Association of Lutheran Church Musicians
April 1, 2021 e-newsletter
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Today begins the most somber, joyful, exciting, stressful, busy, and fulfilling few days in the life of a Lutheran church musician. This year we have the added questions about what is safe, how to make it safe, and how to serve our congregations most appropriately. We want our services to be filled with the awe and wonder of what our Lord has done for us regardless of whether parishioners are in person or joining us electronically.
No matter how you are planning to serve God's people in the next days I consider it an honor to be serving with you. We have the great privilege to share the Gospel message of God's work through Christ with so many who sing "Jesus, I will ponder now, on your holy passion" as they "come to Calvary's holy mountain." We lead them to the only "pure and healing fountain." Whether in socially distanced sanctuaries or living rooms, our gracious Lord will use us to share those words with people who need so desperately to hear them. And on Easter morning, what joy to share with our people the reminder that "death and darkness could not hold Him." Together we will "scatter the darkness, break the gloom" as we celebrate that "Jesus is living, Alleluia."
Thank you for the time and energy that you put into preparing during the Lent and Easter seasons. May your efforts be blessed when you join your congregation in the glad "Now let our joy rise full and free; Christ our comfort true will be, Alleluia."
Karen Foote
Director at Large
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The ALCM Virtual Easter Hymn is now available and can be used freely in Easter messages and worship services. You may share the hymn with everyone. All copyright restrictions are waived.
Made possible through the generous financial support of Mark and Kathy Helge.
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2021 ALCM Norma Aamodt-Nelson Student Scholar Award
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Applicants must be enrolled as a college or university student during the fall term of 2021.
The recipient will receive a $1,000 scholarship, which will be paid directly towards tuition at the recipient's college or university during the 2021–2022 class year.
Portions of the recipient’s submitted recording will be played during the virtual ALCM 2021 business meeting on July 29, 2021 and may be included in ALCM promotion.
The deadline to submit the application is May 15, 2021. The winner will be announced in July of 2021.
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Webinars in 2021 are offered in four separate series. Each series may be purchased individually (one series is actually free) or you may purchase a full-year webinar package (at a reduced rate!) that includes automatic registration for all sixteen webinars throughout the year.
You may register at any time through 2021 and receive recordings of the live webinars which are completed. In 2022 the webinars will revert to the regular price of $25 members/$39 nonmembers per webinar.
All webinars are on Fridays at 2:00 pm Eastern, unless otherwise noted.
Check out the April webinar below!
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ALCM Friday Webinar for April
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Music Ministry Leadership
to/for/with Church Membership
Friday, April 23 - 2:00 pm Eastern
This webinar will address leadership skills designed to humbly and effectively serve God and God’s people. The presentation will seek to demonstrate how in modeling a leadership style based on Christ’s example of servanthood, the finest musical gifts offered in presentation to God’s glory alone are truly blessed for God’s purposes. Through the Holy Spirit, musical offerings or voluntaries become a blessing for those listening in worship. The webinar will also address how music ensembles may also effectively serve as a small – group ministry designed FOR the ensemble members through their study of scripture, prayer, and fellowship.
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Kurt Berentsen
Music Ministry Director, Zion Lutheran Church, Portland, Oregon
Emeritus Professor of Music, Concordia University – Portland
Emeritus Commissioned Minister, Lutheran Church Missouri Synod
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NOTE: If you have already registered for the Spring Webinar Series 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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Our next ALCM Zoom social hour is coming up later this month and you are invited!
On Friday, April 23 at 3:00 pm Eastern Time, join your ALCM colleagues for a social hour on Zoom immediately after that day’s webinar with Kurt Berentsen on Music Ministry Leadership. Think of this time like a lunch table conversation at a conference (or afternoon tea, or even happy hour, depending on your time zone and preference!) We may spend some time reflecting on the webinar, we may break into smaller groups for conversation on topics of interest, or we may just chat in whichever direction the conversation goes!
