Podcasts about congregational song

In this episode, Dr. Jeremy Perigo hosts Revd. Associate Professor Dr. Daniel Thornton of Alphacrucis University College in Australia. Dr. Thornton is an ordained minister, worship leader, musician, educator, and theologian with significant experience in production, theater, and composition.   Together, they discuss Thornton's scholarly research into modern Christian worship songs, which utilizes music semiology focused on texts, writers, and the audience to analyze congregational songs. Beyond the lyrical theology, hear them unpack topics such as what makes a song popular, meaning making, the influence of the industry and the local church, the future of the genre, trends in novelty and traditionalism, and how YouTube influences Christian worship. The discussion concludes with pastoral guidance and encouragement for those serving in local churches.

Season 5 of The Center for Congregational Song's podcast "Voices United" Host: Ben Brody Episodes include interviews with Carl P. Daw, Jacque Jones, Chris Shelton, and Sally Ann Morris

Season 5 of The Center for Congregational Song's podcast "Voices United" Host: Ben Brody Episodes include interviews with Carl P. Daw, Jacque Jones, Chris Shelton, and Sally Ann Morris

Season 5 of The Center for Congregational Song's podcast "Voices United" Host: Ben Brody Episodes include interviews with Carl P. Daw, Jacque Jones, Chris Shelton, and Sally Ann Morris

Season 5 of The Center for Congregational Song's podcast "Voices United" Host: Ben Brody Episodes include interviews with Carl P. Daw, Jacque Jones, Chris Shelton, and Sally Ann Morris

Season 5 of The Center for Congregational Song's podcast "Voices United" Host: Ben Brody Episodes include interviews with Carl P. Daw, Jacque Jones, Chris Shelton, and Sally Ann Morris

Season 5 of The Center for Congregational Song's podcast "Voices United" Host: Ben Brody Episodes include interviews with Carl P. Daw, Jacque Jones, Chris Shelton, and Sally Ann Morris

In the final episode of the first season, join Dr. Jeremy Perigo as he welcomes back Geraldine Latty and Carey Luce as they discuss the practice of creativity and emotional breadth in worship. Hear topics such as the use of gospel choirs, planning time for creativity, utilizing musical tensions, emotional and musical manipulation, the theology of the Spirituals, building community through singing, and learning from other cultural expressions of worship. Geraldine and Carey are London-based worship artists with a massive amount of experience in music, songwriting, theology, education, and worship leadership. 

In this episode my guest, Adam Tice, share with us two of his hymns and talks with us about his work. Adam was named a Lovelace Scholar by the Hymn Society of the United States and Canada. He served as a member of the Society's executive committee from 2007 to 2010. He was Associate Pastor of Hyattsville (Maryland) Mennonite Church from 2007 to 2012. Adam now lives with his family in Goshen, Indiana. He is text editor for the 2020 Mennonite hymnal, Voices Together. In early 2020 he joined GIA as Editor for Congregational Song. Adam also leads workshops in writing congregational song, currents in congregational song and a cappella congregational song. You can learn more about Adam and contact him at: giamusic.com/store/artists/adam-tice The intro and outro music for this episode is from a clip of a song called 'Father Let Your Kingdom Come' which is found on The Porter's Gate Worship Project Work Songs album and is used by permission by The Porter's Gate Worship Project.

As the nights grow longer and the days shorter, share in a virtual celebration of Seasons of Light, Harvard Divinity School's beloved annual multireligious service honoring the interplay of holy darkness and light in the world's religious traditions. Performances include choral and instrumental music, readings by HDS students, the ritual kindling of many flames, and communal prayers and songs. Explore these offerings to the season in part or as a whole. Seasons of Light is hosted by Harvard Divinity School's Office of Religious and Spiritual Life under the direction of Christopher Hossfeld, Director of Music and Ritual, and Kerry A. Maloney, Chaplain and Director of Religious and Spiritual Life. Full transcript: https://hds.harvard.edu/news/2022/12/8/audio-seasons-light

