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Sarah Bereza

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Future Christian
Future ChristianProfessional Christian: Sarah Bereza on how to be fully yourself in public ministryWhat does it mean to be a professional Christian? In this episode of the Future Christian Podcast, Loren Richmond Jr. welcomes Dr. Sarah Bereza, a church musician, theologian, and author of Professional Christian: Being Fully Yourself in the Spotlight of Public Ministry. They discuss Sarah's journey from a fundamentalist Baptist upbringing to her current role as a progressive Christian and musician in mainline churches. The conversation explores the complexities of being a "professional Christian"—where your livelihood is tied to your faith—and the challenges of authenticity, power dynamics, and leadership in ministry. Sarah shares insights on navigating purity cult...
2025-01-211h 01Spiritual Life and Leadership
Spiritual Life and Leadership141. Being Fully Yourself in Leadership, with Sarah Bereza, author of Professional ChristianSarah Bereza is the author of Professional Christian: Being Fully Yourself in the Spotlight of Public Ministry and directs a music program at United Methodist Church.It can be really challenging to really be yourself when you're a pastor or ministry leader.  There is a pressure to perform and to present yourself in an ideal sort of way.  But putting on a false front can be exhausting.In this episode, Sarah Bereza unpacks how we can fully be ourselves even as we lead in ministry.THIS EPISODE'S HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDES:Sarah Bereza is...
2022-11-0839 minLeading Theologically
Leading TheologicallyThe Spotlight of Public Ministry with Sarah BerezaWhat is the spotlight of public ministry? Who is our neighbor when we're online? How can you have integrity when you have to lead worship but don't feel like it? Join us for an exploration of these questions and more including why church members put leaders on a pedestal and what it means to be authentic in ministry with Sarah Bereza. Sarah Bereza, who has served a number of congregations, holds a PhD and a Certificate the Feminist Theory from Duke University and has focused her research on American Christianity and what people think about music.
2022-04-1830 minChurch Music Makers Podcast
Church Music Makers PodcastProfessional Christian with Sarah BerezaDr. Sarah Bereza is a church musician, author and researcher. She's written an amazing book for ministers called "Professional Christian" and in this episode, Craig and Sarah discuss the book and how we as ministers can fully be ourselves in the spotlight of public ministry. To find out more about Sarah, go to sarah-bereza.com.Also, check out the Church Music Makers Patreon and sign up at patreon.com/churchmusicmakers
2022-04-0737 minWhat Fresh Insight
What Fresh InsightIntroducing Professional ChristianIntroducing Professional Christian: Being Fully Yourself in the Spotlight of Public Ministry by Sarah Bereza. Read more here.
2022-03-1711 minWhat Fresh Insight
What Fresh InsightEleven People Who Shape My LifeEleven People Who Shape My Life While "influencer" can mean a person who helps us pick out a new laundry detergent, I tend to think of influencers as the people I'm inviting to shape my life. They are the people who help me grow as a human being. In today's podcast, I'm celebrating eleven people who have formed me for years as a parent, as a professional, and as a human being who wants to imagine a better world. What they all have in common is their continual generosity in showing up and sharing their work publicly. Eleven influencers: Gretchen...
2022-03-1111 minWhat Fresh Insight
What Fresh InsightAnti-Racism and Little KidsAnti-Racism and Little Kids A read of the week: The Lady's Handbook for Her Mysterious Illness: A Memoir by Sarah Ramey A delight: Maple Espresso Tea
2022-01-1911 minWhat Fresh Insight
What Fresh InsightFive Reasons Why 2021 Was Such a Difficult YearFive Reasons 2021 Was Such a Difficult Year We lived in suspense.We couldn't craft a narrative.We were running our second marathon (or maybe it's our third at this point?).We were anxious people, in relationship with other anxious people.We couldn't trust other people to care about their neighbors. A read of the week: Greenglass House by Kate Milford. A delight: Stories of the Three Coins. Get in touch at sarah-bereza.com and on Instagram.
2021-12-2913 minWhat Fresh Insight
What Fresh InsightTwo Delightful BooksTwo delightful reads: Let's Go to the Hardware Store by Anne Rockwell (Author) and Melissa Iwai (Illustrator); and Snacking Cakes: Simple Treats for Anytime Cravings by Yossy Arefi. Get in touch at sarah-bereza.com or on Instagram.
2021-12-2204 minWhat Fresh Insight
What Fresh InsightRudolph the Red-Nosed ReindeerReconsidering Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (in conversation with music artist Michael Engelhardt), a read of the week (The Guncle by Steven Rowley), and a delight (Wholenotes). Get in touch at sarah-bereza.com or on Instagram.
2021-12-1527 minWhat Fresh Insight
What Fresh InsightWhy Insights?Three kinds of insights, a read of the week (The Grandmother Plot by Caroline B. Cooney), and a delight (Christmas on Sugarloaf Mountain by Apollo's Fire Get in touch at sarah-bereza.com or on Instagram.
2021-12-0812 minMusic and the Church with Sarah Bereza
Music and the Church with Sarah BerezaEthics and Christian MusickingMusic and the Church with Sarah Bereza is back after a summer hiatus while I finished writing and editing my book Professional Christian: Being Fully Yourself in the Spotlight of Public Ministry (coming your way Spring 2022) - glad to be back into podcasting mode!  Today's episode is an interview with my friends Nathan Myrick and Mark Porter. They have a new collection of essays out - Ethics and Christian Musicking - and we discuss why both researchers and practitioners of Christian music should consider ethical questions as they research and/or make music in Christian communities.  Sign up for my fr...
