Events

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Mountain Vespers

invitation2This past Sunday was my first Sunday at my new church job at Faith Lutheran Church in Middletown.  It was a blast, and there was a lot of energy and excitement around trying new things and inviting new people.  So, here’s my invitation to you!  Beginning this Wednesday (Oct 1), we will be having a weekly vespers service at Faith.  This mid-week worship concept is an opportunity to try some new things in a more informal worship setting.  For the next six weeks, we will be using Kent Gustavson’s “Mountain Vespers” liturgy, which is in a bluegrass style.  (To learn a bit more about Kent’s inspiration for writing this, watch his Ted Talk.)  I have had the pleasure of playing mandolin for this liturgy dozens of times now, carrying it with me from DC to camp to Yale and now to Middletown.  It is a blast to play and sing, and I would love to share it with you!  Please consider joining us on one (or many) of the upcoming Wednesdays!  Dinner at 6pm, worship at 7pm.  All are welcome!

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New Church Job

Today I write with the exciting news that I have accepted a position as Minister of Music (organist and choir director) at Faith Lutheran Church in Middletown, CT.  Faith is the 2012 result of the merging of two Lutheran churches in Middletown, my home town.  They recently called a new pastor (who is a Lenoir-Rhyne grad!) and are now starting afresh musically as well.  I am truly looking forward to this opportunity to become more involved in the community where I live and am grateful for what promises to be an innovative and collaborative new workplace!  Please send good thoughts/prayers for courage in the face of change and openness to whatever the Spirit has in store.

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COMPOSITION PREMIER

The summer has been just as summers should be – low-key and relaxing!  I did not gig much other than singing for friends’ weddings across North America… literally – from Napa to Newfoundland.  But there was one bit of news from the summer which I’d like to share: a new composition of mine, “All Will Be Well,” will be premiered by the Luther College Collegiate Choir at Homecoming this October!  This fall marks the 10th anniversary of composition professor Brooke Joyce’s tenure at Luther, and he has invited all of his students back to celebrate.  We were all encouraged to submit pieces for the occasion, some of which will be performed at various events throughout the weekend.  This is my first compositional award of this nature, and I’m very excited to return to Decorah, IA in October (for the first time in many years!) to hear my piece and celebrate Prof. Joyce.