From The Rev. Dr. John C. Dorhauer
Dear Friends in Christ and Members of the UCCMA, I want to pause and give thanks to each and every one of you as you celebrate 30 years together. When the Psalmist compels us to ‘make a joyful noise,’ she does so, knowing how our hearts remain tuned to the divine when sacred music fills the air. So likewise, believing that worship occurs most authentically anytime we find ourselves unmistakably in the presence of God. I am mindful of how few things create that unmitigated pathway to God the way our sacred music does. I celebrate the gifts, talents, sweat, toil, and creativity you all bring to sacred moments, lifting the hearts of the gathered heavenward and allowing them a few moments to commune with the Creator. I celebrate the years of study and the hours of practice that go into every prelude, choir anthem, hymn played to perfection, or solo piece you choose for just the right moment with just the right tone and just the right spirit to enhance the work of worship. Yours is an art and a craft honed over decades of dedicated study, imagination, passion, and practice. Knowing how easy it is to take that gift for granted, I pause to celebrate every single one of you and how you enhance the mission, work, and worship of the church gathered in community. I look forward to what another 30 years of your commitment can and will bring to the body of Christ. May it please the Holy Spirit of our living God and risen Christ to bless you with a wellspring of inspiration through your continued work with another as you both lift up the glorious music of our deep traditions and imagine what new sounds and songs will inspire the faithful for generations yet to be. God be praised and thanked for 30 years of the UCCMA! With all love, sincerity, and gratitude,
The Rev. Dr. John C. Dorhauer General Minister and President United Church of Christ
| From the Rev. Dr. John C. Dorhauer Reflections on 30 Years of the UCC Musicians Association Breathing New Life – the UCCMA Endowment Fund The First Winner of the UCCMA 30th Anniversary Anthem Commission We Are All Honored Guests – An Introit Creative Anniversary Ideas for Churches Music and Dance in Worship – My Experience Cliff Notes: Looking Back While Moving Forward Tech Talk: Entry-level Video Cameras – Part 2 A Few of Our Favorite … Classic Anthems for Smaller Churches MUSIC DOWNLOADS Composed by Innocent Okechukwu By Mel Bringle By Stephen Beals CROSSES
"The ankh or key of life is an ancient Egyptian hieroglyphic symbol used in Egyptian art and writing to represent the word for "life" and, by extension, as a symbol of life itself." — Wikipedia
LOOKING BACK – 30 YRS.  The first 22 years of Worship, Music & Ministry in print. |
The Rev. Dr. John C. Dorhauer, author and theologian, currently serves as ninth General Minister and President of the United Church of Christ. Known for his leadership in social justice issues, he is the author of Beyond Resistance: The Institutional Church Meets the Postmodern World, a call to the body of Christ to accept what the Spirit of the Risen Christ is doing to birth something new, vital, and relevant in a changing world.
Worship, Music & Ministry is a publication of the United Church of Christ Musicians Association, Inc. and is issued three times a year. The journal is distributed to members of UCCMA as a benefit of membership. All correspondence concerning membership in UCCMA, changes of address and other inquiries should be addressed to the United Church of Christ Musicians Association, P.O. Box 370631, West Hartford, CT 06137. Information about the United Church of Christ Musicians Association is available at www.uccma.org. Copyright © 2023 by the United Church of Christ Musicians Association, Inc. |
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