2021-08-2532 minGetting to Nimble
Getting to NimbleVaccines and VariationsGetting to Nimble is back for a check in! Bill and I talk about what this past year has meant for us and our churches. Get in touch: sarah-bereza.com/gtn-31
2021-03-1727 minMusic and the Church with Sarah Bereza
Music and the Church with Sarah BerezaNourishing Your Musical Soul Amidst Disruption and ConstraintImagine you have a beautiful garden in your backyard with amazing sunlight and soil, and plenty of room for practically whatever flowers and vegetables your heart desires. But then you move to a small apartment, and your only outdoor space is a teeny balcony with just enough room for some pots and planters. That's like our current reality as musicians: in the pandemic, we are constrained by limited in-person music making, closed church buildings, virtual choirs and so on. But amidst this disruption and constraint we're living with, we can still make music - we can still make a beautiful...
2021-02-2629 minMusic and the Church with Sarah Bereza
Music and the Church with Sarah BerezaMid-MarathonLet's take stock of where we are in the marathon of the pandemic and of the program year. Enjoying this podcast episode? Click here to find other Music and the Church with Sarah Bereza episodes, or subscribe to the show wherever you listen to podcasts.
2021-01-2911 minMusic and the Church with Sarah Bereza
Music and the Church with Sarah BerezaBuilding Christlike Church Communities through Music, on Music and the Church with Sarah Bereza, Ep. 57I am so delighted to be talking with author Andy Thomas about his new book Resounding Body: Building Christlike Church Communities through Music. So often we think that a great church music program must be heavy on financial resources, but he "encourages music leaders to step up and persevere in low-resource contexts, and challenges all those who lead music in worship to refocus on building communities, not just on producing musical results." It's a lovely conversation, and I hope you listen in. About Andy Thomas: Andy Thomas is an organist, pianist and choir director with over 25 years' experience of reinvigorating...
2020-12-0734 minMusic and the Church with Sarah Bereza
Music and the Church with Sarah BerezaA Positive Approach to Virtual Rehearsals with Dr. Adan Fernandez, on Music and the Church with Sarah Bereza Ep. 56In this episode, Dr. Adan Fernandez shares his positive approach to virtual rehearsals and performances. Dr. Adan Fernandez is the Director of Music at Holy Family Catholic Community in Glendale, CA, and is the Campus Organist at California Lutheran University. Resources Mentioned on This Episode: Spitfire Plugin Enjoying this podcast episode? Click here to find other Music and the Church episodes, or subscribe to the show wherever you listen to podcasts.
2020-11-1124 minGetting to Nimble
Getting to NimbleMaternity Leave and Covid FatigueWe're back! Bill and I share updates on our lives (new baby! co-first-grade-teacher!) and then drive into what we're all experiencing these days: Covid fatigue. Our Reads of the Week Your ‘Surge Capacity’ Is Depleted — It’s Why You Feel Awful - Tara Haelle About Getting to Nimble For 50 years between them, Pastor Bill Smutz and musician Sarah Bereza have survived and thrived in churches big and small, urban and rural, good and not so good. With generous hearts and healthy boundaries, they share practical advice for church staff about working smart, cutting out the bs, and embracing the good in minis...
2020-10-2234 minMusic and the Church with Sarah Bereza
Music and the Church with Sarah BerezaFlow: The Ancient Way to Do Contemporary Worship, Part 1Listen in for an in-depth interview with Lester Ruth, Zachary Barnes, and Adam Perez, three of the authors of Flow: The Ancient Way to Do Contemporary Worship. This is part one of two parts; next month's episode continues with Flow's four other authors: Andrew Eastes, Jonathan Ottaway, Glenn Stallsmith, and Deborah Wong. Resources We Mentioned in the Episode: Paul Baloche on YoutubeLester Ruth and Swee Hong Lim on Episode 3 of Music and the Church with Sarah Bereza More about Flow: The Ancient Way to Do Contemporary Worship Here's a fuller description of Flow: The Ancient Way to Do Contemporary Worship...
2020-09-0751 minMusic and the Church with Sarah Bereza
Music and the Church with Sarah BerezaFlaming? An Interview with Author Dr. Alisha Lola JonesListen in for an in-depth interview with Dr. Alisha Lola Jones about her new book Flaming?: The Peculiar Theopolitics of Fire and Desire in Black Male Gospel Performance. Resources: Dr. Alisha Lola JonesAlisha on Twitter, Facebook, and InstagramFlaming?: The Peculiar Theopolitics of Fire and Desire in Black Male Gospel Performance by Alisha Lola Jones (hardcover and paperback, Kindle, Nook) More about Flaming? Here's a longer description of Flaming?: The Peculiar Theopolitics of Fire and Desire in Black Male Gospel Performance by Alisha Lola Jones: Male-centered theology, a dearth of men in the pews, and an overrepresentation of queer males in...
2020-08-1038 minGetting to Nimble
Getting to NimbleImagining the New (and Why)We don't know what the future is bringing, but we can be active right now to imagine the New that we're heading toward. A note for listeners: this is our last episode for a few months while Sarah is on maternity leave. Stay nimble! Resources We Mentioned Salisbury Cathedral - "Our Purpose and Values"The Great Emergence: How Christianity Is Changing and Why - Phyllis Tickle About Getting to Nimble For 50 years between them, Pastor Bill Smutz and musician Sarah Bereza have survived and thrived in churches big and small, urban and rural, good and not so good. With generous...
2020-08-0425 minGetting to Nimble
Getting to Nimble"I'm Curious" - Planning for the Fall with Christine V. HidesHere's how we're planning for the fall - with curiosity and a focus on the big "whys" of the ministries we lead. Joining us is Christine V. Hides, Director of Christian Education at Kenilworth Union Church. Resources We Mentioned Must- Have Online Ministry ToolsFaith Formation PlaylistsIt's Flowchart Time About Getting to Nimble For 50 years between them, Pastor Bill Smutz and musician Sarah Bereza have survived and thrived in churches big and small, urban and rural, good and not so good. With generous hearts and healthy boundaries, they share practical advice for church staff about working smart, cutting out the bs, a...
