next step into the places he has called them. If you have any questions please feel free to get in touch
