Association of Lutheran Church Musicians
September 1, 2022 e-newsletter
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Greetings from Board Member Tom Mueller |
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Dear friends,
The end of summer is a time of transition. Children prepare to return to school or leave home for the first time to begin college studies. Many of us are in the midst of planning for the new program year, and might already be working out the details of a Christmas or Easter liturgy. Although this can be a challenging time of year as we grapple with change and transition, I hope that you will find the peace of Christ in all of your vocations, both musical and otherwise.
Although it is not commonly used in the Lutheran tradition, I often turn to the hymn “Come, Labor On” at this time of the year. Written by the nineteenth-century Scottish hymn writer Jane Borthwick, this text is usually sung to T. Tertius Noble’s tune ORA LABORA. Here are the first and final stanzas:
Come, labor on.
Who dares stand idle on the harvest plain
while all around us waves the golden grain?
And to each servant does the Master say,
"Go work today."
Come, labor on.
No time for rest, till glows the western sky,
till the long shadows o'er our pathway lie,
and a glad sound comes with the setting sun,
"Well done, well done!"
Borthwick was an enthusiastic supporter of foreign mission work, a theme that is repeatedly referenced in the course of this hymn. However, I love to interpret this text through the lens of Lutheran vocational theology. We serve God’s kingdom through many roles—church musician, employee, spouse, parent, son or daughter, friend—and regardless of our vocation, we serve God’s kingdom when we do our work joyfully and well. Whatever our vocations may be, may we all look forward to the day when we too will hear the refrain “Well done, well done!”
Tom Mueller
ALCM Board Director
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Congratulations, New Board Members! |
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In August a national election was held to fill the three new board positions created through changes to the constitution adopted in 2022. We are pleased to announce that Jean Boehler, Valerie Stone, and David Werth have been elected to fill these three new positions. Congratulations! |
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FINALLY we are going to Philadelphia!
The long-awaited gathering that was first announced at our Portland conference all the way back in the “pre-COVID” summer of 2019, our ALCM biennial conference is now approaching! The conference begins properly on the morning of July 5, 2023, although we hope you’ll consider coming a day or two early to celebrate Independence Day in America’s founding city! Our fantastic room rate of $129 per night at the Doubletree Philadelphia Center City is available as early as June 30.
Registration opens September 7th. (Don’t worry, you’ll receive an email reminder.) We hope you’ll take advantage of our “Early, Early” registration rate and sign up right away! In the meantime, be sure to check out information about the conference at https://alcm.org/2023-philadelphia/.
See you in Philadelphia!
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Applications are now being accepted for the 2023 Raabe Prize for Excellence in Sacred Music. The Raabe Prize is established to recognize a recent musical work that promotes and extends the practice of church music as it is informed and shaped by Lutheran theological insight and worship practices. The composition so recognized will have been written during the five-year period prior to the year in which the prize is awarded and should be representative of a larger body of work by the composer. Preference will be given to those compositions that grow out of the heart of Lutheran worship – the song of the assembly that enables all to lift their voices in prayer, praise, and proclamation as they gather around Word and Sacrament. The deadline for submissions is October 1, 2022.
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The 2022 conference is over,
but you can still "attend" it at the regular conference price!
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Tired of attending conferences where you have to make choices between two (or more!) workshops that you really want to attend? Thanks to a generous gift from Mark and Kathy Helge, you don't have to make that choice about offerings from this summer's conference in Valparaiso. Almost the entire conference was recorded and can be available for you to experience--at the pre-conference price! The registration price of $150 for ALCM members will be in place until September 5th. (That's a little later than we originally said; giving a bit of grace because of the holiday weekend.) On September 6th the price will increase to $195.
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To give you just a glimpse, here is the list of recorded sessions and handouts available from the first of six workshop opportunities:
- Adapting Anthems for Small Choirs – Sally Messner
- Beauty: A Service to the Neighbor – Pastor James Wetzstein
- First the Encounter...Then the Song – Jean Boehler
- Harmonized Relationships: The tonic you seek – David Hein
- Leading from the Piano – Omaldo Perez
- No Age Limits: Exploring an Intergenerational Choir – Linda Martin
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Reading session: choral music: SAB, SATB – Andy Heller & Karen Ives
Register now to access all of the recorded sessions and handouts--including concerts and worship services--at the pre-conference price!
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Thank you to our exhibitors!
We realize that exhibiting at conferences is extremely expensive and that the high costs (shipping, travel, hotel, etc.) may prohibit some from exhibiting. Therefore, we are grateful for those who were able to exhibit at our July conference and hope to see them--and others--in Philadelphia next year:
Thank you to all who exhibited!
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Webinars in 2022 are o ffered in three separate series (spring, summer, and fall) each containing three webinars. Each of the three series may be purchased individually for $25 for ALCM members and $50 for non-members or as a full-year webinar package at $60 for members and $120 for non-members. Registration for the full-year package includes automatic registration for all nine webinars throughout the year.
