From Executive Director David Bielenberg

I had the pleasure of attending the 150^th anniversary service at St. Peter's Church in New York City on Sunday, September 23. As many of you know, Thomas Schmidt, one of our "at large" board members is Director of Music there. Tom was also the chair of the search committee responsible for hiring me, so I've gotten to know Tom a bit through that process. When Tom invited me to attend the special service, I thought it was a great first opportunity for me in my new role as Executive Director of ALCM.

What a glorious liturgy it was! Tom and his fellow musicians literally pulled out all the stops. Traditional music and hymns mixed with contemporary and jazz settings of the ordinary and psalms demonstrated that a variety of styles and genres of music can work together beautifully. From Ralph Vaughn Williams' Te Deum, to a glorious new jazz setting of Psalm 150 with congregational refrain by Director of Jazz Ministry Ike Sturm, the service was a seamless celebration of music and the word.

That afternoon, Tom led a historical hymn sing which included selections from the five hymnals that have been used at St. Peter's between 1877 and today. From Lobe den Herren from the 1877 Kirchenbuch (sung in German, of course!) which had been sung at the dedication of the "new" church in 1905, to Siyahamb' ekukhanyen' kwenkhos' from Evangelical Worship (2006) which the choir and congregation brought to life with movement and percussion, the breadth of hymnody at St. Peter's was captured beautifully. My only regret is that I could not stay for the Jazz Vespers later that afternoon.

Congratulations to Tom and all of the musicians who made such a glorious celebration that day of the life and ministries of St. Peter's over the past 150 years.

The Dallas Chapter of Choristers Guild is proud to present its annual Church Music Workshop on Friday and Saturday, January 11-12, 2013 at Lovers Lane United Methodist Church, located in Dallas, Texas. 

Highlighting Clinicians:

Richard Sparks-Chair of Conducting and Ensembles at the University of North Texas. Director of the professional chamber choir Pro Coro Canada -- Adult Choral

Marva Dawn-Renowned theologian, author, and educator with over 25 publications in print. Teaching Fellow in Spiritual Theology at Regent College, Vancouver, BC -- Spiritual Theology

David VanderMeer-Director of Music and Find Arts Ministries at Central Presbyterian Church in Atlanta, GA -- Handbells

Mary Louise (Mel) Bringle-Professor of Religious Studies and Chair of the Humanities Division at Brevard College -- Worship

Also featuring:

Mark Burrows --Youth Choirs

Fransisco J. Núñez -- Children's and Youth Choirs

Martha Shaw -- Children's Choirs

Lee Gwozdz-- Children's Choirs

John Feierabend -- Pre-School Music

Register Today!

www.dallaschaptercg.com/events/conference.htm

Revised Submission Deadline for

2013 Raabe Prize

Please note that the deadline for submissions for the 2013 Raabe Prize has been extended to February 1, 2013. Additional information, including guidelines for submission, is available on the ALCM web site.

  

June 30-July 3, 2013 is our biennial conference in Valparaiso, IN, "God Is Here: Worship in a Wireless World." Look for registration materials online and in mailboxes before Thanksgiving. The November e-newsletter will include details about pricing. If you are budgeting for next year and need specifics about costs before November 1, please contact Cheryl in the ALCM office. The November e-newsletter will also include information about using your leftover continuing education funds to make a partial payment towards your registration. Check out conference information on the ALCM web site.

We hope to see everyone there!

Julie Grindle

Conference Chair

Reformation Hymn Festival

Association of Lutheran Church Musicians