The men of the Watford church met last night. Part of our time was spent singing together. No instruments, nothing fancy, just singing songs we love.  As we were leaving one of the men said to me that he had got out of habit singing in his personal devotional times with God. I suddenly realised the same thing had happened to me. Singing in my times of quiet with God has been important to me over the years, but recently I have neglected this valuable aid to connecting with God. What part does singing have in your devotional times? It does at least two things. It changes our perspective, and reaffirms our identity. “Body and spirit are inseparable: when we sing with full voice our attitude changes. When body attitude combines with deepest beliefs, singers are taken out of themselves into a heightened awareness of God, beauty, faith, and one another.” p87  Brian Wren Praying Twice: The Music and Words of Congregational Song, (Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 2000)Perspective Singing about our faith lifts us out of our current perspective into God's perspective. “Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in your law.” Psalm 119:18 “Open the eyes of my heart, Lord, open the eyes of my heart, I want to see you” Identity When we sing together we become ‘ourselves' again. We recollect our true identity. John 15:14 “You are my friends if you do what I command.” There's not a friend like the lowly Jesus, No, not one! No, not one! None else could heal all our soul's diseases, No, not one! No, not one! CHORUS: Jesus knows all about our struggles; He will guide till the day is done; There's not a friend like the lowly Jesus, No, not one! No, not one! This morning I sang “When I survey”. What did it do for me? It reminded me to keep my eyes on Jesus. It reminded me that Jesus' love for me is fierce. He would even die to convince me that he loves me, and to make sure that I can share in his life. “love so amazing so divine” It reminded me that my only legitimate response to such love is to wholeheartedly give of myself to him, "demands my soul, my life, my all”   What does it do for you? What else does it do apart from changing our perspective and reaffirming our identity? Please add your comments on this week's topic. We learn best when we learn in community.  Do you have a question about teaching the Bible? Is it theological, technical, practical? Send me your questions or suggestions. Here's the email: [malcolm@malcolmcox.org](mailto:malcolm@malcolmcox.org).  If you'd like a copy of my free eBook on spiritual disciplines, “How God grows His people”, sign up at my website: http://[www.malcolmcox.org](http://www.malcolmcox.org/).  Please pass the link on, subscribe, leave a review.  “Worship the LORD with gladness; come before him with joyful songs.” (Psalms 100:2 NIV11)  God bless, Malcolm

This episode is part of one of my ongoing series I call "Christian Music Not Played On Christian Radio." The purpose of the series is heighten awareness that although traditional Christian music may no longer be the dominant music style experienced in Christian Churches in the United States, the composition of new music in the traditional forms of hymns and anthems is thriving. In this episode we get the pleasure of experiencing the fruit of a long and wonderful partnership between lyricist, Dr. Mary Louise, 'Mel,' Bringle and composer Sally Ann Morris. Much of their music is intended for congregational singing. They share with us a smidgen of the range of their work and give us insights into the process of their partnership. Sally Ann Morris has composed upwards of 200 hymn tunes and congregational songs, many of which are found in multiple denominational hymnals in the United States, Canada, the UK, New Zealand, and Japan. Her musical styles range from classically traditional influences to lyric melodies, jazz, folk, and pop. Sally is a Life Member of The Hymn Society in the United States and Canada, and, in 2021, was named a Fellow of the Society, its highest honor. She lives in Winston-Salem, NC, and is Musician in Residence at the Wake Forest University School of Divinity where she leads, enlivens, encourages, demonstrates and teaches the diverse wealth of congregational song for chapel services. Mary Louise (Mel) Bringle is a Professor of Philosophy and Religion and coordinator of interdisciplinary studies at Brevard College in Brevard, NC; she is also a ruling elder at Trinity Presbyterian Church in Hendersonville, NC. Her Ph.D. in practical and pastoral theology is from Emory University.  An award-winning hymn writer whose original texts and translations appear in the hymnals of numerous denominations in North America and Scotland, she has served as President of The Hymn Society in the US and Canada and as chair of the Presbyterian Committee on Congregational Song, responsible for creating the hymnal Glory to God.  In the summer of 2020, she was named a Fellow of the Hymn Society. Mel and Sally's music played for this episode is published by GIA Publications and is used by permission. The intro and outro music for this episode is from a clip of a song called 'Father Let Your Kingdom Come' which is found on The Porter's Gate Worship Project Work Songs album and is used by permission by The Porter's Gate Worship Project.

In this episode, Tony talks with Hymn Text Writer and GIA's Editor for Congregational Song, Adam Tice.

