Gather
Check out these opportunities to connect with other creative liturgists, musicians, and artists throughout the church. And stay tuned as we develop spaces for meeting, conversing and collaborating here on The Worship Well.
Click here to share word of other opportunities to gather and spread the good news to other creative church folks.
Events
Lift Up Your Hearts is the site of the Program Committee for Worship in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada. They are planning a national worship conference called "Order and Chaos" in Montreal in 2008, which will feature Gordon Lathrop and noted church planter Karen Ward of Church of the Apostles, an innovative ELCA-Episcopal Church worshipping community in Seattle. The prospectus for the conference is here, and complete details will be posted when available at http://www.worshipconference2008.org/
The College of Preachers in Washington, DC has a variety of conferences and retreats for liturgists; their 2008 schedule includes information about which programs are already full, but many intriguing gatherings are still open.
Summer institutes on a variety of practical topics are offered by the Roman Catholic National Association of Parish Musicians; you can find their schedule and registration information here.
Groups
Associated Parishes
for Liturgy and Mission
is a network established in 1946 to promote liturgical renewal in the Episcopal
Church and the Anglican Church of Canada. APLM publishes a newsletter, Open,
several times a year (downloadable from the website). Despite the name,
individual memberships are welcome.
Episcopal Church and Visual Arts
This group works to encourage artists, individuals, congregations, and
scholars to engage the visual arts in the spiritual life of the church.
ECVA maintains a fantastic website, helps to support artists working in
congregations, and offers a host of resources for communities looking
to enhance their engagement with the visual arts.
Association of Anglican Musicians
The organization for professional musicians in Anglican congregations,
AAM is dedicated to supporting music and the allied arts. AAM hosts national
and regional conferences; offers resources to seminaries, diocesan and
national church commissions, and congregations; and publishes a monthly
journal.
National Association of Pastoral Musicians
NPM is a membership organization primarily composed of musicians, musician-liturgists,
clergy, and other leaders of prayer devoted to serving the life and mission
of the Church through fostering the art of musical liturgy in Catholic
worshiping communities in the United States of America. Much like AAM,
NPM hosts national conferences and regional trainings; certifies cantors,
organists, music directors, and other liturgy personnel; offers resources
(including scholarships) to people and organizations churchwide; and publishes
a monthly journal and other materials.
North American Academy
of Liturgy
NAAL is an ecumenical and interreligious association of liturgical scholars
who work to promote and support liturgical research, publication, and
dialogue at the scholarly level. Membership is restricted, but visitor
status may be granted in special cases; an application is necessary.
The Society for the Arts,
Religion, and Contemporary Culture
The New York-based Society convenes artists and religion scholars across
the lines of faith and discipline to explore the links between the two
fields. Areas of inquiry have included theology and poetry, religion and
visual arts, embodiment of sacred text, the divine image, theology and
music, and others.
The Leadership Program for Musicians is a cooperative effort of The Division for Congregational Ministries Worship Staff of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) and The Standing Commission on Liturgy and Music of the Episcopal Church (TEC). Focused on service in and for small congregations, they provide a two-year training program leading to the Presiding Bishop's Certificate in Church Music. This program is taught and administered by capable local clergy and musicians, and related to its local diocese or synod. The program takes into account the musician's need for liturgical education and spiritual formation, as well as musical skills. They also host a conference and training programs each summer.
The Christian Fellowship of Art Music Composers is a network devoted to "encouraging the work and witness of Christian composers of symphonic and chamber music, opera, and other concert works."