Lecture thoughts from worship class...

Lisa Dahill

"The greatest value of worship, the reason people come to church at all rather than staying home with their TVs, is finally not entertainment. It’s, well, worship. The reason people come to church is to experience those moments when liturgy and music and readings and prayers and sacraments and the faces of loved ones – indeed, our own body and life and all the world and cosmos – being to shine with the glory of God who transcends and pervades all things… Such worship is not fed by unceasing novelty. Novelty keeps us tied to the bulletin or the screen to find out what’s happening now…. Worship, rather, is fed by enough familiarity that we can trust the service itself at some point to carry us and move into the real presence."

Worship thoughts from class

Paul Westermeyer in the book "Inside Out, Worship in the age of Mission"

“The ethical issue here (worship wars) is generated by an ecclesiological (the study of the church itself) reality. The being of the church under God’s sustenance frees us to treat one another with integrity. Once we get that right, we can begin to discuss music.”

“The song of the gathered church is for the baptized when they gather, hospitably open to the world, which is invited to listen and join. The scattered, however, addresses its musical activity not to the baptized but to the world.”

This is the setting of Psalm 29 I composed the first week I was at Trinity - for use on Trinity Sunday. (the bells clang at the start - that is not a part of setting!)

Blessings!
Ryan

I share a recent part of worship with you - I am on the organ playing for this congregational hymn.

Another week has flown by and I am busy this weekend preparing several papers and worship projects/outlines for Worship Class.

One of my classes, "Leading the Song of the Church" was finished this Friday and I am happy to report was wonderful and my last needed core music leadership class! The light is brighter at the end of the tunnel!

This class was a good review and I picked up some new ideas and styles and shared many of my own. Including some new Psalm ideas.

Worship this week was just awesome as we heard the words that we sing every week in the Sanctus: "Holy, Holy, Holy" and the call and response "Here, I am Lord..."

My professor treated us to a wonderful sermon, that seemed to be, for those us in here morning class, an extension of her lecture that morning on Baptism... If you would like to read it follow the link below.

http://www.trinitylutheranseminary.edu/Worship-Music/Sermons/Dahill%20Holy%20Trinity%20B%20061009.pdf

Another Summer

Greetings From Trinity,

This post is a week late, but better late than never. Things have been very busy since classes started last week.

Introduction to Christian Worship is a wonderful class that is diving deeply into the history of worship, liturgy in the context of the Means and Grace of the ELCA.

Also this week I am taking Liturgical Choir, and Leading the Church's Song - both classes working on the practicum side of worship and liturgy.

I was happy to turn in my composition Jury: A Setting of Psalm 29, Introductions for Ten Hymns, and a Hymn setting for multiple instruments (on the tune Kingsfold). I am waiting to get the results, but feel confident since we are using the Psalm in worship this week during Holy Trinity.

So long for now - Ryan