2020-07-2137 minMusic and the Church with Sarah Bereza
Music and the Church with Sarah BerezaComposer Jessica FrenchOn today's episode, Jessica French shares her compositions, how her compositional process is influenced by synesthesia, as well as her work as a soprano and music educator. Find out more about Jessica French and explore her choral compositions here. Enjoying this podcast episode? Click here to find other Music and the Church episodes, or subscribe to the show wherever you listen to podcasts. Resources Mentioned on This Episode: The Noisy Paint Box: The Colors and Sounds of Kandinsky's Abstract Art - Barb Rosenstock (Author) Mary Grandpre (Illustrator)Internal monologue
2020-07-1422 minGetting to Nimble
Getting to NimbleWhere Is In-Person Worship Headed? On Getting to Nimble Ep. 27Freedom to move, to eat, to coffee. This and other ways we see in-person worship changing because of our extended time at home. (Spoiler alert: Sarah's keeping the comfy pants.) Our Reads of the Week Flow: The Ancient Way to Do Contemporary Worship - Lester Ruth About Getting to Nimble For 50 years between them, Pastor Bill Smutz and musician Sarah Bereza have survived and thrived in churches big and small, urban and rural, good and not so good. With generous hearts and healthy boundaries, they share practical advice for church staff about working smart, cutting out the bs, and embracing...
2020-07-0731 minMusic and the Church with Sarah Bereza
Music and the Church with Sarah BerezaHow I'm Planning for the FallYou know the old joke: if you want to make God laugh, tell God your plans. Be that as it may, here's how I'm planning for the fall. Not the usual hymns + anthems + a few handbell pieces, but plans nonetheless. Yes, the plans will change, but sometimes it's good to imagine the possibilities. (Plus, I have a baby due in mid-August, so I need at least a few things in place!) I hope hearing my plans will give you some ideas for the coming months.  Enjoying this podcast episode? Click here to find other Music and the Church episodes, or subscr...
2020-07-0224 minGetting to Nimble
Getting to NimbleChanging in the Midst of Change, on Getting to Nimble Ep. 26It's often easier to change while we're already in the midst of change because our old habits and systems are in flux. Bill and Sarah talk about using this changing season to think through our systems at church. Resources We Mentioned on This Episode Change Your Life When You're Changing Your Life - Happier with Gretchen Rubin About Getting to Nimble For 50 years between them, Pastor Bill Smutz and musician Sarah Bereza have survived and thrived in churches big and small, urban and rural, good and not so good. With generous hearts and healthy boundaries, they share practical advice for...
2020-06-1734 minGetting to Nimble
Getting to NimbleCurrently: Emotions, Reopening, and Anti-Racist Work in Our ChurchesA snapshot of where we are in terms of emotions and how we're planning/not-planning, then a longer conversation about starting (or hopefully, continuing) anti-racist work in our churches starting with one-on-one relationships. About Getting to Nimble For 50 years between them, Pastor Bill Smutz and musician Sarah Bereza have survived and thrived in churches big and small, urban and rural, good and not so good. With generous hearts and healthy boundaries, they share practical advice for church staff about working smart, cutting out the bs, and embracing the good in ministry. New episodes on 1st and 3rd Tuesdays. Check out...
2020-06-0238 minMusic and the Church with Sarah Bereza
Music and the Church with Sarah BerezaMusic Ministry with Brian Hehn, on Music and the Church with Sarah Bereza Ep. 50What does music ministry look like - sound like - right now? Whatever your answer, it's certainly different from what it would have been earlier this year. On this episode, Brian Hehn and I discuss leaning into our identities as music ministers, and why that focus is an important aspect of our work as church musicians all the time, not just right now. Brian Hehn is the Director of the Center for Congregational Song, a wing of the The Hymn Society in the United States and Canada. He has also ministered as a church musician for many years. Enjoying this...
2020-05-2632 minGetting to Nimble
Getting to NimbleOnline Forever?Online worship, nimbly opening (while expecting future closures), and planning in a season of flux. About Getting to Nimble For 50 years between them, Pastor Bill Smutz and musician Sarah Bereza have survived and thrived in churches big and small, urban and rural, good and not so good. With generous hearts and healthy boundaries, they share practical advice for church staff about working smart, cutting out the bs, and embracing the good in ministry. New episodes on 1st and 3rd Tuesdays. Check out all the Getting to Nimble podcast episodes here, or wherever you listen to podcasts.
2020-05-1940 minGetting to Nimble
Getting to NimbleA Neighborhood SummerLast summer, my colleagues and I at First Congregational of St. Louis developed a creative, intergenerational worship series. Then, the four of us - Hannah Rice and Emily Stokes, plus Bill and I - turned the series into a 14-week curriculum for other congregations to use. In this episode, the four of us talk about our collaborative process, surprises along the way, and the opportunities for healthy vulnerability that our summer worship gave us. On This Episode We Mentioned: A Neighborhood Summer: A 14-Week Intergenerational Worship PlanPotBangerz About Getting to Nimble For 50 years between them, Pastor Bill Smutz and musician...
2020-05-0536 minGetting to Nimble
Getting to NimbleMusic and Change, on Getting to Nimble Ep. 22Changing our musical habits is hard (and oddly enough right now, maybe both easier and harder than ever). In this episode, we talk with Paul Vasile about being open to musical change and helping others embrace the new, even when they're sure they only want what they already know. Find Paul Vasile online here. About Getting to Nimble For 50 years between them, Pastor Bill Smutz and musician Sarah Bereza have survived and thrived in churches big and small, urban and rural, good and not so good. With generous hearts and healthy boundaries, they share practical advice for church staff about...
