Who is the Exalt Band? We’re a bunch of singers, musicians, songwriters and mates who come together every year or two from a variety of churches in Perth, Western Australia for the Exalt Music Ministry Conference. We get our kicks out of hearing God’s people sing. This year’s line up is Scott Robinson, James Bargerbos, Carmel Bain, James Turner, Calvin Webb, Trevor Jalla, Liz Gordon, James Newhouse, Anita Newhouse, Megan Lo Sordo and Penny Crossland. We play and sing the regular instruments, with a horn, cello and mandolin thrown in. Do you do anything other than play at the conference? This year we are recording “Empty Hands”, an album of 11 original songs for churches written, played and sung by members of the Exalt team. What kind of songs are they? We try to write the kind of songs that we would also choose for our churches to sing. Songs that celebrate God’s grace to us in Jesus. Songs with theological depth and powerful language. Songs that draw us together as the people of God. Songs with engaging and memorable melodies. Songs that are easily reproducible in the average church. Many of the songs are centred on the idea of God’s grace as both costly and free, hence the title “Empty Hands”. There are also songs about how this grace transforms our relationship with God and his people, and songs that express both the joy and longing that this grace produces in us. “Glorify the LORD with me, let us exalt his name together.” (Psalm 34:3)