Among the great evils of human history has been colonial imperialism and the rise of white male supremacy. The terrible legacy of these two interwoven realities still continues. Tragically and shamefully for the Church and Christianity, is that in a twisted and perverted logic that was and is a contradiction to the Gospel, the Church has played and continues to play a fundamental role in the creation, propagation, affirmation, support, and maintenance of that legacy. The Legacy permeates all aspects of Western culture and its relationships globally. In my mind the consequence of The Legacy has contributed substantively to the marked decline in Christianity and Evangelical and Mainline denominations in the United States, Canada, and Western Europe. For the Church to relevance and integrity it must repent by acknowledging the sinfulness and evil of The Legacy and the Church's complicity in it. But as Standing Rock Sioux Vine Deloria, Jr. persuasively made the case in his book, God Is Red: A Native View of Religion, repentance is not enough. Change must occur in the life and practices of Christians and the Church. One of the continuing influences of The Legacy has been in its standards of what counts as good, appropriate, and acceptable. These standards apply to a broad diversity of culture in things like proper behavior and etiquette, what counts as good scholarship, good art, good music, and, for Christianity, what counts as appropriate worship. Because worship is fundamental to who we are and what we do as Christians, one of the essential ways for the Church to repent and to change its life and practices is to decolonize its worship. What decolonizing Christianity's worship means is complicated and extensive. Conversations and experiments in change are just beginning and are in the process. There are not only issues related to local practices in congregations, but interconnected international issues as well. To help us begin our conversation on this podcast about decolonizing worship, I am grateful to Brian Hehn of The Hymn Society , who volunteered to invite conversation partners. So, it is my honor and delight to welcome to this two-part interview, Dr. Becca Whitla and Dr. Marcell Silva Steuernagel along with welcoming back Brian. Dr. Becca Whitla is the Professor of Pastoral Studies at St. Andrew's College in Saskatoon where she teachers worship, preaching, and Christian Education. She worked in Toronto for many years as a music director in both Anglican and United Churches (Church of the Holy Trinity, and Trinity St Paul's United Church). She also co-directed Echo, a 70 voice women's choir, and worked in the trade union movement developing leadership through choral singing.  Becca recently published her first book, Liberation, (De)Coloniality, and Liturgical Practices: Flipping the Song Bird (Palgrave Macmillan, 2020). Dr. Marcell Silva Steuernagel is Assistant Professor of Church Music and Director of the Master of Sacred Music Program at Southern Methodist University's Perkins School of Theology. Marcell writes at the intersection of church music, theology, musicology, and performance theory. He served as Minister of Worship, Arts, and Communication at Redeemer Lutheran Church in Curitiba, Brazil, for more than a decade and is an internationally active composer and performer. His most recent monograph is Church Music Through the Lens of Performance. Brian Hehn is Director of The Center for Congregational Song. Experienced using a variety of genres and instrumentations, he has lead worship for Baptists, Roman Catholics, United Methodists, Presbyterians, and many more across the U.S. and Canada. He received his Bachelor of Music Education from Wingate University, his Master of Sacred Music from Perkins School of Theology, Southern Methodist University, and is certified in children's church music (K-12) by Choristers Guild. He has articles published on sacred music and congregational song in multipl...

A very special episode of Round Hill Radio! You're listening to the second seminar in our series of Hymnposiums, recorded live on May 20, 2021. This featured an interview (and singing with) Brian Hehn, Director of the Center for Congregational Song, whose stated mission is to "encourage, promote, and enliven congregational song, because we believe the holy act of singing together shapes faith, heals brokenness, transforms lives, and renews peace."

Continuing our miniseries discussing the opportunities and challenges of returning to in-person worship, Director of Music Ministries, Dr. Diana Sanchez-Bushong gathers a panel of worship music leaders from around the denomination to discuss issues related to singing during the pandemic. Even as the vaccine continues to help us bring an end to this difficult time, there are concerns with how best to reintroduce vocal music into the worship of the local church. Listen in as these leaders share from their knowledge and experience. The panel includes Steve Lindsey, Director of Music Ministries/Church Administrator Nashville; Raymond Trapp, Director of Music, Vanderveer UMC Brooklyn, GC 2022 Music Director; Ann Ables, Director of Music and Fine Arts, Memorial Drive UMC Houston; Brian Hehn, Director of Center for Congregational Song, Hymn Society of North America and Canada; and Steve Harter, Minister of Music and Arts, First UMC Colorado Springs.

From the beginning of the Church on the day of Pentecost just after our Lord ascended back to God, congregational singing and, in particular, hymns have been a part of Christian worship. Two of Christianity's earliest documents, the New Testament letters to the Ephesians and Colossians, use the same trilogy of words to describe the music of Christian worship. Ephesians 5: 18-19 (NRSV) reads, '...but be filled with the Spirit, as you sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs among yourselves, singing and making melody to the Lord in your hearts...' Colossians 3:16 (NRSV) reads, 'Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly; teach and admonish one another in all wisdom; and with gratitude in your hearts sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs to God.' Both congregational singing and hymns have had a varied and sometimes controversial history throughout the Church's existence. In the earliest experience of the Church, congregational singing was almost exclusively the music of worship, especially during the times of persecution. After the conversion of Constantine, when the Church gained status, power, and wealth, when Latin became the mandated language of worship, and when monks and priests were often the only people who could read, singing in worship came to be done mostly by choirs. It was not until after the Protestant Reformation, when the mass was rejected as the pattern of worship by numerous Protestant groups and scripture was translated into the languages of the people, that congregational singing once again became the dominant form of music in worship. However, due to the influence of the Calvinist or Reform tradition within the Protestant Reformation, congregational singing was limited to psalmody, being the language of scripture. Hymns, understood as texts having been written by human hands, were looked upon with suspicion. It was only gradually that hymns became accepted back into worship. Once they did, however, collections of them into hymnals came to be the primary worship books of many Protestant denominations. There have been times when the words 'hymn' and 'congregational singing' have been synonymous. When the global evangelism and mission efforts began in the 1800s, hymns were the most useful resource for proclamation, worship, and discipleship efforts. With the rise of seeker-oriented worship services in the 1980s and 1990s, a sharp distinction was made between hymns, seen as a part of traditional worship and choruses, preferred by seeker-oriented services. As degrees in church music have developed, courses in hymnology have been required and for nearly one hundred years, a Society, The Hymn Society, has been devoted to the hymn. Recently The Hymn Society formalized a project that was always an understood dimension of The Hymn Society's efforts--The Center for Congregational Song. My guests help us to understand more fully the hymn, its definitions and uses, and the work both of The Hymn Society and The Center for Congregational Song. J. Michael McMahon has served as Executive Director of The Hymn Society since September 1, 2018. An ordained minister of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), Mike is a graduate of the University of Pittsburgh, holds a Master of Divinity degree from the Washington Theological Union, a Master of Arts degree in liturgical studies from the University of Notre Dame, and a Doctor of Ministry degree from The Catholic University of America. From 2001 until 2013 Mike served as President and CEO of the National Association of Pastoral Musicians (NPM). For nearly thirty years he worked in full-time church ministry, most recently from 2013 to 2018 as Minister of Music at National City Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Washington, D.C. Prior to 2001 Mike served churches in Virginia and Delaware as a full-time pastoral minister in the areas of music, worship, and Christian initiation. In addition to his full-time work as a pastoral minister, music director,

