Lend your voice and join the song of Creation
Yesterday our interim Music Director Paul Vasile, together with the choir, preached a sermon that brought our focus to the breath, the words, and the voice of our God who is always speaking and often singing. It was a beautiful, art-filled, faithful sermon that helped us move into our Congregational Conversation about the future of music and the arts at West End Church with grace and hope.
To all of you who joined that conversation, thank you. Our Musician Search Team is already working to digest all the wonderful observations and hopes you brought yesterday. Personally, I can say how heartened I was by all of your responses. There is so much to our future together, and I, for one, am very excited for the deepening and expanding of our music ministry as we move forward.
Whether you were able to join or not, we’d still love to hear from you. Below are the guiding questions our facilitator, Rev. Mieke Vandersall, offered for our reflection. If one or more of these questions speaks to you, we’d love to know what’s on your mind. Please send any responses to Paul Vasile, who will collate responses for our Search Team. Of course, I welcome your reflections as well and you know my door/email/phone is always open as well.
What have you been noticing in or around this transition time for the congregation?
What kind of music connects you with the Sacred?
What kind of values do you hope the next person brings?
What artistic talents in the church are going unused or underused?
What does it mean to participate in music and arts in worship? Who leads and who receives?
Being that we are not going back, we are going forward, and all worship will be hybrid, what do you anticipate it being like when you cannot be with us physically? How do you anticipate yourself connecting?
Name a piece of art or music that moves you.
What is your prayer for music and arts at West End
It’s a long list, and maybe not every question speaks to you or maybe what most speaks to you about our future isn’t on this list. By all means, send Paul or me an email. We’d love to hear from you.
Be well, beloved. There’s a new song calling your name. Can you hear it? Will you lend your voice and join the song of Creation for this day? I certainly hope so.
Peace to you,
Pastor Will
