Monthly Archives: March 2010

March Resources

Today’s post is a mixed bag of several resource items that have caught my eye over the last few weeks.

HIS VOICE

The Good Shepherd Institute has recently published the bi-annual edition of their newsletter “His Voice” that focus on resources for pastoral theology and sacred music.  In it you’ll find information on the next GSI conference (and the creative way they came up with the topic), book/article recommendations from John Pless, choral recommendations from Kantor Kevin Hildebrand, and music/article recommendations from Daniel Zager.

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Model Theological Conference – Worship MP3

Two months ago the LCMS held its Model Theological Conference on Worship.  While I wasn’t there, I enjoyed reading the insights of conference participants via Southern Lutheran Kantor, Fine Tuning, Liturgy, Hymnody, and Pulpit Quarterly Book Review, and Necessary Roughness.

The LCMS Commission on Worship just posted the MP3 files of the conference speakers on their website.  While certainly not a substitute for being there, these MP3s do allow for greater distribution and review of the topics.  Yet another opportunity for exploration.

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Helping Your Congregation Sing

Sometimes church musicians get so caught up with making music, whether that be choral or instrumental, that they neglect or minimize (often unintentionally) their primary responsibility — leading and encouraging the people’s song in psalmody, liturgy, and hymnody.  I remember being told (by my father no less) that while I might be able to play a very nice prelude, I should strive to be a good leader of hymn singing.

Mark Lawson, president of MorningStar Music, reflects on the importance of congregational song to Richard Proulx and Richard Hillert in the March edition of their e-newsletter.  Special thanks to MorningStar Music for granting permission to post this article.

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2010 Summer Organist Workshops

Once again I’m making my annual “plug” for the summer Organist Workshops at Concordia Theological Seminary in Fort Wayne, IN.  I can’t recommend these enough to parish organists of all skill levels.  For three of the last four summers I’ve had the joy of studying improvisation with Kantor Hildebrand, organ playing with Kantor Resch, and handbells with Kantor Muth, in addition to studying theology, meeting fellow musicians, and being fed with the daily rhythm of prayer services.

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