2020-04-2140 minMusic and the Church with Sarah Bereza
Music and the Church with Sarah BerezaTaking Church Music Online, on Music and the Church with Sarah Bereza Ep. 49We're putting church music online - whether we want to or not. Fortunately, we're finding lots of grace and permission to fail as we figure out what on earth we're doing! Craig Harmann and I talk about our mindsets as we live in this new season of life as church music directors. Craig Harmann is a music director and educator based in Houston, Texas. He also produces the Church Music Makers blog and podcast. Find more about him and his resources for church musicians here. Enjoying this podcast episode? Click here to find other Music and the Church episodes, or sub...
2020-04-1420 minGetting to Nimble
Getting to NimbleClimbing Up A Covid-19 Learning CurveClimbing up a learning curve. Running down a sand dune, trying not to face plant. Throwing everything at the wall to see what sticks. Just a few metaphors for the work we're doing lately! Emily Stokes, a minister for children and families, joins us to talk about our approaches to ministry right now. Our Reads of the Week A Great Reckoning by Louise Penny. Bill says, "It was one of those books I finished and said a little silent thank you to the author." About Getting to Nimble For 50 years between them, Pastor Bill Smutz and musician Sarah Bereza have...
2020-04-0737 minChurch Music Makers Podcast
Church Music Makers PodcastA Conversation with Sarah BerezaSarah Bereza is a church musician, blogger, podcaster, mom, doctor, author, and so much more! She's a huge resource to the church, and you can find out more at her website, https://sarah-bereza.com/. Enjoy the conversation and hopefully it brings you some encouragement!
2020-03-2729 minGetting to Nimble
Getting to NimbleCOVID19 and the ChurchWhat a strange time we are in, especially as church leaders. Bill and Sarah share what they are currently doing to respond to COVID19, especially in terms of pastoral care and spiritual connection in a time of physical distance. We can still "worship in spirit and in truth" whether or not we are in-person. Resources We Mentioned in the Episode We Are the Church About Getting to Nimble For 50 years between them, Pastor Bill Smutz and musician Sarah Bereza have survived and thrived in churches big and small, urban and rural, good and not so good. With generous hearts and...
2020-03-1735 minMusic and the Church with Sarah Bereza
Music and the Church with Sarah BerezaBringing People Together with Sacred Music – An Interview with Deus Ex Musica’s Founder Delvyn Case, on Music and the Church Ep. 48Delvyn Case is bringing people together by creating conversations around sacred music. And he's creating these conversations not just with other musicians, but with folks who haven't trained to talk about music by coupling live musical performances with guided dialogue. Today, we talk about the values around Scripture and community that motivated his founding of Deus Ex Musica, plus the events that Deus Ex Musica is producing to support the connection between sacred music and faith formation. Enjoying this podcast episode? Click here to find other Music and the Church episodes, or subscribe to the show wherever you listen to pod...
2020-03-1037 minGetting to Nimble
Getting to NimbleAdvanced Degrees for Church StaffWhat are the advantages (and disadvantages) to getting an advanced degree when you're in church ministry? Bill and Sarah talk master's degrees, doctorates, certificates. Our Reads of the Week If you purchase through some of the following links, we may earn an affiliate commission. Thank you for supporting the work we do!  How Not to Diet: The Groundbreaking Science of Healthy, Permanent Weight Loss - Michael Greger About Getting to Nimble For 50 years between them, Pastor Bill Smutz and musician Sarah Bereza have survived and thrived in churches big and small, urban and rural, good and not so good. With g...
2020-03-0335 minMusic and the Church with Sarah Bereza
Music and the Church with Sarah BerezaChoral Music by Women Composers with Sarah MacDonald and David SchaapWant to program more music by women composers? Selah Publishing has just released a fantastic new choral series edited by Sarah MacDonald, and all the composers are women: Sarah Cattley, Elizabeth Coxhead, Eleanor Daley, Elizabeth Kimble, Stephanie Martin, Ceclie McDowall, Annabell Rooney, and Sarah MacDonald. In this conversation with Sarah MacDonald and Selah's founder and president David Schaap, we talk about the origins of this choral series, the breadth of music it already covers, and plans for future publications. Resources Sarah MacDonald Choral Series by Selah PublishingA video introduction to the Sarah MacDonald Choral Series"Silent in the Churches" An...
2020-02-2430 minGetting to Nimble
Getting to NimbleWhen to Worship Together?Why do we worship corporately on Sunday mornings? When would we worship if we removed the "but we've always..." from our thinking? Our Reads of the Week If you purchase through some of the following links, we may earn an affiliate commission. Thank you for supporting the work we do!  Indistractable: How to Control Your Attention and Choose Your Life - Nir Eyal About Getting to Nimble For 50 years between them, Pastor Bill Smutz and musician Sarah Bereza have survived and thrived in churches big and small, urban and rural, good and not so good. With generous hearts and healthy b...
2020-02-1830 minGetting to Nimble
Getting to NimbleInfinite GamesWe church leaders have a lot to learn from game theory - and especially, how we should think of churches as part of an "infinite game" rather than a "finite game." Drawing on Simon Sinek's new book The Infinite Game, Bill and Sarah share how infinite games provide a conceptual grounding for leading churches in the 21st century. Our Reads of the Week If you purchase through some of the following links, we may earn an affiliate commission. Thank you for supporting the work we do!  The Infinite Game - Simon Sinek About Getting to Nimble For 50 years between them, P...
2020-02-0433 minGetting to Nimble
Getting to NimbleWhy Nimble?What is "nimbleness" and why should we value it as church leaders? Our Reads of the Week If you purchase through some of the following links, we may earn an affiliate commission. Thank you for supporting the work we do!  The Lord of the Rings - J. R. R. TolkeinVarieties of Gifts: Multiplicity and the Well-Lived Pastoral Life - Cynthia G. Lindner About Getting to Nimble For 50 years between them, Pastor Bill Smutz and musician Sarah Bereza have survived and thrived in churches big and small, urban and rural, good and not so good. With generous hearts and healthy boundaries, t...
