And The Music Plays On

And the Music Plays on…

Contributors to this article in order: Ben Owen, Matthew Covert, Brenda Portman, and Jenny Cauhorn (aka our Music Ministry Team)

Our Music Ministry Team shares how they have adjusted over Matthew and the Praise Band continued to offer first-rate the last year to continue to bring the love and joy of Christ contemporary music in the 11:00 service as well as in the through music to our congregation and beyond. Each in their joint live-streamed services that were broadcast over the own words tell how they’ve adjusted and have been inspired summer. Brenda continues to offer high-quality organ and to continue to make a difference through music. piano repertoire throughout the year. The Organ Concert Series, under her leadership, has maintained its status as Ben Owen, Director of Music the finest organ series in the region. Despite the difficulties presented by the pandemic, Brenda adapted the series to One of the many challenges we have include online broadcasts and safe in-person attendance. faced as a music ministry in the time Jenny has retooled the bell ensemble into small groups and of Covid is maintaining our sense soloists to allow for safe and quality musical offerings in our of community and connection. The services. Stan and Janice Kummer delivered their gorgeous “full experience” of worship – the full newly restored harpsichord to the church and Jan Heiden choirs and ensembles, the filled pews, continues to perfect our music library system. and the weekly ritual of connecting with your siblings in Christ – cannot Perhaps best of all, we have left no service unsung throughout be fully replicated under our current this crazy year thanks to the many volunteers willing to circumstances. We can feel confident in saying this: there learn music quickly, sing solo or in quartets, and sing in will come a day when the choirs are singing together again, not-always-comfortable masks. A HUGE thank you to those the full carillon choir is ringing, and the band doesn’t have to who have sung or played in our livestreamed services as well sing with masks on. We just don’t know whether this day will as those offering support through prayer and encouragement come sooner or later. We do know, though, that the music from home! God has truly blessed us, even in times of that we will make together on that day will be among the difficulty.most powerful, meaningful, healing, and worshipful music we have made in our lives. So, don’t worry! Like Christ, we will come again in glory; maybe not to judge the living and the dead, but certainly to uplift each other and participate in Matthew Covert, Worship Leader deep worship together. In the meantime, I want to make sure In this season of change having a team you are aware of the music ministry’s adaptations during our that is “on board” is such a blessing. “extended detour.” With the pandemic Worship@11 has undergone some real changes. We, as Since the beginning of this pandemic, weekly online hymn a team, have adapted to these changes sings, two hours-long hymn marathons, and an increased sometimes on the fly and sometimes YouTube presence have been introduced through the church’s thinking well ahead. At the outset social media channels. of these changes we were blessed to participate in a blended service with Both traditional and contemporary musicians joined together our traditional service partners. We adapted our “sound,” to lead our outdoor worship, Park n’ Praise, from August to going from electric guitars and big drums to acoustic October. Brenda and I presented an organ symphony along guitars and hand percussion. The musicians who are a part with the Canterbury Brass in November. During the Advent of the Worship@11 Praise Team are the best singers and season, many were able to follow along with our online instrumentalists. They perform and play at a very high level. Christmas Carol Advent Calendar and sing carols together This allowed us to seamlessly adapt to the needs of a different safely at Ault Park. sort of service.

As things progressed we started a Worship@11 Live Stream. The music returned to a bigger, more modern sound; drums, electric guitars and keyboards. The response on line has been wonderful. None of this would have been possible without the dedication of the Worship@11 Praise Team. They have committed to the congregation of Hyde Park Community UMC. We love our congregants and can not wait to worship with you in the same room. Until then know that you are loved and in our prayers.

Brenda Portman, Resident Organist & Director of Organ Concert Series The Organ Concert Series has continued despite the pandemic. Through this time of difficulty we had to reimagine the concerts and began to offer them both in-person (following covid-19 guidelines) and virtually. Broadcasting the concerts through social media has allowed us to not only continue the series but hopefully reach a new and wider audience spreading joy beyond the walls of our church.

When the pandemic started, I had to adjust to a different routine in order to accommodate school-at-home for my 3 children and my work preparing for worship each week. I thought that being together so much would result in more frustration and arguing, but by the grace of God, it was actually pretty harmonious and we managed just fine. We even created a family newsletter that we sent to our extended family to keep connected with them, and the kids enjoyed writing articles for it. Jenny Cauhorn, Carillon Choir Director Restrictions put in place due to COVID presented some unique challenges for the handbell ministry. First, we needed more space for setup to make sure we could provide a socially distanced environment for rehearsals. Second, we had to find music that would work for smaller ensembles, with no sharing of instruments. Finally, we had to consider the varied levels of skill and experience among the ringers. A few of our members had just started learning to ring when we had to stop full rehearsals and smaller ensembles require more independent ringing which could be a challenge for less experienced musicians.

We set each ringer at their own table and provided distance between them. With the Queen City Bronze residency, we have access to two additional sets of bells so each ringer had their own bells with no need to share. I was able to adapt a full-choir arrangement to a small ensemble of bells providing accompaniment for flute and guitar, which allowed us to include our praise team leader, Matthew Covert. This was a wonderful collaboration early on when we were still offering a blended service. I also provided a couple of handbell solos to keep bells a part of worship.

Through this challenge, the participating ringers have continued to develop their skills in musicianship and handbell techniques in new ways that will help us be an even better ensemble when we are able to meet as a full choir again. Music, Once admitted to the Soul, Becomes a sort of Spirit, and Never Dies.