Today's guest is Brian Hehn, the Director of https://congregationalsong.org/ (The Center for Congregational Song) with the Hymn Society in the United States and Canda. He is an accomplished song leader and musician, and has a huge heart for getting people to sing together. Here, he reflects on the power of singing to transform us into better people, and how not singing together through COVID has been difficult but may lead to some necessary shifts in our singing culture. Episode Notes: Brian refers to "Be Still and Know" by John L. Bell https://hymnary.org/tune/be_still_and_know_that_i_am_god_bell (https://hymnary.org/tune/be_still_and_know_that_i_am_god_bell) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MOcSzEmcQ08 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MOcSzEmcQ08) View Brian's Election Vigil here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y3ER4yn9nhQ (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y3ER4yn9nhQ) Celtic Psalms (Kiran Young Wimberly and The McGraths) music can be found onhttps://itunes.apple.com/tt/artist/kiran-young-wimberly/654441561 ( iTunes), https://open.spotify.com/artist/2GkI27HmBtB3cNIku7xRdf (Spotify, )https://www.amazon.co.uk/Celtic-Psalms-Kiran-Young-Wimberly/dp/B00D0STVQI (Amazon) and https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCT6naf-l9ewLmFWs2ExcrPA (YouTube). This episode features: https://www.celticpsalms.com/portfolio/psalm-144-come-spirit-come/ (Come, Spirit, Come (Psalm 144/The King's Shilling)) https://www.celticpsalms.com/portfolio/psalm-107-o-give-thanks/ (O Give Thanks (Psalm 107/The Meeting of the Waters)) https://www.celticpsalms.com/portfolio/psalm-22-my-god-my-god/ (My God, My God (Psalm 22/Paddy's Green Shamrock Shore)) Notated music published by GIA can be found https://www.giamusic.com/store/search?elSearchTerm=celtic+psalms (here) Brian's full bio: Brian is an inspiring song-leader equally comfortable leading an acapella singing of “It Is Well” as he is drumming and dancing to “Sizohamba Naye.” Experienced using a variety of genres and instrumentations, he has led worship for Baptists, Roman Catholics, United Methodists, Presbyterians, and many more across the U.S. and Canada. He received his Bachelor of Music Education from Wingate University, his Master of Sacred Music from Perkins School of Theology, Southern Methodist University, and is certified in children's church music (K-12) by Choristers Guild. He has articles published on sacred music and congregational song in multiple journals and co-authored two books under the title “All Hands In” published by Choristers Guild. While working for The Hymn Society as the Director of The Center for Congregational Song he also serves as adjunct professor of church music at Wingate University in Wingate, North Carolina. Brian lives in Baltimore, Maryland, with his wife, Eve, and son, Jakob.

This is a downloadable playlist of accompaniment tracks for Lent 2021. All the tunes are public domain and these arrangements are creative commons. Please use these for your worship services, choir performances, etc...free of charge. We do request that "created by The Center for Congregational Song" or "Thanks to The Center for Congregational Song" be included somewhere on your video or service credits.

This is a downloadable playlist of accompaniment tracks for Lent 2021. All the tunes are public domain and these arrangements are creative commons. Please use these for your worship services, choir performances, etc...free of charge. We do request that "created by The Center for Congregational Song" or "Thanks to The Center for Congregational Song" be included somewhere on your video or service credits.

This is a downloadable playlist of accompaniment tracks for Lent 2021. All the tunes are public domain and these arrangements are creative commons. Please use these for your worship services, choir performances, etc...free of charge. We do request that "created by The Center for Congregational Song" or "Thanks to The Center for Congregational Song" be included somewhere on your video or service credits.