There is no cost for these Zoom conversations, and the link will be separate from the one you use for the webinar— there is no need to have attended the webinar in order to attend the social time!
We look forward to seeing you and chatting with you online!
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ALCM Board Meeting Highlights
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At its March conference call, the ALCM board:
- Discussed and approved an investment plan to achieve some earning with our funds currently in cash accounts.
- Set a date for the biennial business meeting, which will be held virtually July 29, 2021. Details coming soon.
- Agreed to meet in person August 9 and 10, pending vaccination and comfort levels of participants. We will continue work on identifying the voices we represent.
- Discussed plans for a student award from the Norma Aamodt-Nelson scholar fund.
- Received a report of 1,784 participants in the Easter Virtual Hymn, with 150 congregations requesting a customized verse 3. Quite a few new members joined as a result of the project.
- Noted that regional Zoom meetings will be held (or have been held) over the coming weeks/months.
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Who is that (un)masked man?
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The first issue of In tempo for 2021 has been printed and mailed. Included in the issue is this photo taken at the 2009 biennial conference in Milwaukee with the caption "Mark Sedio (right) and a colleague . . ." We thought the "colleague" might be Mark Lawson, President of ECS Publishing, but Mark assures us that it is not him. So, dear colleagues, can anyone help us identify this Mark Lawson Doppelgänger? Let us know at office@alcm.org. Inquiring minds want to know!
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Kyries & Glorias
Kyries (prayer concerns) and Glorias (thanksgivings) are posted in the members area and on the following page on the ALCM website. The following recent Kyries and Glorias have been submitted by ALCM members.
Kari Files
Gary Brugh
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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Remember Well the Future:
Preparing a New Generation of Church Musicians
LSM alumni panel hosted by Chad Fothergill and Laura Potratz
Hosted via Zoom
Monday, April 19 - 6:30pm CDT
Conversations in the church about change often make assumptions about the wants or needs of younger generations, but seldom are their voices present in such dialogue. Moderated by LSM church music faculty Laura Potratz and Chad Fothergill, this panel of recent LSM alumni will discuss some of the pressing cultural, stylistic, and vocational concerns of our time from their perspectives. Together, we will consider such questions as:
- What do younger generations seek from the church and its liturgy?
- What is helpful or unhelpful about assumptions made on their behalf?
- Do words like “traditional,” “contemporary,” or “authentic” matter?
- Are there discrepancies between the aspirations of young leaders and what they feel is expected of them, or between their training and experience?
- How can educational organizations and institutions better equip and support new generations of leaders in changing cultural and technological contexts, especially in a post-pandemic paradigm?
Attendees will be able to submit their own questions as well.
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New Member Benefit: ALCM Recordings for Listening
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Log in to the members area of the website and click on the link to listen to the recordings.
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August Conference Opportunity
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Claremont United Church of Christ, and its Director of Music and Fine Arts Jonathan Campbell, are excited to announce a collaborative Sacred Music Conference Aug 16-19. The event will be in beautiful Claremont, California. Attendees will be able to perform on the superlative 64 rank Glaeter-Goetz/Rosales pipe organ. In addition, there will be a day of wine-tasting and/or shopping in Temecula. Claremont UCC is adjacent to both the Claremont Village--a quaint and popular shopping and dining area--and Pomona College. We hope to have a tour and demonstration of the Fisk organ in historic "Little" Bridges Hall. We will host worship services and break-out sessions to discuss and process 2020/21 and to share our experiences as church musicians. More details will be released shortly. We ask you to pencil in these dates and consider attending. The church has a discounted rate at the local Doubletree Hotel in Claremont, and hotel Casa 425 is within walking distance. This event presumes improving COVID infection numbers. Any future cancellation will result in the full refund of your modest registration fee.
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Spring 2021 Publisher Digital Reading Sessions
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A list of ALCM member-led
Sunday worship streams & recordings is available at:
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