2020-01-2121 minMusic and the Church with Sarah Bereza
Music and the Church with Sarah BerezaOur Top Five HymnalsWhat are your favorite hymnals? Crawford Wiley and I talk about our top five favorites. Since none are hymnals that our congregations sing from, we use them in our service planning and sometimes devotionally. Enjoying this podcast episode? Click here to find other Music and the Church episodes, or subscribe to the show wherever you listen to podcasts. Resources Mentioned on This Episode: The United Methodist HymnalHymnal 1982Common PraiseEvangelical Lutheran WorshipGlory to God: The Presbyterian Hymnal Transcript of Our Favorite Hymnals on Music and the Church with Sarah Bereza Ep. 46 Favorite Hymnal 1: Common Praise Sarah Bereza: Crawford, why don't you sta...
2020-01-1329 minMusic and the Church with Sarah Bereza
Music and the Church with Sarah BerezaSinging, Hospitality and the Sacred Stranger, with Helen PhelanHow can singing foster our relationships with strangers? And how can singing not just foster relationships, but be a powerful means of hospitality? Dr. Helen Phelan draws on her ethnographic work with a Congolese-Irish choir to show the potential of "sonic hospitality" through singing together. About Dr. Helen Phelan Helen Phelan is Professor of Arts Practice at the Irish World Academy of Music and Dance, University of Limerick, Ireland. She is an Irish Research Council recipient for her work on singing, ritual and new migrant communities in Ireland. Her most recent book, Singing the Rite to Belong: Music, Ritual and...
2019-12-1042 minGetting to Nimble
Getting to NimbleHospitality (Plus an Announcement!)'Tis the season for hospitality! Bill and Sarah talk about open houses, small groups, alcohol, and what it means to focus on the church's social cohesion (not on our personal friendships). Plus an announcement! We are changing our podcast's name from "Called" to "Getting to Nimble." This change should show up in your podcast feed in December. This is our last episode of 2019 - looking forward to a new year of "getting to nimble"! Our Reads of the Week She Said - Jodi Kantor and Megan Twohey Note: If you buy something through this link, I may earn an affiliate...
2019-12-0329 minGetting to Nimble
Getting to NimbleSocial Media for Church StaffSocial media can be tricky for those of us who minister in churches. Bill and I share four perspectives to help us make wise use of this tool: Ask yourself, "Who is my neighbor?" given the endless, often anonymous nature of social mediaUse social media as a pastoral tool, a way to minister to your congregation outside of church servicesConsider how (and if) you want to share about yourself and your family on social media - there are no one-size-fits-all strategies here!Remember how powerful loose connections can be (see our reads below!) Our Reads of the Week "Why You...
2019-11-1929 minMusic and the Church with Sarah Bereza
Music and the Church with Sarah BerezaThe Language of God with Jean KidulaWhat language does God speak, and how can the metaphor of language help us better understand our relationship to God? Dr. Jean Kidula, Professor of Music at the University of Georgia, shows how thinking about dialect expands our ways of thinking about the music we use to worship God. Enjoying this podcast episode? Click here to find other Music and the Church with Sarah Bereza episodes, or subscribe to the show wherever you listen to podcasts. Resources Mentioned on This Episode: Music in Kenyan Christianity: Logooli Religious Song by Jean Kidula Transcript of The Language of God with Jean Kidula, on...
2019-11-1137 minGetting to Nimble
Getting to NimbleAnnual Reviews, on Called Ep. 13Here's how to lead a productive, generous annual review process - and why you should. Annual Review Discussion Questions The following questions can be adapted to suit your church's needs. What has been your greatest contribution to the mission of [Church Name] in the past year? At what moment in the past year did you feel most engaged in service to God and the mission of the church?Describe a problem you encountered in the past year dealing with a member of the congregation or a coworker and how you resolved it. Did you feel supported by your supervisor and...
2019-11-0536 minMusic and the Church with Sarah Bereza
Music and the Church with Sarah BerezaStrengthening Congregational Song with John WitvlietIn this conversation with Dr. John Witvliet, director of the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship, we talk about making change in our churches in a week-by-week process, the importance of resources to validate aspects of ministry that aren't currently supported, and - the big one - how important teachability and curiosity is to leadership. About John Witvliet: John D. Witvliet is director of the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship and professor of worship, theology, & congregational and ministry studies at Calvin College and Calvin Theological Seminary. He is editor for the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship Liturgical Studies Series (Eerdmans), author...
2019-10-2222 minGetting to Nimble
Getting to NimbleFamily at ChurchHow do our families connect with our church ministries? And how can we alleviate some of the pressure on our "preacher's kid" families? As a pastor and a musician, Bill and I have encountered very different expectations and experiences. Our Read of the Week "It Was a Tough Week" - Lydia Sohn About Called - At the Intersection of Life and Ministry For 50 years between them, Pastor Bill Smutz and musician Sarah Bereza have survived and thrived in churches big and small, urban and rural, good and not so good. With generous hearts and healthy boundaries, they share practical advice...
2019-10-1529 minGetting to Nimble
Getting to NimbleFlow and Movement in ServicesWant to avoid dead air and awkward pauses in worship services? Planning for flow can help. Bill and I share how we plan for a smooth flow in worship services, plus the small steps we take that make a big difference. Our Reads of the Week Bless This Mess: A Modern Guide to Faith and Parenting in a Chaotic World - Rev. Molly Baskette and Ellen O'Donnell, PhDHow to Lead When You don't Know Where You're Going: Leading in a Liminal Season - Susan BeaumontWhen Moses Meets Aaron: Staffing and Supervision in Large Congregations - Gil Rendle and Susan Beaumont ...
