I'm excited to serve as Village Musician with my colleague Patti Powell from August 6 to 12. It will be a joy to collaborate with fellow leaders and learners to make a memorable week of singing in community!

Lutheran Summer Music (LSM) is the nation’s premier faith-based music academy for high school students. In addition to advanced musical instruction and numerous performance opportunities, LSM students form an intentional community, living together for four weeks on a Lutheran college campus.

Since 1981, this unique and immersive program has guided the lives of young musicians, who credit LSM as the starting place for their future careers and vocations.

I’m honored to serve as a Guest Artist this year, collaborating with LSM clergy and faculty to lead music for daily liturgies and work with students.

I'll be sojourning with the congregation for the months ahead as they search for a new musician. During this focused season of listening and reflection, we will explore ways music and liturgy can be creatively integrated within worship, share music from a variety of congregational song traditions, and reflect on singing as a spiritual practice.

Share a joyful week of worship, singing, composing, and learning in community with Conie Borchardt, Sylvia Miller-Mutia, David Poole, and Paul Vasile. Together we’ll explore the ancient and new practice of paperless (oral/aural tradition) music leadership, sharing songs as people did before music or words were written down.

• Learn leadership skills and strategies for sharing paperless songs in your community;

• Build a repertoire of songs that can be led with groups of varied ages and musical experiences;

• Worship and reflect in community, deepening into spaces of listening and mutual support;

• Compose paperless music to share with your community; – Develop your skills through small groups and one-on-one coaching;

• Connect with like-minded leaders and find resources for creative worship and liturgy;

• Explore how the energy we create through singing affects what we do in worship as a whole, as well as other parts of our human lives;

The first and last dates of the workshop are considered travel days.Check-in begins at 3:00 p.m. on Sunday with dinner at 5:30 p.m., followed by a Ghost Ranch orientation. The workshop begins Monday morning and ends Friday evening. Check-out time is 10:00 a.m. on Saturday.

The workshop will follow a general pattern of morning workshop time (9:00 a.m. to noon) with afternoons free or with optional afternoon open studio and then additional course time in the evenings (7:00–8:30 p.m.).

I’ll join The Rev. Miranda Hassett, musician Deanna Clement, and the St. Dunstan’s community for a lively weekend of singing, learning, reflection on practices that strengthen and enrich congregational singing. I’ll work with the choir, offer a Friday evening Community SING, lead a Saturday workshop, and share in worship leadership on Sunday.

Music that Makes Community is excited to be in residence at Luther College in Decorah, Iowa this winter, sharing the ancient and new practice of paperless song leadership. Conie Borchardt, Monica Onyedika, and Paul Vasile will create a space for experiential learning where participants:

• sing aural/oral tradition songs from diverse cultures, musical backgrounds, and faith expressions;

• explore leadership skills that empower you to share song in your context;

• worship and reflect together, deepening into spaces of listening and empathy;

• experience how the energy we create through singing affects our human lives, with a specific focus on its role in worship and faith formation in the Christian and other traditions.

You’re welcome to join us throughout the weekend. All events will be held at Luther College, 700 College Drive in Decorah, IA.

Share a weekend of singing, worship, and learning in community with Sylvia Miller-Mutia, David Poole, and Paul Vasile. Together we’ll explore the ancient and new practice of paperless (oral/aural tradition) music leadership, sharing songs as people did before music or words were written down.

• Learn leadership skills and strategies for sharing paperless songs in your community;

• Build a repertoire of songs that can be led with groups of varied ages and musical experiences;

• Worship and reflect in community, deepening into spaces of listening and

• Explore how the energy we create through singing affects what we do in worship as a whole, as well as other parts of our human lives.

I'm excited to spend a weekend at Southwood Lutheran Church, sharing paperless (oral/aural tradition) music and leadership practices! We'll join voices and hearts in song, sharing in worship, communal learning, and reflection on the spiritual practice of singing.

We're excited to gather at Cross Roads for our annual three-day retreat focused on congregational song leading skills! MMC presenters will lead worship, workshops, and conversation to help you add the valuable tool of paperless song leading to your community’s singing practice. Learn practical skills and diverse repertoire, and explore how paperless music can enrich and expand your congregation's repertoire of sung prayer and praise.
The three-day workshop begins at 10 am on Monday, October 14 and ends with lunch on Wednesday, October 16. Attendees will have the option at registration to check in early on Sunday, October 13. Otherwise check in begins at 9 am on Monday.