In the Emptiness GOD IS CHURCH of OUR LADY of CZENSTOCHOWA Coventry, Rhode Island 3 Manuals, 22 Ranks 2019
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
JOURNAl of tHe aSSOCIATIOn of lUTHERAn cHURCh mUSICIANS VOl 28, no 2 | SUMMEr 2020 CROSSACCENT in the emptiness GOD IS CHURCH OF OUR LADY OF CZENSTOCHOWA Coventry, Rhode Island 3 manuals, 22 ranks 2019 www.keggorgan.com Hartville, Ohio 330-877-8800 SPRINg ssAccENT 96 2017 CRO CROssACCENT VOl 28, no 2 | SUMMER 2020 JOURNAl of tHe aSSOCIATIOn of lUTHERAn cHURCh mUSICIANS CROssACCENT is published 2 PRELUDE three times per year by the Asso- ciation of Lutheran Church Musi- In the Emptiness, God Is—Chad Fothergill cians. Subscription is included with membership in ALCM. Libraries MEDICINE and MinistRY may subscribe at $60 per year by contacting the Business Office. 4 Deciphering the Science and Medicine of SARS-CoV-2 Copyright © 2020 Association of —Justin M. Glasgow Lutheran Church Musicians. Pandemic as Paradox—Paul Westermeyer The views expressed on the pages of the journal 7 are those of the authors and do not reflect official positions of the editorial board of the journal or of KEYwords: the Association of Lutheran Church Musicians. AssEMblY, COMMUNION, ingingS This periodical is indexed in the ATLA Religion Database®, a product of the American Theological 9 Thinking Again about Assembly in a Time of Pandemic Library Association, 300 S. Wacker Dr., Suite 2100, —Gordon W. Lathrop Chicago, IL 60606, USA. e-mail: [email protected], www.atla.com. 18 On the Loss of Communion—Robert Buckley Farlee ISSN 2151–1772 On Pandemic and Singing—Mark Bangert Editor: Chad Fothergill 25 Music Review Editor: Lara West Book Review Editor: Paul Grime CoNTEXTS: TIME, LitURGY, RitUal Copy Editor: Anne-Marie Bogdan Graphic Designer: Kathryn Hillert Brewer 31 Pandemic Myopia and Liturgical Time—Sean Daenzer Editorial Office Assembly in Exile: Worship at Mount Olive Lutheran Church, Chad Fothergill, Editor 35 243 Shades Crest Road, Birmingham, AL 35226 Minneapolis, MN—David M. Cherwien [email protected] Editorial Board 41 God’s Infinite Imagination: Worship at Trinity Lutheran Church, Kent Burreson Perkasie, PA—Jennifer L. Phelps Paul Damico-Carper Joseph Herl 50 Healing Rites for a Post-Pandemic World Jennifer Phelps —Kyle K. Schiefelbein-Guerrero Advertising Office Cheryl Dieter, Advertising Coordinator 810 Freeman St., Valparaiso, IN 46383 ENCouragEMENTS: 800.624.2526 and 219.548.2526 [email protected] WisdOM, BEAUTY, TRUth ALCM Business Office 60 Praying the Psalms during the Pandemic—Jean R. Boehler Cheryl Dieter, Business Manager Association of Lutheran Church Musicians 67 Sing to the Lord a New Song! Really? Now? 810 Freeman St., Valparaiso, IN 46383 —Anne Krentz Organ 800.624.2526 and 219.548.2526 [email protected] 71 Worship in Spirit and Truth—Julie Grindle www.ALCM.org The Association of Lutheran Church Musicians is a JusTICE and VOcatiON service and professional organization that works to strengthen the practice of worship and church mu- 74 Pandemic as Opportunity—Amanda Weber sic of all North American Lutherans. Membership is open to any person or institution whose interests 78 Still a High and Holy Calling?—Zebulon M. Highben are in harmony with the Association’s goals. Ad- dress all change of address, subscriptions, and busi- ness correspondence to the ALCM Business Office. BOOKSHELF ALCM OFFICERS 81 Titles for This Time and Place President: Kevin Barger President-Elect: Robert Hobby FEST Secretary/Treasurer: Michael Krentz 84 SOUND Directors at Large: Karen Foote, Omaldo Perez New Music Region 1 (Northeast) President: Jeremy Bankson Region 2 (Southeast) President: Tony Cruz Region 3 (Midwest) President: James Hild 92 POSTLUDE Region 4 (West) President: Tom Mueller From the ALCM Executive Director—Jim Rindelaub Cover: Mount Olive Lutheran Church, Minneapolis, MN, interior. Photo by Nancy JP Anderson. SUMMEr ssACCENT 1 2020 | CRO PRELUDE Chad Fothergill Editor, CrossAccent In the Emptiness, God Is hroughout the past months, we have and Brian Johnson—served as additional readers become fluent in a new, pandemic-gener- on the journal’s editorial board. T ated lexicon. We use gerund forms of verbs The essays that follow—a mixture of longer (-ing) to describe such essential actions as masking articles and shorter reflections by theologians, and distancing. We have come to understand the pastors, cantors, and a physician—were received difference between droplets and aerosols, and we between early May and late July. Some describe have debated semantic distinctions of labels for individual and communal responses both to the this prolonged experience, such as fasting, wilder- pandemic and to the widespread unrest following ness, and exile. Style guides for publications have the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis. Some marshaled ink and pixels to justify their preferences explore practical and theological implications for for Covid-19 and COVID-19; for live streaming and the months and seasons to come. Some give tools livestreaming; for