Registration at any time during 2022 will give access to the upcoming webinars in that series as well as recordings of the webinars which are completed. The 2022 webinars will revert to the regular price of $25 members/$39 non-members per webinar on January 16, 2023.
All webinars are on Fridays at 2:00 pm Eastern.
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ALCM Friday September Webinar |
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A Mighty Fortress:
Copyright Reporting as a
Commitment to Justice
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Friday, September 9 - 2:00 pm Eastern
Worried about worship planning? Concerned about copyright? Join us as we cover some copyright basics to help you feel more confident. We will also explain why reporting your music usage truly is a justice issue, and share insider tips and tricks for more easily searching and reporting through your ONE LICENSE account.
NOTE: If you have already registered for the Fall or the Full Year Series, do not register again. You will receive a link to the webinar in the morning on the day of the webinar.
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Dr. Katie M. Deaver
Assistant Manager,
ONE LICENSE,
Marquette, MI
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Congregational Resources from LSM
Lutheran Summer Music is pleased to share an updated resources page for church musicians and congregations. Included are links to LSM performances, liturgies, practice tips, and more, along with webinar recordings such as “Preparing a New Generation of Church Musicians” and “A Conversation with Dr. Carl Schalk”. Also available are free downloads of compositions and arrangements (of public domain hymns) from the LSM community including a new setting of “A Mighty Fortress” for Reformation, the Thanksgiving for Baptism acclamation used at the 2022 ALCM conference, as well as recordings of several hymns and songs for teaching, reference, edification, or small-group or personal devotion. Applications and nominations for LSM 2023 are now open: we look forward to returning to the campus of Valparaiso University next summer!
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Hearts • Hands • Voices are local half- or full-day skills-based workshops organized and hosted by ALCM members. These events are opportunities to learn new skills, share best practices, build relationships and support systems among musicians in your area, and introduce others to the ALCM community.
If you are interested in hosting one of these events in 2023 or earlier, or would like more information, contact Adam Lefever Hughes at education@alcm.org. |
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Saturday, October 15, 2022
9:30 am - 4:00 pm
Messiah Lutheran Church
Wayne Wold, presenter
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Fourth Friday Happy Hour with ALCM
Friday, September 23 - 6:00 pm Eastern
Recognizing that virtual community IS real community, you are warmly invited to join "Fourth Friday Happy Hour with ALCM" on Zoom every fourth Friday. Please note that, to better accommodate members in the western time zones, this month's gathering begins at 6:00 p.m. Eastern. Moderated by President Nancy Raabe and Executive Director Jim Rindelaub, discussion will be oriented around a general theme each month, but the larger purpose is to encourage conversation, sharing, and community. Bring whatever thoughts, comments, or concerns are on your mind, and of course a libation of your choice. Click on this recurring link to join each month.
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The National Lutheran Choir is accepting applications for the position of Artistic Director beginning in the 2023-2024 season. The Artistic Director is the visionary leader and principal conductor of this highly-acclaimed choral ensemble, now entering its 37th season. Go to www.nlca.com/adsearch for the full job description and additional information on the search process. The application deadline is October 15, 2022.
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On the September Calendar |
Events are now being published both in the website calendar and in the monthly newsletter. Do you have an event that you'd like to include? ALCM members should log in and follow the link on the main members area page. Non-members should send event details to office@alcm.org for consideration.
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Call for Essays: CrossAccent
Fall/Winter 2022
Teach Us to Pray: Church Music Education
Essays on the above topic are invited for the fall/winter 2022 issue of CrossAccent.
Manuscript deadline: October 1, 2022
Also, be on the lookout for the second issue of CrossAccent for 2022,
which will be arriving later in September.
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Kyries & Glorias
Kyries (prayer concerns) and Glorias (thanksgivings) are posted in the members area and on this page on the ALCM website. Kyries and Glorias for the following people have been recently posted:
Kyrie
Gloria
ALCM members are invited to submit Kyries and Glorias following the link in the members area of the website. Non-members may contact the ALCM office at office@alcm.org with information for posting. |
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Are you a congregation looking for a musician?
A musician looking for a position?
ALCM can help!
Employment resources have been developed to assist congregations in the process of searching for and hiring a musician. Presented in a step-by-step format, these resources will guide you through the entire employment process.
The ALCM job listing service connects those looking for positions in the field of church music with congregations and other institutions that have openings. By completing an online job posting form, congregations can post their positions on the ALCM website where those looking for employment may view them.
Musicians searching for a job may view posted job openings on the ALCM website, where those looking for positions can view them. Both full-time and part-time positions are listed, and new positions are added as received.
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A list of ALCM member-led
Sunday worship streams & recordings is available at:
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The Association of Lutheran Church Musicians
nurtures and equips musicians
to serve and lead the church's song.
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