2019-10-0131 minGetting to Nimble
Getting to NimbleDeath, Funerals, and How to Pre-planPre-planning funerals give you a chance to talk (and live) the Gospel. Here's how to help church members pre-plan, plus a bunch of advice on funerals and burial in general. Our Reads of the Week Raising a Screen-Smart Kid: Embrace the Good and Avoid the Bad in the Digital Age - Julianna Miner Verlyn Flieger About Called - At the Intersection of Life and Ministry For 50 years between them, Pastor Bill Smutz and musician Sarah Bereza have survived and thrived in churches big and small, urban and rural, good and not so good. With generous hearts and healthy boundaries, they...
2019-09-1735 minMusic and the Church with Sarah Bereza
Music and the Church with Sarah BerezaOld Hispanic Chant, with Emma HornbyLearn about: the Old Hispanic Chant, methods for analyzing music we can't hear, and what we can learn from medieval processions. Here's the Big Why: "I think these artifacts that we have - these musical and liturgical artifacts - are as valuable as a Gothic cathedral. And in a way even more valuable, because a Gothic cathedral is a space in which something precious happens. But we have the evidence of the Something Precious. And if we take that seriously, and we look at it, there's a huge amount for us to learn about how to approach God in different...
2019-09-0930 minGetting to Nimble
Getting to NimbleGreat Church Meetings (Yes, They're Possible!)How can you lead a great committee or staff meeting? And how can you influence a meeting for the good when you're not running it? Bill and I talk about purpose, organization, and most importantly, energy - with a side of fried chicken and social connection. (Plus the important question: should you forward this episode to your head of staff?) Remember, you can scroll down for a transcript if that's your style. About Called - At the Intersection of Life and Ministry For 50 years between them, Pastor Bill Smutz and musician Sarah Bereza have survived and thrived in churches big...
2019-09-0329 minMusic and the Church with Sarah Bereza
Music and the Church with Sarah BerezaMusic and Faith in a Post-Secular Age with Jonathan ArnoldMusic and faith, music and belief - what's the difference, and how can music illuminate our lived experiences of faith? This is the first of five episodes featuring conversations I recorded this summer with the plenary speakers of the Christian Congregational Music Conference. It was a joy to talk with them, and I'm so glad I get to share these conversations with you! (Scroll down if you'd like to read the transcript of this episode.) About Jonathan Arnold: Rev. Dr. Jonathan Arnold is the Dean of Divinity at Magdalen College, Oxford. Before ordination, he was a professional vocalist, including with...
2019-08-3032 minGetting to Nimble
Getting to NimbleThe One Thing You REALLY Need in Ministry (That You Didn't Learn in School)Spoiler alert: it's flexibility! Why you need it, how to develop it, and how to encourage your congregation toward it - plus an ear toward the Holy Spirit's leading. Click on the player to listen to the conversation, or scroll down to read the transcript. Our Reads of the Week If you purchase through some of the following links, we may earn an affiliate commission. Thank you for supporting Called! Gossip - Rocky Supinger The Color of Life: A Journey Toward Love and Racial Justice - Cara Meredith About Called - At the Intersection of Life and Ministry For 50 years...
2019-08-2024 minGetting to Nimble
Getting to NimblePatriotic Holidays and Church ServicesWhat should we DO with patriotic holidays in the church? Celebrate them? Mention the occasion in a pastoral prayer? Run for the hills? Bill and I talk about the challenges of patriotic holidays and offer healthy ways to approach them. Transcript of our conversation below! Our Read of the Week Preaching in the Purple Zone: Ministry in the Red-Blue Divide by Rev. Dr. Leah Schade (And here's the book's website) About Called - At the Intersection of Life and Ministry For 50 years between them, Pastor Bill Smutz and musician Sarah Bereza have survived and thrived in churches big and small...
2019-08-0638 minMusic and the Church with Sarah Bereza
Music and the Church with Sarah BerezaHymns: In Hymnals? On Screens? (Paperless?!)Hymnals and screens often get a knee-jerk response. Supposedly, either hymnals are for old fogeys or people staying true to the faith. And either screens are for people who hate hymns or people who want to use current tools in the church. But if we get past the surface arguments, we can explore what the pros and cons really are for our congregational singing mediums: hymnals, screen, paperless music, and printed supplements like orders of worship. On this episode, Crawford Wiley joins me for a thoughtful conversation about our options. Image via.
2019-07-2242 minGetting to Nimble
Getting to NimbleSummertime - The Upsides and the DownsidesIt's hot outside, and the church has left the building. How can we learn from the downsides of summer, and lean into the positives? Bill and I share how we make summer a productive season of the church year, starting with the big one: enjoy the breathing room. Our Reads of the Week, Plus Resources We Mentioned The Four TendenciesBecoming a Pastor: Forming Self and Soul for Ministry - Jaco J. HammanSplintered Light: Logos and Language in Tolkein’s World - Verlyn Flieger About Called - At the Intersection of Life and Ministry For 50 years between them, Pastor Bill Smutz an...
2019-07-1630 minGetting to Nimble
Getting to NimbleOpen to Change? Cultivating a Personal Openness to Change (And Why You Should)Change is one of the great constants of the world - right up there with death, taxes, and the love of God. But even though it's inevitable, we're often reluctant to change, and get anxious when change happens. On this episode, Bill and I share strategies for how we've cultivated our own openness to change and why we think that openness is vital to ministry. Our Reads of the Week (And Other Resources We Mention in the Episode) A Brightness Long Ago by Guy Gavriel KayStatus, Ambition and the Way of Jesus by Craig C. Hill "The Regular Kind" (on...
2019-07-0235 minGetting to Nimble
Getting to Nimble6 Strategies for Settling in at a New ChurchWhere should you start when you move to a new ministry? Here are six strategies to help you settle in: People are #1.Get to know the landscape. Literally.Find out what's normative.Seek out the sacred cows.Figure out what to do now - and what to postpone.Give yourself some grace. Our Reads of the Week Educated by Tara Westover"Five Pitfalls to Avoid When Evaluating the Senior Minister" by Susan Beaumont About Called - At the Intersection of Life and Ministry For 50 years between them, Pastor Bill Smutz and musician Sarah Bereza have survived and thrived in churches...