This is a downloadable playlist of accompaniment tracks for Lent 2021. All the tunes are public domain and these arrangements are creative commons. Please use these for your worship services, choir performances, etc...free of charge. We do request that "created by The Center for Congregational Song" or "Thanks to The Center for Congregational Song" be included somewhere on your video or service credits.

This is a downloadable playlist of accompaniment tracks for Lent 2021. All the tunes are public domain and these arrangements are creative commons. Please use these for your worship services, choir performances, etc...free of charge. We do request that "created by The Center for Congregational Song" or "Thanks to The Center for Congregational Song" be included somewhere on your video or service credits.

This is a downloadable playlist of accompaniment tracks for Lent 2021. All the tunes are public domain and these arrangements are creative commons. Please use these for your worship services, choir performances, etc...free of charge. We do request that "created by The Center for Congregational Song" or "Thanks to The Center for Congregational Song" be included somewhere on your video or service credits.

This is a downloadable playlist of accompaniment tracks for Lent 2021. All the tunes are public domain and these arrangements are creative commons. Please use these for your worship services, choir performances, etc...free of charge. We do request that "created by The Center for Congregational Song" or "Thanks to The Center for Congregational Song" be included somewhere on your video or service credits.

This is a downloadable playlist of accompaniment tracks for Lent 2021. All the tunes are public domain and these arrangements are creative commons. Please use these for your worship services, choir performances, etc...free of charge. We do request that "created by The Center for Congregational Song" or "Thanks to The Center for Congregational Song" be included somewhere on your video or service credits.

This is a downloadable playlist of accompaniment tracks for Lent 2021. All the tunes are public domain and these arrangements are creative commons. Please use these for your worship services, choir performances, etc...free of charge. We do request that "created by The Center for Congregational Song" or "Thanks to The Center for Congregational Song" be included somewhere on your video or service credits.

This is a downloadable playlist of accompaniment tracks for Lent 2021. All the tunes are public domain and these arrangements are creative commons. Please use these for your worship services, choir performances, etc...free of charge. We do request that "created by The Center for Congregational Song" or "Thanks to The Center for Congregational Song" be included somewhere on your video or service credits.

This is a downloadable playlist of accompaniment tracks for Lent 2021. All the tunes are public domain and these arrangements are creative commons. Please use these for your worship services, choir performances, etc...free of charge. We do request that "created by The Center for Congregational Song" or "Thanks to The Center for Congregational Song" be included somewhere on your video or service credits.

This is a downloadable playlist of accompaniment tracks for Lent 2021. All the tunes are public domain and these arrangements are creative commons. Please use these for your worship services, choir performances, etc...free of charge. We do request that "created by The Center for Congregational Song" or "Thanks to The Center for Congregational Song" be included somewhere on your video or service credits.

This is a downloadable playlist of accompaniment tracks for Lent 2021. All the tunes are public domain and these arrangements are creative commons. Please use these for your worship services, choir performances, etc...free of charge. We do request that "created by The Center for Congregational Song" or "Thanks to The Center for Congregational Song" be included somewhere on your video or service credits.

This is a downloadable playlist of accompaniment tracks for Lent 2021. All the tunes are public domain and these arrangements are creative commons. Please use these for your worship services, choir performances, etc...free of charge. We do request that "created by The Center for Congregational Song" or "Thanks to The Center for Congregational Song" be included somewhere on your video or service credits.

These are the accompaniment tracks for a 30-minute porch-style concert set as a part of The Center for Congregational Song and Worship Design Studio's 2020 Christmas Sing Resource. These tracks should be treated as "Creative Commons" and can be used for any purpose other than for-profit companies (fundraising for non-profits/churches and/or charity is fine).

These are the accompaniment tracks for a 30-minute porch-style concert set as a part of The Center for Congregational Song and Worship Design Studio's 2020 Christmas Sing Resource. These tracks should be treated as "Creative Commons" and can be used for any purpose other than for-profit companies (fundraising for non-profits/churches and/or charity is fine).

These are the accompaniment tracks for a 30-minute porch-style concert set as a part of The Center for Congregational Song and Worship Design Studio's 2020 Christmas Sing Resource. These tracks should be treated as "Creative Commons" and can be used for any purpose other than for-profit companies (fundraising for non-profits/churches and/or charity is fine).

These are the accompaniment tracks for a 30-minute porch-style concert set as a part of The Center for Congregational Song and Worship Design Studio's 2020 Christmas Sing Resource. These tracks should be treated as "Creative Commons" and can be used for any purpose other than for-profit companies (fundraising for non-profits/churches and/or charity is fine).

These are the accompaniment tracks for a 30-minute porch-style concert set as a part of The Center for Congregational Song and Worship Design Studio's 2020 Christmas Sing Resource. These tracks should be treated as "Creative Commons" and can be used for any purpose other than for-profit companies (fundraising for non-profits/churches and/or charity is fine).

