Center for Church Music

For those who help the Church sing its praises in music and the arts, our mien has a special poignancy right now.

Our answer might be: “I’m poised on the edge of a promise.”

“Poised” implies a lot—

• I’m composed, have things in balance;
• I am prepared, eager but anxious about what’s coming next;
• I live and work in anticipation and expectancy

Wow... sounds a lot like Advent! Like every year, we’re leadings songs of prophecy, longing and hope. God became incarnate for us. Jesus comes and dwells with us, even now. Messiah is coming!

But this year these dimensions also describe the larger picture of our vocation. There is no doubt that church music and liturgical art is going to be crucial in helping lift the Church and God’s people out of the darkness of these times and into the new reality of what ministry is going to look like moving forward in 2021 and beyond

“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” [Philippians 4:13]

God’s hesed, his indescribable loving-kindness, made known in a manger, is also constantly present with each of us right now, strengthening us, giving insight and showing us the way forward to the Light by his Spirit.

"O Jesus Christ, thy manger is my paradise at which my soul reclineth. For there, O Lord, doth lie the Word made flesh for us; herein thy grace forth shineth."

- Paul Gerhardt

Blessings to all! Stay safe...

Barry Bobb
Director/Center for Church Music

[* I picked up this phrase from Michael Card’s A Sacred Sorrow.]

Resource Room

• Books, magazines, recordings, the Schalk American Lutheran Hymnal Collection (541 volumes) and the ever-expanding archives of the original manuscripts of great American Lutheran composers & hymn writers.
• Liturgical Choir Music Library

Digital Initiative

• All of the volumes in the hymnal collection can be perused online at www.hymnary.org or from this website. See "Hymnal Collection Index."
• Many of the original manuscripts are accessible online at the Center’s website (including Manz, Schalk, Hillert, Pelz, Thoms, Busarow, Bouman and others...) See "Composer Manuscript Indices".

Website

• Devotions, interviews, profiles, essays, forums, ideas, an arts registry

Print publications

• Books and monographs in the Shaping American Lutheran Church Music series available through Amazon and Fortress Press

Encouragement of the next generation

• Hillert Award in Student Composition---open to any undergrad or graduate student at a Lutheran university or seminary in the United States
• Schalk Scholars
  • Creates awareness and access to current research in the areas of music and the arts
  • Provides stipends for research as well as publication and venues for presentations for these emerging scholars
  • Arts Registry
  • Contact information and samples from composers, visual artists, writers, designers, media artists.