2019-06-1829 minMusic and the Church with Sarah Bereza
Music and the Church with Sarah Bereza7 Church Leaders on What They Wish People KnewWe work harder than you think, calling doesn't always look conventional, and other things your church leaders wish you knew. Throughout the past year of interviews, I asked people extra questions and this one drew the most passionate response by far: "What do you wish people knew about your job?" On this Music and the Church episode, Darrell St. Romain, Deanna Witkowski, Pr. Lisa Heffernan, Anita Smallin, J. J. Wright, Chelsea Chen, and Anny Stevens-Gleason share what they wish people knew about their ministries in the church. Here are the previous episodes that featured today's guests: Chelsea Chen on Artist...
2019-06-1127 minGetting to Nimble
Getting to NimbleHandling Weekend Conflicts as a Church Staff MemberWeekends can be really tricky for church workers. They're busy for us, but often, that's when our families and friends have time to spend together. Bill and I share how we've navigated the challenges—and opportunities—of working on the weekends. Our Reads of the Week I Miss You When I Blink by Mary Laura Philpott"Desire" by Rocky Supinger About Called - At the Intersection of Life and Ministry For 50 years between them, Pastor Bill Smutz and musician Sarah Bereza have survived and thrived in churches big and small, urban and rural, good and not so good. With generous hear...
2019-06-0438 minGetting to Nimble
Getting to NimbleWrapping Up the Program YearIt's that time of the year! On this episode of the Called podcast, Bill and I talk all things wrapping up the program year. Celebrating the good things, learning from what didn't work so well, and thinking about where to go next. (Plus the important question, "When should the next program year begin?") Our Reads of the Week The Art of Gathering: How We Meet and Why It Matters by Priya ParkerLamentation by C. J. Samsom Resources We Mentioned 20 Anthems By Women Composers that My Church Choir Sang This Season About Called - At the Intersection of Life and Ministry ...
2019-05-2119 minMusic and the Church with Sarah Bereza
Music and the Church with Sarah BerezaA Peculiar Orthodoxy — Thinking about Music with Theologian Jeremy Begbie“The great thing about a chord - you’re already dealing with something people enjoy. You’re not telling people God is a problem to be solved - you’re saying that the Trinity is a reality to be enjoyed.” - Jeremy Begbie I knew our conversation would be theologically rich—Dr. Jeremy Begbie IS a theologian, after all—but I didn't realize we would get into what is at stake in how we understand God. If God isn't something to be solved—in fact, not a problem at all—how different our love for God can be. On this month's episode of...
2019-05-1432 minGetting to Nimble
Getting to NimbleWhat Does "Calling" Mean?What does "calling" mean? In the inaugural episode of Called - At the Intersection of Life and Ministry, Pastor Bill Smutz and I talk about what calling can mean in all areas of our lives. The call to ministry is an important one, but it’s not the only one. Our Reads of the Week Is Your Wellness Practice Just a Diet in Disguise? by Melissa Fabello About Called - At the Intersection of Life and Ministry For 50 years between them, Pastor Bill Smutz and musician Sarah Bereza have survived and thrived in churches big and small, urban and rural, go...
2019-05-0721 minGetting to Nimble
Getting to NimbleAnnouncing the Called Podcast!Y'all, I am so excited to announce this new podcast! My colleague Bill Smutz and I have been working on a ministry related podcast since the winter and now it's ready for the world! Here's what the show is: practical advice for church workers, based on our experiences of over 50 (!) years. We're talking about wrapping up the program year, helping church members pre-plan their funeral services, taking care of old buildings, maintaining healthy boundaries.... Basically, if it relates to our lives as church staff, then it's fair game. Who we are: a church musician and a Presbyterian pastor. I've ministered...
2019-04-2301 minMusic and the Church with Sarah Bereza
Music and the Church with Sarah BerezaJ. J. Wright, Director of the University of Notre Dame Folk ChoirThis month's episode of Music and the Church features a conversation with Dr. J. J. Wright. J. J. directs the University of Notre Dame Folk Choir, one of America’s most influential Catholic music ensembles. He is a Grammy Award winning jazz musician, composer of O Emmanuel, an album which debuted at the top of the Billboard Classical Charts, and he’s also a scholar of sacred music. Enjoying this podcast episode? Click here to find other Music and the Church episodes, or subscribe to the show wherever you listen to podcasts. In our conversation, J. J. and I talk abou...
2019-04-0932 minMusic and the Church with Sarah Bereza
Music and the Church with Sarah BerezaThe Devil's Music, an Interview with Author Randall J. StephensHow did American Christians go from hating rock 'n' roll to embracing contemporary worship music? One reason is Pentecostalism's influence. On Music and the Church, we've explored how important Pentecostalism was in making the change, and how influential it continues to be on contemporary worship. (Check out this episode if you're curious.) But Pentecostalism also had a huge influence on the development of rock 'n' roll itself, especially through the music of Little Richard, Elvis Presley, and James Brown - all musicians who worshipped in the Pentecostal tradition growing up. On this episode, learn more about the connection between rock...
2019-03-1225 minMusic and the Church with Sarah Bereza
Music and the Church with Sarah BerezaWelcoming People with Disabilities in Church Music Ministry, with Pastor Lisa HeffernanWe believe that people all people are made in the image of God. Full stop. So, when we are talking about how to make our churches more inclusive, we aren’t talking about welcoming people even though they have disabilities (or even though they are children, as we talked about in last month's episode). The goal is making our programs better reflect our theology. The goal is living out our beliefs about what it means to be human, and what it means to love and serve God in community with our siblings in Christ.  About Pr. Lisa Heffernan Pastor Lisa Hef...
