The commemoration of John the Baptist falls, as it has since the fourth century, six months before Christmas Eve, on June 24. The annual remembrance, three days after the summer solstice, is a calendrical reflection of the relationship between the last Old Testament prophet and the Messiah, the Long-Awaited One.
Read More > >A Summer Celebration with John the Baptist
Posted on Jun 6, 2023 9:00:00 AM by Omaldo Perez in Music Ministry, in Summer, in john the baptist
New Life from Death
Posted on May 11, 2023 9:00:00 AM by Andrea Baxter
I’ve been a part of more than one conversation in the recent past that involves sadness about decline in the church. Many, perhaps most, of us are experiencing decreased numbers of singers, worshipers, and volunteers, and it’s easy to allow feelings of frustration and disappointment to spiral out of control. I’ve also noticed that some of us may feel as though we are somehow responsible for addressing or resolving this challenge.
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Music Suggestions for Fewer Musicians on Pentecost
Posted on Apr 25, 2023 9:00:00 AM by Sarah Hawbecker in Music Ministry, in Pentecost
This year, the festival of Pentecost falls on a holiday weekend in the United States. Memorial Day weekend signals the beginning of summer vacation, and many people choose to travel. As a church musician, I know that it is not wise to plan for a four-part anthem with brass quartet accompaniment on a Sunday like that. So how does one make a festival Sunday feel special when one has limited resources?
Read More > >Building Trusting Relationships
Posted on Mar 7, 2023 9:15:07 AM by Chris Cherwien in Music Ministry, in relationship, in trust
Recipients of our appreciation are apt to express their own gratitude to others, lengthening the unending, golden chain of connections-in-goodness that stretches across the world. —Mary Ford-Grabowsky
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Hymns to Connect with the Presentation of Our Lord
Posted on Jan 24, 2023 9:00:00 AM by Omaldo Perez in Hymnody
For the imaginatively inclined, the church calendar provides endless opportunities to delve into stories creatively. The upcoming Feast of the Presentation of Our Lord (February 2), falling precisely forty days after Christmas, is no exception. As a pedagogical strategy, projecting ourselves into the story gives us a chance to playfully engage with the material, increasing the likelihood of making unexpected connections. Moreover, full immersion in the biblical narratives seems to be the starting point for many of our hymns, making our hymnody fertile ground for meditation or personal devotion.
Read More > >Hospitality in Worship Leadership and Planning
Posted on Jan 10, 2023 9:00:00 AM by Julie Grindle in Hospitality, in worship
Hospitality is defined as “the friendly and generous reception and entertainment of guests, visitors, or strangers.”
Read More > >A Healthier Holiday Perspective
Posted on Dec 1, 2022 9:00:00 AM by Sarah Hawbecker in Music Ministry, in Advent, in Christmas
There are certain seasons that are inherently stressful, and we are currently in one of them. There were Christmases past in which it was difficult for me to keep the proper perspective. I felt overworked and underappreciated, and the added pressures I put on myself to have a beautifully decorated home and provide a “perfect” holiday for my family only produced feelings of personal failure and silent resentment toward others whom I believed had it easier than I. Does this sound vaguely familiar to anyone?
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On Gratitude, Joy, and Hope
Posted on Aug 4, 2022 9:00:00 AM by Omaldo Perez in gratitude, in Hope, in joy
If the only prayer you ever say in your whole life is thank you, it will be enough.
— Meister Eckhart.
Gratitude, the condition of being thankful or the readiness to show appreciation, is both a feeling and a disposition. In the last few decades, science and popular culture have rediscovered what our hymns have long taught us: science has ascertained its health benefits, and self-help books remind us that it is one of the habits we need to develop to achieve peace of mind.
Read More > >What Time Is It?
Posted on Jul 7, 2022 9:00:00 AM by Sarah Hawbecker in music, in time
For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven …
The author of Ecclesiastes reminds us that there is a time for everything. How we choose to live in each of these times affects our own well-being and that of others. I can relate to this passage more as I have gotten older, and I can relate to it in my vocation as a church musician as well. Here are a few thoughts:
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Summertime Renewal and Growth
Posted on Jun 7, 2022 9:00:00 AM by Chris Cherwien in Summer, in music
Well, here we are. Another choir season has come to an end, and the summer months are upon us. The Sundays keep coming and the planning never stops. How are you doing? Now is an ideal time to check in with yourself. What do you need in the next several weeks to restore, energize, and enliven you and your music ministry?
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