Music Ministry Joyfully Lifts up Our Prayer and Worship in Song

A Note From Fr. Jim: This article was written in early August. Since then there have been further developments in response to the coronavirus. As you read this in September, know that we have and will continue to follow archdiocesan guidelines concerning communal singing. Keeping everyone safe and healthy is a primary concern for us. Thank you for your continued flexibility.

In mid-July, Saint Michael Parish began singing again, and no one was happier than Andrew Goldstein, Steward for Music Ministries. It was the first time in 17 months that we were able to take part in congregational singing, ever since COVID-19 silenced us in March 2020.

Andrew greatly missed being able to have our music ensembles and our congregation sing together during Mass.

“Here at Saint Michael Parish, we highly value singing, and prior to COVID, the first thing that struck me is that everybody sang,” he says. “Four years ago, when I started here, it was incredibly moving to be responsible for guiding the congregation in singing and giving them the tools to participate in worship. The strangest thing was that during COVID, especially now, I felt like something was missing. An important part of how we worship together was not there.”

In preparation for that special weekend in July, the ensembles were anticipating a very emotional, joyful, and uplifting time.

“We were ready to give the people the ‘OK’ to sing together and be in community that way,” Andrew says.

It is a rebuilding, of sorts, of the music ministry.

One of the ensembles in the middle of a rebuilding phase is our Life Teen Band, led by Erika Peterson. Many members had to step down due to the COVID restrictions, but several new members are joining the group. The ensemble plays contemporary Christian music at the 5 p.m. Sunday Masses, using guitars, drums, and appropriate instruments.

Like Andrew, Erika missed being with the band during the COVID closures. It was difficult to celebrate Mass with no one present, and she particularly missed not being able to receive Communion.

“And when we did come back, we couldn’t sing for a long time, until a couple of weeks ago,” Erika says. “When I came up to the ambo for the Psalm, I was taken back with how overwhelming it was. When I said, ‘sing with me,’ it was pretty overwhelming and I felt so sad for the past year when we couldn’t sing. I felt a real responsibility to sing for them during that time, lifting up their prayers as my own in song.”

Sharing talents and gifts is integral for the entire music ministry, and for Erika, this act of stewardship means a lot to her.

“I feel for me, my main gift is singing,” Erika says. “I feel God gave me this gift so I can communicate with Him. It’s my form of communicating with God and if I can help others in this, that is what I want to do. God gives us gifts to honor and glorify Him and draw closer to Him. I feel that’s why God gave me this gift.”

As we return to singing together again, Andrew shares how he is once again able to combine his gifts, embodied in his two worlds of study — vocal performance and music management.

“When this job opened it was a real unexpected calling,” he says. “Being part of many choirs and ensembles, with organizational experience and using music as the way to have an experience of the Divine, it’s been a real calling to use this in ministry.”

As we enter the month of September, Andrew is anticipating working with our musicians to address changes that took place during the last year and a half in the music of the Church, particularly the music for the Eucharist. There will be video and audio recordings shared with our parishioners so we can become familiar with these changes.

New members are welcome for all SMP ensembles. The skills required for singers are being able to either read or learn music well enough to be able to sing it back. Instrumentalists should have some dexterity on their instruments.

Andrew asks that potential members understand that their work is a form of prayer and that they will be both helping to lead the congregation in song while being a part of the congregation themselves.

“We’re leaders and also part of the congregation,” Andrew says. “We’re looking for people who understand it — who are talented, humble, and submit themselves to playing music and being open to what the Holy Spirit does musically.”

Those interested in joining may contact Andrew Goldstein at 360-292-7140, or Erika Peterson at 360-754-4667.

Erika Peterson

Andrew Goldstein