black and Black; for BIPOC and to cope with grief and loss. In one way or another, for eschewing such labels altogether. And most of all give reason to hope. In addition, our conscien- us have probably used modal verb constructions— tious music reviewers selected both newer and older would have, could have, should have—to suggest pieces that speak to the moment, sometimes sug- possibilities and alternate outcomes. “Our choir gesting ways in which they can be rendered with would have sung a newly commissioned piece on reduced forces or through digital means. Easter Sunday.” “Perhaps our congregation could Rather than introduce all of the essays here, have invested in livestreaming capabilities earlier.” as has been the journal’s customary practice, I “This issue of CrossAccent should have been about commend our contributors’ collective knowledge composition.” and insight to you. And in place of the usual book Yes, this issue of CrossAccent was originally reviews, you will find a list of titles (beginning intended to help cantors compose, arrange, adapt, on p. 81) that address timely topics, among them and transcribe for their contexts and assem- worship in the digital age; issues of race and justice blies—weekly psalmody, descants for transposing in the church and its music; science and faith; an instruments, repertoire analyses, and more. How- affirming embrace of language and metaphor about ever, like many springtime anthem and rehearsal “darkness”; and silence. schedules, those preparations were swiftly discarded As this issue materialized, two texts remained as the pandemic’s effects began to be measured at the forefront of my thoughts. The first, a reflec- not in terms of weeks but months. In their place, tion by Susan Palo Cherwien, reminds us of God’s keywords for our vocation—church, assembly, abiding presence even as we lament upended plans, communion, singing—took on new dimensions worldly chaos, and silent sanctuaries. “In the emp- and meanings. Many of us found ourselves adrift tiness, God is,” she writes, adding: in uncharted terrain. In April, the ALCM board When the psalmist cried out from the pit, endorsed and encouraged a new plan for this issue God was already there. that would consider the pandemic’s wide-ranging When we cry out from the deep night, effects; this was undertaken in partnership with the God is already there. Institute of Liturgical Studies at Valparaiso Uni- When the silence is roaring in our minds, versity, whose co-directors—Jennifer Baker-Trinity God is there. 2 SUMMEr CRO ssACCENT | 2020 www |. alc M.ORg PRELUDE Regardless of its translation or Her characteristic Until then, we trust God’s promises to heal, musical setting, wisdom is especially apt restore, and bless all creation, and to be an ever- for our circumstances: present help in time of trouble. In silence and Mary’s song even when “we are emp- turning, in wilderness and wondering, and in all reminds us that tied of our paltry projects times and places, we pray and sing: “God is.” and goals,” when “our Birmingham, AL normalcy grandiose and prideful Mary, Mother of Our Lord accomplishments run is temporary. August 15, 2020 aground,” or when we are isolated, we cannot Note flee from the presence of God, for “God is.”1 The 1. Susan Palo Cherwien, “God Is in Silence,” in Crossings: second, a stirring and urgent paraphrase of the Mag- Meditations for Worship (St. Louis: MorningStar, 2003), nificat paired with a brisk Irish melody ELW( 723), 46. poses a timely question: “could the world be about to turn?” The stanza and refrain texts resonate with Abbreviations frequently used in this journal include: the arresting images of burning fires and food lines BWV Bach-Werke-Verzeichnis (“Bach Works Catalog”) that, for many weeks, accompanied the daily news, CW Christian Worship (1993) a reminder of the radical reorientation—societal, ELW Evangelical Lutheran Worship (2006) LBW Lutheran Book of Worship (1978) economic, ecological—and perpetual “turning” LSB Lutheran Service Book (2006) brought about by God’s promised reign of justice. TFF This Far by Faith (1999) This season of yearning and expectation has felt TLH The Lutheran Hymnal (1941) much like a protracted Advent. How long must we wait, O God? When will you rend the heavens and pour down righteousness? Come, Lord Jesus! And ALCM Covenant Society yet—just as we need silence to make sense of sound, The Covenant Society honors individuals who just as we need the gift of darkness to see glittering have included the Association of Lutheran Church stars in the firmament—perhaps this wilderness Musicians in their will or estate plans, as well as con- journey will help us perceive something new about gregations that have included ALCM in their asset our vocation or community that was previously disbursement plans. Please consider joining those who hidden by the hustle and bustle of routine. have included ALCM in this way: Regardless of its translation or musical setting, Mary’s song reminds us that normalcy is tempo- Arletta Anderson Donald and Mary Armitage rary.