These are the accompaniment tracks for a 30-minute porch-style concert set as a part of The Center for Congregational Song and Worship Design Studio's 2020 Christmas Sing Resource. These tracks should be treated as "Creative Commons" and can be used for any purpose other than for-profit companies (fundraising for non-profits/churches and/or charity is fine).

These are the accompaniment tracks for a 30-minute porch-style concert set as a part of The Center for Congregational Song and Worship Design Studio's 2020 Christmas Sing Resource. These tracks should be treated as "Creative Commons" and can be used for any purpose other than for-profit companies (fundraising for non-profits/churches and/or charity is fine).

These are the accompaniment tracks for a 30-minute porch-style concert set as a part of The Center for Congregational Song and Worship Design Studio's 2020 Christmas Sing Resource. These tracks should be treated as "Creative Commons" and can be used for any purpose other than for-profit companies (fundraising for non-profits/churches and/or charity is fine).

These are the accompaniment tracks for a 30-minute porch-style concert set as a part of The Center for Congregational Song and Worship Design Studio's 2020 Christmas Sing Resource. These tracks should be treated as "Creative Commons" and can be used for any purpose other than for-profit companies (fundraising for non-profits/churches and/or charity is fine).

These are the accompaniment tracks for a 10-minute caroling set as a part of The Center for Congregational Song and Worship Design Studio's 2020 Christmas Sing Resource.

These are the accompaniment tracks for a 10-minute caroling set as a part of The Center for Congregational Song and Worship Design Studio's 2020 Christmas Sing Resource.

These are the accompaniment tracks for a 10-minute caroling set as a part of The Center for Congregational Song and Worship Design Studio's 2020 Christmas Sing Resource.

These are the accompaniment tracks for a 10-minute caroling set as a part of The Center for Congregational Song and Worship Design Studio's 2020 Christmas Sing Resource.

This week’s episode of Worship Matters features a conversation between Dr. Diana Sanchez-Bushong, Director of Music Ministries for the Worship Team here at Discipleship Ministries, and Brian Hehn, who is the Director of The Center for Congregational Song with The Hymn Society in the United States and Canada. Diana and Brian wrestled with the crucial and complicated issue of singing in worship in this post-quarantine, COVID-19 pandemic age. Questions on every worship leader’s mind are addressed in this lively conversation. “Worship Matters” is a podcast from the worship team of Discipleship Ministries, designed to deal with the intricacies of planning worship each week. Hosted by Dr. Cynthia Wilson, Executive Director of Worship Ministries and the Director of Liturgical Ministries; Dr. Diana Sanchez-Bushong, Director of Music Ministries; and Dr. Derek Weber, Director of Preaching Ministries, this podcast explores how to plan worship using the common lectionary while creating worship experiences and series that are engaging, relevant, and adaptable for any church setting.

What does music ministry look like - sound like - right now? Whatever your answer, it's certainly different from what it would have been earlier this year. On this episode, Brian Hehn and I discuss leaning into our identities as music ministers, and why that focus is an important aspect of our work as church musicians all the time, not just right now. Brian Hehn is the Director of the Center for Congregational Song, a wing of the The Hymn Society in the United States and Canada. He has also ministered as a church musician for many years. Enjoying this podcast episode? Click here to find other Music and the Church episodes, or subscribe to the show wherever you listen to podcasts.

Christ sings His Word through our mouths, -accompanied- by grace in our hearts, in congregational singing. The Lord tells us what to sing, how to sing, and to whom to sing.

This is a special rebroadcast of our episode from November, 2018.It’s the first OYH Hymn Fest! In honor of the Feast of St. Cecilia, patroness of music, we’re celebrating some of our favorite hymn texts and hymn tunes. We’ll play a lot of music, including hymns from the English, German, Irish, and American traditions and some recently composed texts and tunes. We’ll also chat with special guests Dr. Michael McMahon (executive director of The Hymn Society), Brian Hehn (director of the Center for Congregational Song), and Dr. Tony Alonso. You’ll hear, too, from a few of our friends as they share their favorite hymns.As we mention in the episode, this is the first of several special episodes we’ll release this season. We’ll be preparing and releasing special episodes for “Songs of Mary,” “Songs of Christmas,” “Songs of Lent,” “Songs of Easter,” as well as episodes focusing on women composers and African American composers. Be sure to follow us on social media so you can share your requests with us. Who knows? You might end up on one of our episodes!So, please open your hymnals!

