Association of Lutheran Church Musicians
November 2, 2015 e-newsletter

On November 1, many of us observed All Saints' Day, a time of remembrance, and a time of joy and hope.
 
As the Pastor and I prepared the service, including a remembrance of those who have died in the last year, I was struck by how many in our congregation had lost loved ones in their immediate family (this is not always the case in my small church.) And many of the loved ones were also treasured members of the church.
 
As someone who has moved around the country and served a number of different churches, I feel like I am constantly playing catch-up in getting to know the churches I serve - their idiosyncrasies, their cultural nuances, and their heart. Many of those who died here at St. Mark's were at the heart of this church for many years, and yet I only knew them after their time in leadership was done. They were (and are) in the hearts of the people I serve. They helped this church to remain living and active, even through hard times.
 
So Pastor and I will encourage their remembrance. And we will encourage those who are still living their earthly lives to meet those loved ones at the communion table. I encourage you to get to know your church's history, and through it, the values that have sustained it. Perhaps there will be surprises, and maybe disappointments. But the more we know and understand about our community and its people, the better we can serve.
 
Through the church, and with all the saints, the song goes on. Thanks be to God! 

Julie Grindle
ALCM President-Elect
From the Development Committee
 
A letter asking for support to our Annual Fund has gone out to all members (if you have not received yours, you will shortly). We do this because we have a very simple goal for the Fund this year: to increase the number of donors to ALCM. Development professionals refer to this as the "participation rate;" what it means for ALCM is that our association is only as strong as our members make it.
 
Membership dues alone do not cover all of ALCM's expenses; we rely on the generous gifts of members and friends. So please join your fellow members in making a gift today, either by returning the envelope that came with the letter, or by donating online at http://www.alcm.org/donate-to-alcm/
 
Michael Krentz
ALCM Director at Large
Chair, Development Committee
The Richard Hillert Award in Student Composition



ALCM will partner with the Center for Church Music to lift up student composers through the Richard Hillert Award in Student Composition. The inception of the award was announced at Concordia University Lectures in Church Music on Monday, October 19. Barry Bobb, Director of the Center for Church Music and Anne Krentz Organ, President of ALCM, are pictured here with Kathryn Hillert Brewer, daughter of Richard Hillert and designer of the logo for the award, which was unveiled that evening. 
 

January 17
th & January 24
th 
will serve as 
Lutheran Summer Music 
Sundays at congregations across the country.
Join us in this initiative to encourage young musicians towards a summer of
excellent music, Lutheran faith, and supportive community.

If you would like to host an LSM Sunday at your church,
please email us at lsm@lutheransummermusic.org
for more information!

Special ALCM Discount
All students who apply to LSM and use the discount code ALCM16 will receive a $100 discount on tuition! Additional scholarships and discounts are also available to help students get to LSM.
Check out another great offer from 
Augsburg Fortress 
for ALCM members (see ad below) 

Concordia University Wisconsin (CUW) Music Department seeks a full-time faculty with a superb skill set in handbell conducting. This position is located at the Mequon, WI campus.
 
The ideal candidate will conduct both a touring and non-touring handbell choir. The touring ensemble (Alleluia Ringers) has established a celebrated reputation both domestically and internationally by its recording and live performances. Candidates will be expected to display evidence of superb musicianship, organizational acumen, interpersonal skills and departmental collaboration. In addition to the handbell aspect to the position, the preferred candidate will possess choral conducting abilities as they will conduct a non-touring choral ensemble within the department. The final aspect of the teaching load will be assigned within the candidate's area of expertise and area of interest such as applied music (organ), music history or other areas of interest and/or mutual departmental need.
For full description visit www.cuw.edu/employment
 
The Twin Cities Chapter of the American Guild of Organists (TCAGO) announces a competition for an unpublished, meditative work for solo pipe organ.
 
A single prize of $1500 USD will be awarded. Any person with permanent residence in North America is eligible to submit a composition that is a minimum of four (4) and no longer than seven (7) minutes in length, and which uses original material (does not incorporate any pre-existing work or melody.) The name of the composer may not appear on the score, and the Official 2016 Entry Form must be submitted with the composition. TCAGO is unable to offer receipts. Manuscripts must be typeset on 8.5x11 white stock, not to exceed 24# paper weight. Entries not conforming to this standard shall be disqualified. The submission may have been previously performed, but must be unpublished and cannot have won a prize in any other composition. Only scores submitted with SASE shall be returned. No member of the TCAGO Board or its officers may submit an entry. If in the opinion of the judges, no entry is worthy of the prize, it shall not be awarded. The Official 2016 Entry Form may be found at www.tcago.org. Submissions must be postmarked before 1 May 2016. Winner will be announced 1 June 2016. One entry per person.
Please submit to:
 
AGO Composition Contest
239 Selby Avenue
St. Paul, MN 55102

Calling all rising hymn writers!
 
"We are searching everywhere for poets," shared Martin Luther in a letter to a friend, "so that the Word of God may be among the people also in the form of music" (AE 49:68).
 
Centuries later, The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod is looking for rising, talented writers too! Our hymn competition in honor of the Reformation's 500th anniversary is your opportunity to create a brand new hymn text that will bless the Church around the world. Join the ranks of Reformation hymn writers Martin Luther, Paul Speratus, and Elizabeth Cruciger with an original entry that reflects the historic purpose of Christian hymns: a proclamation of the Word, teaching the faith, and praise to God.
 
For more details and to enter, visit lutheranreformation.org/competition.
National Conference for Sacred Music
January 6-8, 2016
Corpus Christi, TX
Featuring David Cherwien, Eric Nelson, Susan Briehl, Heather Potter and Jackson Henry
 
National Conference for Sacred Music is a unique conference designed to provide the practicing church musician with fresh new ideas to help create a vital, growing music ministry. The emphasis of this conference is to provide a wide variety of new approaches to revitalize and reinvigorate the church's passion for music in worship. For additional information, click here.