Sacred Music Symposium, September 12–14

The United Church of Christ Musicians Association presented its tenth national conference at Elmhurst College (a UCC four-year college) in Elmhurst, Illinois, on July 12–15, 2015. The conference provided choral concerts, an organ recital, a handbell concert, creative worship services, workshops, exhibits, and time for conversation with colleagues. There was a good representation of age groups, a balance of women and men for the conference choir, and attendees from many denominations, although most registrants serve UCC churches. This conference reached many types of musicians: the experienced choir director and/or organist, the beginner keyboardist, the handbell novice, the beginner children’s choir director, and the choir tour director. 

The conference, whose theme was “Crossroads: Connecting Music, Faith, Worship, and Community,” emphasized inspiration, collaboration, and fellowship when musicians are in community with one another, and it identified unique gifts that can be woven into a tapestry of beauty and grace. Chaired by Michele Hecht, director of music at First Congregational Church in Glen Ellyn, Illinois, the local committee comprised members who serve UCC churches in Illinois: Michael Surratt, First Church, Oak Park; Larry Dieffenbach, The Little Home Church from the Wayside, Wayne; Megan Murray, The Congregational Church, Arlington Heights; Ann Tucker, First Congregational Church of Crystal Lake; and Jim Winfield, Union Church of Hinsdale. Also on the committee were Jackie McCarthy and Sharon Wussow, both of Glen Ellyn. 

Sunday, July 12

The conference began with an informal choral reading session provided by UCCMA board members Diana Cohen (Plymouth, Massachusetts), Flora Major (Norwalk, Connecticut), Jim Larrabee (Omaha, Nebraska), and Peter Stickney (Newfield, Maine). The varied repertoire included anthems for the entire church year and works for choirs ranging from the very small to large. After dinner, the Chicago Community Chorus, directed by Keith Hampton, presented a concert. It began with classical works, but the chorus’s specialties were gospel and spiritual works. By the close of the concert, the audience was standing and joining in with their energy and joyful singing. 

The opening worship service followed with a variety of music. Particularly interesting was Fiat Lux by Jeffrey A. Haeger, associate for music ministry at First Congregational Church of Glen Ellyn. This anthem was sung by a massed choir from Congregational United Church of Christ of Arlington Heights, First Congregational Church of Crystal Lake, First Congregational Church of Glen Ellyn, the Little Home Church by the Wayside, and the Union Church of Hinsdale, all in the Chicago area. Michele Hecht directed. The sermon was “The Mantel of the Prophetic,” given by Rev. JoAnne M. Terrell, associate professor of ethics, theology, and the arts at Chicago Theological Seminary. A champagne reception made for a great ending to the day.

Monday through Wednesday, July 13–15

Each morning, Rev. H. Scott Matheney, conference chaplain and Elmhurst College’s chaplain and dean of religious life, offered short and contemplative matins. The Monday and Tuesday morning plenary sessions were given by the keynote speaker, Rev. John H. Thomas, visiting professor in church ministries at Chicago Theological Seminary. Rev. Thomas has served in several UCC congregations and was also the general minister and president of the United Church of Christ. His lectures, “Building Church Community, Our Song as Call and Celebration” and “Building Human Community, Our Song as Resistance and Imagination,” were very well received. 

Wednesday morning’s plenary session was a pastor/musician panel with Rev. Thomas, Rev. Scott Oberle, senior minister at First Congregational United Church of Christ in Downers Grove, and Jim Molina, First Congregational’s minister of music and media. This panel discussed the importance of communication between musician and minister and invited responses from the audience. This proved very enlightening and seemed too short for the topic. 

Conference choir rehearsals filled the mornings. The conference choir of over 80 people was directed by Jeffrey Hunt, director of St. Charles Singers, faculty member at Elgin Community College, and director of music at Baker Memorial United Methodist Church. Hunt’s knowledge of the voice and his conducting skills were sublime. The conference handbell choir was directed by David Weck, founder of the Agape Ringers and music editor for Hope Publishing Company. Each afternoon workshops were offered on choral conducting, early childhood music, developing the young singing voice, the mature adult voice, copyright and Internet solutions, organ masterclasses, organ maintenance, choir touring, handbell techniques, the Alexander Technique, new music, blended worship suggestions, a composer’s forum, and reading sessions. Clearly, there was something for everybody! Many of those mentioned above were conference clinicians, as were Mark Bowman, Jill Burlingame, Dean Christian, Larry Dieffenbach, Emily Ellsworth, David Hecht, Joel Raney, Robin Restrepo, David Schrader, Michael Surratt, Ann Tucker, and Jim Winfield. 

Monday evening’s concert offered contrasts at First Congregational Church of Glen Ellyn. Organist David Schrader showed his command of the instrument with de Grigny’s Veni Creator Spiritus, Franck’s Prelude, Fugue, et Variation, Alain’s Première and Deuxième Fantaisies and Litanies. The Agape Ringers, directed by David Weck, performed Sherman’s Procession of Praise, Elisabeth Judd’s arrangement of Bizet’s Gypsy Song, and Joel Raney’s arrangement of America, the Beautiful. Raney’s arrangement of William Walton’s Coronation March was played by Jane Holstein, organ, Raney at the piano, and the Agape Ringers—an unusual timbre, beautifully done. The evening concluded with a reception hosted by the church.

Tuesday evening was a time to relax. A bus trip to Chicago included an architectural boat tour of the city and/or time at Navy Pier. 

At Wednesday evening’s concert and worship service in Hammerschmidt Chapel, the Chicago Gargoyle Brass and Organ Ensemble thrilled everyone with their expertise and musicality. Selections included Prelude, Elegy, and Scherzo by Carlyle Sharpe, Earthscape by David Marlatt, and Saint-Saëns’ “Maestoso” from Symphony No. 3. Jim Winfield, former music director and organist at First Congregational Church of Western Springs and First Congregational United Church of Christ in Elmhurst, joined the ensemble and played the work arranged by Craig Garner. 

The concluding service of the conference began with beautiful hymn singing, with scores of musicians in a wonderful room singing “God is Here!” (Abbott’s Leigh) and “Rejoice, Ye Pure in Heart” (Vineyard Haven). Anthems included Raney’s “Bless the Lord, O My Soul” for choral and handbell choirs and Winfield’s Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty, a choral setting that was an adaptation of “Nimrod” from Elgar’s Enigma Variations. Rev. Matheney gave the meditation on “Serving the Lord through Music.” During Holy Communion and Blessing of Hands, Kevin McChesney’s Transformations for Handbell Choir was played. At the service’s conclusion, organist Mark Sudeith played Simon Preston’s Alleluyas. The conference ended on the campus patio with ice
cream sundaes. 

For over twenty years the United Church of Christ has had two musicians’ organizations, the United Church of Christ National Network and United Church of Christ Musicians Association (UCCMA). After serving UCC musicians for many years, offering conferences and workshops, the Network was unable to continue. All Network musicians are invited to unite as one with UCCMA. For more information: www.uccma.org.

Watch for future UCCMA regional workshops and the next national conference at the United Parish Church in Brookline (Boston), Massachusetts, July 9–12, 2017.