In this conversation with Dr. John Witvliet, director of the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship, we talk about making change in our churches in a week-by-week process, the importance of resources to validate aspects of ministry that aren't currently supported, and - the big one - how important teachability and curiosity is to leadership. About John Witvliet: John D. Witvliet is director of the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship and professor of worship, theology, & congregational and ministry studies at Calvin College and Calvin Theological Seminary. He is editor for the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship Liturgical Studies Series (Eerdmans), author of The Biblical Psalms in Christian Worship: A Brief Introduction and Guide to Resources (Eerdmans), Worship Seeking Understanding: Windows into Christian Practice (Baker Academic), and collaborating editor for several hymnals, children’s books, and scholarly books, including Worship in Medieval and Early Modern Europe: Change and Continuity in Religious Practice (University of Notre Dame Press). Enjoying this podcast episode? Click here to find other Music and the Church episodes, or subscribe to the show wherever you listen to podcasts. A Transcript of Strengthening Congregational Song with John Witvliet, on Music and the Church Ep. 43 Teachability in Church Leadership Sarah Bereza: Let's talk about the wealth of resources for church musicians out there. John Witvliet: So many different areas of study in a really robust worship conference or a robust academic conference a on church music that can inform the life of a church musician. It's the the story of a hymn that you might not sing next Sunday. People have reflected on performance practice of a favorite style of music. It's people who reflect deeply on how people receive music and how people find music to be healing and the role of music and pastoral care. And you know, how many different disciplines can strengthen the life of a church musician - it's ethnomusicology, it's also music education, music therapy, history of music, history of liturgical music, it's so many different areas of reflection. Sarah Bereza: I'm hearing this and thinking and yet so often for a church musician, there's only one area that they have very much exposure to. John Witvliet: Exactly right. Yeah. And actually for any of us, I think there can be fear and trepidation to learn from areas where we feel less strong. We feel not sure of ourselves. Sarah Bereza: It can be scary to be the newbie. John Witvliet: It is. And in perhaps it's a willingness to grow, a desire to grow, a kind of curiosity - you know, a growth mindset. It's true in every area of life, but certainly in church leadership where a desire to grow and a spirit of being teachable might be one of the top criteria. Churches would be healthier places if teachability were one of the key criteria for every single leadership position. Sarah Bereza: So we just need to end the podcast right there because there's the message. John Witvliet: Right, right. What are your church's crucial areas of growth? Sarah Bereza: You have been part of the grants program at the Calvin Institute of Worship for quite a while now. And so you've gotten a different, maybe a different kind of angle on growth and music in churches because you're looking at it from not just an academic perspective, but a grantor perspective, not just as a practitioner in the church. Can you tell us about that? John Witvliet: Sure. So it is a great joy every year to receive grant applications from teams in worshipping communities. These are collaboratively produced proposals. And they really represent the deep yearnings of a church. There's a pastoral discernment process that goes into a grant application. Essentially, we're inviting churches ask the question, "What is a an especially crucial area of growth that you feel God is calling your congregation...

It’s the first OYH Hymn Fest! In honor of the Feast of St. Cecilia, patroness of music, we’re celebrating some of our favorite hymn texts and hymn tunes. We’ll play a lot of music, including hymns from the English, German, Irish, and American traditions and some recently composed texts and tunes. We’ll also chat with special guests Dr. Michael McMahon (executive director of The Hymn Society), Brian Hehn (director of the Center for Congregational Song), and Dr. Tony Alonso. You’ll hear, too, from a few of our friends as they share their favorite hymns.

You have permission to be weird. You have permission to be creative, take risks, and make mistakes. Still unsure? Brian Hehn tells you exactly how easy, cheap, and fun it can be to introduce percussion to your choir, and the reasons why you should. Listen for some creative ways to incorporate percussion into the elements of your worship service in ways that are engaging and organic.  [Subscribe on iTunes] [Subscribe on Android]   Highlight to Tweet: “Hit a trash can with a stick. Does it sound kind of bassy? You’ve got your bass.” -Brian Hehn Show Notes: When learning a new percussion instrument, the 8 year old and the 80 year old are on equal ground. Any age can have fun with percussion. No money for instruments? Take some inspiration from “Stomp.” Check out your recyclables and trash cans for different percussive sounds! Go to Goodwill and start smacking things with a stick. Percussion can be: Body percussion Speech percussion Percussion instruments Anything that makes a fun sound when you strike it Think of ways to weave percussion creatively into your service. Add speech percussion to the scripture reading, or as a Call to a Prayer or Assurance of Pardon. Use rhythm to engage singers and get their attention at the beginning of rehearsal, and let that body percussion lead into you vocal warm ups. Percussion in the body as we sing Internalized Rhythm Body movement Bio: Brian is an inspiring song-leader equally comfortable leading an acapella singing of “It Is Well” as he is drumming and dancing to “Sizohamba Naye.” Experienced using a variety of genres and instrumentations, he has lead worship for Baptists, Roman Catholics, United Methodists, Presbyterians, and many more across the U.S. and Canada. He received his Bachelor of Music Education from Wingate University, his Master of Sacred Music from Perkins School of Theology of Southern Methodist University, and is certified in children's church music (K-12) by Choristers Guild. He has articles published on sacred music and congregational song in multiple journals and co-authored the book All Hands In: Drumming the Biblical Narrative, published by Choristers Guild. While working for The Hymn Society as the Director of The Center for Congregational Song, he is also adjunct professor of church music at both Wingate University in Wingate, North Carolina and Perkins School of Theology in Dallas, TX. Resources/links Mentioned: All Hands In: Drumming the Biblical Narrative, by Brian Hehn and Mark Burrows STOMP Choir Nation group on Facebook Email Patreon - Support the podcast! Sponsored by: Sight Reading Factory (Use promo code “NINJA” at checkout for 10 free student accounts!)     My Music Folders (Use promo code “NINJA” at checkout for “last column” or best pricing - usually reserved for bulk purchases only!)    

