A self-supporting association of, by and for musicians
serving UCC churches across the United States

Our National Biennial Conference in Boston was Outstanding!

In July, a talented crowd of 125 church musicians gathered in historic Boston, Massachusetts for UCCMA Boston 2017, the national biennial conference of the United Church of Christ Musicians Association. Hosted by the United Parish of Brookline, MA and based at Simmons College, the three-and-a-half day conference featured daily workshops followed by a music-filled worship service at a historic Boston church each evening. A trolley tour of Boston on Sunday afternoon kicked off the activities and was followed by a dinner and video greetings from the UCC’s general minister and president, the Rev. Dr. John Dorhauer. Workshops filled each day with presentations by an extraordinary faculty. UCC ministers provided support and encouragement in the evening worship services and morning prayers: Rev. Kent French, senior pastor of United Church in Brookline; Rev. Dr. J. Mary Luti, retired seminary educator and pastor; Rev. Kaji Douša, senior pastor of The Park Avenue Christian Church, New York City; and the Rev. Dr. Nancy S. Taylor, senior minister of Old South Church, Boston. The historic churches that opened their doors to our conference were United Parish of Brookline, First Church in Cambridge, Old North Church (Christ Church Episcopal) and Old South Church. The final festival worship included a personal blessing of each musician’s hands, a rite offered by Nancy Taylor that ministered to and inspired hard-working musicians as they contemplated returning home.

Susan DeSelms, minister of music at United Parish in Brookline and chair of the conference, wrote a report for her congregation that is posted on the United Parish website. It provides a nice summary of the conference and includes photos. To view that go here. Old South Church has posted photos of the closing worship service held there on Wednesday, July 12 which you can find here. Additional photos can be found in the photos album section of our Facebook page.