Greetings!,

Well, winter finally arrived in west Michigan just in time for the "blink and you'll miss it" season of Ordinary Time. After weeks of preparation and celebration, it's nice to enter the ordered, week-to-week time of the church year. It's a short season this year, so I hope that you are able to take some deep breaths and a well deserved break after Advent and Christmas.

Your NPM chapter is also ready to get started with the ordered, week-to-week work of supporting pastoral musicians in the Diocese! We've got two great events in March -- Dr. James Abbington will join us on March 4 (see Bob's message below) and our annual Spring Banquet is March 31. We hope to see you at one or both of these events!

As always, contributions to the newsletter are welcome. Please send them to [email protected].

Mary Harwood
St. Paul the Apostle

Okay, Let's be Honest
 
We are church musicians, and for us December was just a bit on the busy side. Not only did the chapter board not meet, the added truth is that not much chapter work was addressed. And, though we might have expected our wonderful convention to stimulate added momentum for NPM efforts, many who worked so hard for NPM 2015 discovered that their minds and bodies demanded a time out.
 
But it's a new year, and all sorts of things are stirring. For some the details are in place, others soon to be finalized.
  • The last Sunday of January offers a richly ecumenical event at the Basilica. (See Light Dawn in a Weary World below.) Do come and help fill the St. Adalbert's with song.
  • On Friday, March 4, we will hold our third annual Lenten soup supper, membership meeting, and workshop event featuring the dynamic and most engaging Dr. James Abbington held at St. Anthony of Padua, Grand Rapids.
  • We've prepared a musically diverse song fest to immerse us in the Holy Year of Mercy, and are planning to take it to several different areas of the Diocese.
  • Finally, on March 31, Thursday of Easter week, we will party at the annual banquet. It's at Pietro's restaurant once again because everyone so enjoyed the facility and food last year. Entertainment will be by Aquinas faculty members: Jazz pianist and vocalist, Robin Connell and her trombonist husband, Paul Brewer -- an awesome duo.
 
So stay tuned.  A stream of details will follow.
Bob Batastini
composersAttention Composers!

The local composers forum is active again and meets monthly at the Cathedral of St. Andrew. If you write music for liturgy and would like feedback on your composition from fellow composers and a certain retired editor, you are welcome to join. Contact Nick Palmer at [email protected] for the next meeting date and time.
tuscanyTuscany Choral Festival

Join Vonnie Clark and Steve Petrunak for the Tuscany Choral Festival, October 17-26. This ten day festival includes travel to Assisi, Montecatini, Siena, San Gimignano, a cooking class at a Tuscan farm, Cinque Terre (the Italian Riviera), Orvieto and Rome.  Concerts include a performance in the Upper Basilica of St Francis. Cost is $3,569 (which includes air taxes and fees). Singers and non-singers are welcome to join the tour.  For more information contact Vonnie, 616-485-0695 or [email protected] 
newsnotes
Wanted

Prince of Peace & St. Mary of the Woods in North Muskegon is seeking a music director. Read more...

St. Mary Magdalen in Kentwood is seeking a full time music director. Read more...
 
Mercy Health Saint Mary Hospital is looking for volunteer accompanists to assist with their Thursday lunchtime Mass. Please contact Fr. Ayub at 616-685-6338 if you are available to help out.
college
Calling All College Students!

Are you a college student? Do you know someone who is a college student majoring in liturgical music or related fields? Or do you know a seminarian who has a special interest in sacred music?  

If so, thanks to the generosity of numerous contributors, the chapter is prepared to pay their annual national membership dues in NPM (National Association of Pastoral Musicians), throughout their college career! 


Let the Servant Church Arise!
Charity Spotlight

Organized in 1993, this month's service organization, the Servants Center, rescues the mentally ill, the poor, and the homeless from the streets, and provides ongoing support with dignity, reflecting Christ's love. They collaborate with other agencies, ministries and providers fin the interest of the best care of the clients.Visit http://www.scgr.org  to learn more.
events
Upcoming Events

Please send your upcoming events for inclusion in this calendar no later than the 25th of the previous month to [email protected].

St. Andrew Musicians' Winter Concert
January 24, 3 p.m.
Cathedral of St. Andrew

Light Dawns in a Weary World
Ecumenical Hymn Festival feat. Michigan Writers
January 31, 7:30 p.m.
Basilica of St. Adalbert

Prayer of Peace
February 8, 7:30 p.m.
St. Mary's Catholic Church, Grand Rapids

Prayer of Peace
February 10, 7 p.m.
Dominican Chapel Marywood

Cantus
February 19, 8 p.m.
Calvin College Fine Arts Center

Sacred Dimensions
Grand Rapids Symphony, Pearl Shangkuan & Sean Ivory, directors
March 5, 1 & 8 p.m.
Cathedral of St. Andrew

Annual Chapter Banquet
March 31, 6 p.m.
Pietro's Italian Restaurant
coda
Coda

"It is with the smallest brushes that the artist paints the most exquisitely beautiful pictures."

St. Andre Bessette
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Grand Rapids Chapter of the National Association of Pastoral Musicians | 360 Division Ave S. | Grand Rapids | MI | 49503