Four Functions of the Church Choir: Check Your Priorities, with Brian Hehn   Brian Hehn will fundamentally change the way you approach directing a church choir. In this episode we explore the four functions of a church choir and how most of us have gotten it backwards for years. It’s time to get excited about enhancing the congregation’s relationship with your choir through sometimes doing less. This one’s a game-changer!     [Subscribe on iTunes] [Subscribe on Android]   Highlight to Tweet: “If I had heard this 10 years ago, I wouldn’t have been fired from those three churches.” - @RyanMGuth   Show Notes: Church Choirs serve some very specific functions.  In order of priority:.1. The church choir leads and enlivens the congregation’s song2. The church choir sings music that the congregation cannot3. The church choir serves as a small-group within the church for faith formation4. The church choir sings beautiful and challenging music to praise God and edify the congregation When adopting these functions in that priority order, there are some very real consequences to how we function in the church.1. We cannot understand our role as the "choir director" anymore. We are that, but we're so much more.2. We cannot allow our choir members to understand their primary role as singing TO the congregation. They are singing WITH and FOR before they are singing TO.3. We cannot allow our choir to remain an isolated entity.4. We should not choose literature that the congregation can easily sing and just have the choir do it.5. We must lead, or find leaders from within the group, to spiritually nurture the ensemble.6. We must think liturgically.   Bio: Brian is an inspiring song-leader equally comfortable leading an acapella singing of “It Is Well” as he is drumming and dancing to “Sizohamba Naye.” Experienced using a variety of genres and instrumentations, he has lead worship for Baptists, Roman Catholics, United Methodists, Presbyterians, and many more across the US and Canada. He received his Bachelor of Music Education from Wingate University, his Master of Sacred Music from Perkins School of Theology, Southern Methodist University, and is certified in children’s church music (K-12) by Choristers Guild. He has articles published on sacred music and congregational song in multiple journals and co-authored the book All Hands In: Drumming the Biblical Narrative, published by Choristers Guild. While working for The Hymn Society as the Director of The Center for Congregational Song, he is also adjunct professor of church music at Wingate University in Wingate, North Carolina. Brian lives in Baltimore, Maryland, with his wife, Eve, and son, Jakob.   Resources/links Mentioned: Choir Nation group on Facebook Email Patreon - Support the podcast!   Sponsored by: Sight Reading Factory (Use promo code “NINJA” at checkout for 10 free student accounts!)     My Music Folders (Use promo code “NINJA” at checkout for “last column” or best pricing - usually reserved for bulk purchases only!)    

Brian Hehn (Director of The Center for Congregational Song at the Hymn Society in the United States and Canada) joins the guys this week for a great in-depth conversation about a lot of topics - from hymnody to musical racism. Check out the Hymn Society website at:  www.thehymnsociety.org Leave us a note on our website: www.worshiplabpodcast.com  

  With so many great new worship songs out there, there's a temptation to grab whatever is flashy and cool and throw it into your next worship set; but we must be much more intentional about the songs we choose and introduce to our congregation. We are the "Gatekeepers" of our church's "worship vocabulary". We put the words on their lips that shape their theology and view of God, so we must be very intentional. In this episode, I give 5 questions that you should ask before introducing that new song, as well as a few tips for the song curation and introduction process. Enjoy, and please share with anyone who may be helped by this episode!  ​  Direct DownloadLink to iTunes     There are many great songs. But that doesn’t automatically make them great congregational songs.  -Tweet That!  We are the gatekeepers of our churches' "worship vocabulary". We must be intentional about the songs we put on their lips.  -Tweet That!  Your church's master song list should contain a "balanced diet" of theological themes.  -Tweet That!  Before you introduce that song, ask: Is it Biblical, Is it clear, Is it singable, Is it God-centered, Is it necessary?  -Tweet That!

Dr. Randall Bradley on, "Congregational Song as Shaper of Theology"

Dr. Esther Crookshank reviews some major contributions to the songs of the church made by women at the 2014 Doxology & Theology Conference held at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, KY.

Never has the church had so many options for congregational singing than today. What does the song of the current age say theologically about the church that it represents? Is there any correlation between musical style and theology? If congregational song is sung prayer, how can we teach our congregations to sing more fully and faithfully?