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Occupy Advent
While protesters are occupying plazas and parks across the world, we have a more powerful and effective demonstration of our own that is destined to change the world: Advent. During Advent, the leadership task of musicians and pastors is to ignite the heart of the worshipping assembly, drawing attention to what God is doing and illuminating the signs of new birth, healing, and celebration.
Our role is to nurture the faith of the assembly. We are the musicians and pastors through whom God is birthing a new world order.
Thomas Merton once said, "What is in question during Advent is not the coming of Christ, but my own response. Am I ready?" Add that to Luther's words, "Faith is the yes of the heart, a confidence on which one stakes one's life."
Go for it! Occupy Advent!
Kate Adelman
Interim Executive Director |
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Luther College Nordic Choir Tour
 Luther College is glad to announce the 2012 Winter Tour of the Luther College Nordic Choir conducted by Dr. Allen Hightower. This year's tour from January 21 - February 5, 2012, will include concerts in Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, Colorado, and Kansas. Featured pieces on this year's program include "Holy, Radiant Light" by Gretchaninov and "Love is the Key" by Zebulon Highben (recent winner of the ALCM 2011 Raabe Prize). Other choral works by Schütz, Bach, Pärt, and Lauridsen will also be performed, along with hymn-arrangements and spirituals. For details about each concert, please go to http://music.luther.edu or call 1-800-4-LUTHER. If you would like to host the Nordic Choir for a future event, please contact Eric Ellingsen at eric.ellingsen@luther.edu.
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Composer's Colloquium
If you missed last week's email introducing the Composer's Colloquium to be held in February, check out the information and schedule on the ALCM web site. More information will be available mid-December and will be posted on the web site as it becomes available. |
| New Log In to Members Area
During the week of December 4, we will be making a change to the login process for the Members Area of the ALCM web site. Previously, a "username" was required for login, which might or might not be the member's email address. When the conversion takes place next week, members will be asked to provide their email address and password to log in. The existing passwords have not been changed. |
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Hymn Festival Offerings Add to Scholarship & Mentoring Opportunities
We are not yet through half of the scheduled 25th Anniversary Hymn Festivals, and already the offerings received have contributed significantly toward two important ALCM goals:
- provide scholarships to student musicians for conferences
- launch a mentoring program for new church musicians
For those of you who will be hosting a hymn festival, please remember to make ALCM's purposes known to the participants and invite their generous support. |
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Looking for a $10 Christmas gift?
Give the gift of music this Christmas. All ALCM recordings are on sale for $10 each through December 20. You may order online or phone the ALCM office between 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. (Central time) weekdays at 800-624-2526. |
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An Invitation
Jennifer Ollikainen, the new CrossAccent editor, has introduced the 2012 plans for the re-designed CrossAccent. The journal, which will return to three published issues per year in 2012, will retain the scholarly content we have come to expect, plus relevant supporting articles, music and reviews.
Jennifer would like to hear from you if you have skill and interest in contributing to the cover designs. Each issue will have a theme that can be explored in cover art. Now is the time to let her know that you want to be involved. You can email Jennifer at crossaccent@alcm.org.
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Is your contact info up-to-date?
The 2012 ALCM directory will be published early in January and we want to be sure to include your most current contact information. Prior to December 15, please check your listing in the membership directory posted on the ALCM web site. If the information is correct, you do not need to do anything further. If there are changes to be made, please send an email to office@alcm.org or log in to the Members Area of the web site and make the corrections there.
If you have an institutional membership, your name is not currently included in the main directory, so please check your contact info in this separate institutional membership listing. When the actual directory is published, your name & contact info will be listed in the main directory and your church's name will be listed on the institutional membership page. For now, institutional members appear only on the institutional list. |
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End-of-Year Gifts to ALCM
The ALCM office will be closed from December 23rd through January 1st. If you plan to make an end-of-year gift to ALCM by check, your check must be received by December 22nd to be recognized and recorded as a 2011 gift. (Checks received between December 24 and December 31 are still recognized as 2011 gifts for IRS purposes; they'll just be recorded on ALCM's books as 2012 gifts.) Online donations made through December 31st will be recognized as 2011 gifts.
You can make a donation in memory of or in honor of someone, which also makes a wonderful Christmas gift! If you make such a designation for your gift, be sure to let us know the name and address of the person to whom we should send the acknowledgment. We'll send a nice Christmas card with notice of your designation included. |
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Association of Lutheran Church Musicians
Valparaiso University
810 Freeman Street
Valparaiso, IN 46383
800-624-2526 |
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