2019-02-1925 minMusic and the Church with Sarah Bereza
Music and the Church with Sarah Bereza"A Noisy Church Is a Living Church" with Anita SmallinChildren and the church. Children in the church.  It's complicated, especially with music in the mix. Join Anita Smallin and me as we discuss how to welcome our littlest sisters and brothers in worship services. About Anita Smallin Anita is the Youth and Family Ministry Director at Trinity Lutheran Church (ELCA) in Bethesda, Maryland. She holds a master's degree in Children, Youth, and Family Ministry from Luther Seminary. She is part of the ELCA Disability Ministry Team. Music and the Church Update A quick update on Music and the Church: I'm moving the podcast to a monthly schedule. Last year I released 27 e...
2019-01-2239 minMusic and the Church with Sarah Bereza
Music and the Church with Sarah BerezaMaking Congregational Music Local in Christian Communities Worldwide -- Interview with the EditorsJoin Monique M. Ingalls, Muriel Swijghuisen Reigersberg, and Zoe C. Sherinian in a conversation about their new edited collection: Making Congregational Music Local in Christian Communities Worldwide. Here's more information about the editors: Monique M. Ingalls, Muriel Swijghuisen Reigersberg, and Zoe C. Sherinian.More information on Making Congregational Music Local in Christian Communities Worldwide. Enjoying this podcast episode? Click here to find other Music and the Church episodes, or subscribe to the show wherever you listen to podcasts. Share This Podcast If you enjoy this podcast, please consider sharing it with your friends—it's the best way for them to fi...
2018-11-1441 minMusic and the Church with Sarah Bereza
Music and the Church with Sarah BerezaCreating and Curating Choral Music with Composer and Cecilia's List Founder Kathryn RoseComposer Kathryn Rose began Cecilia's List to help music directors find sacred choral music written by women. Her site links directors to music grouped by Season and by Lectionary readings. Kathryn Rose hails from Canada, and is now based in London and studying for a PhD in composition at the University of Aberdeen. We talk about Cecilia’s List and how musicians can more intentionally program music written by women. We also discuss Kathryn’s music and why she uses creative commons licensing for her music. Finally, we talk about Evensong and West Gallery Music, a style popular in the 1700s an...
2018-11-0732 minMusic and the Church with Sarah Bereza
Music and the Church with Sarah BerezaCongregational Singing with Jazz Musician Deanna WitkowskiJazz composer and pianist Deanna Witkowski shows how hymn arrangements can enrich our interactions with familiar texts. And she discusses how we can better welcome guest musicians into our congregations. Deanna Witkowski has a wide range of musical experience, including as a church musician and as a guest artist in churches. Many of her compositions are sacred works, including a song my choir often sings as an introit—"We Walk in Love." In 2017, her hymn "We Belong to God" won the Annual Hymn Search of The Hymn Society in the U.S. and Canada.  Among Deanna's many accolades, she has won...
2018-10-3129 minMusic and the Church with Sarah Bereza
Music and the Church with Sarah BerezaJust a Job? Job Versus Ministry When You Work for a Church But Aren't OrdainedWhat's the difference between ministry and a job when your income comes from a church but you're not a pastor? What is your vocation and calling? In this week's podcast episode, church musician Crawford Wiley and I discuss how our personal identities align with our ministry in the church. Neither of us is a pastor, but we both feel a deep sense of fulfillment in our ministries through the churches we work for. We also care about having healthy boundaries so that we don't burn out. What does church ministry mean to you? And is "job versus ministry" a fair...
2018-10-2435 minMusic and the Church with Sarah Bereza
Music and the Church with Sarah BerezaCongregational Singing at Mass, with Darrell St. RomainCatholics can sing! Here's how one music director leads congregational singing at Mass in bilingual and multi-ethnic parishes. Darrell St. Romain is the Director of Music at Mary Immaculate Catholic Church in Farmers Branch, TX. With his background ranging from rural Louisiana to the Cathedral of Dallas (where he worked while studying for his Master's Degree of Sacred Music at Southern Methodist University), he has a keen understanding of leading music programs in bilingual and multi-ethnic parishes. In our conversation we discuss: Congregational participation that doesn't necessarily entail congregational singing (something I discussed with Mary Catherine Levri in an earlier...
2018-10-1741 minMusic and the Church with Sarah Bereza
Music and the Church with Sarah BerezaHow to Get Youth Invested in Music Ministry, with Anny Stevens-GleasonWant to get kids to church VERY early on Sunday mornings? Here's how one music leader uses bands to get youth invested in music ministry. Anny Stevens-Gleason knows something about getting kids to church. She’s the Minister for Liturgy and Incorporation at the Episcopal Church of the Redeemer (Cincinnati, Ohio). She directs three bands that cover the contemporary service at the church—one for 5th through 8th graders, one for high schoolers, and one for adults. For the musicians, that means rehearsing on Saturday afternoons, showing up early on Sunday mornings, practicing the music at home, and maybe studying it i...
2018-10-0339 minMusic and the Church with Sarah Bereza
Music and the Church with Sarah BerezaRespecting the Communities You Lead, with Stephen SieckWe might be the experts in the room, and our expertise is valuable, but so are experiences of the people we lead. Teaching with Respect: Inclusive Pedagogy for Choral Directors by Stephen Sieck has a message for all of us in leadership positions. We who are leaders need to respect the experiences of the people we lead.  Dr. Stephen Sieck is Associate Professor of Music and Co-Director of Choral Studies at Lawrence University. He has also ministered in church choirs and is an accomplished vocalist. In our conversation, we talk about respect and vulnerability in choir rehearsals, and we discuss how...
2018-09-2643 minMusic and the Church with Sarah Bereza
Music and the Church with Sarah BerezaArtist Residencies and Concert Series in the Church, with Chelsea ChenWhat are artists-in-residence and how can they benefit churches and musicians? Learn from concert organist Chelsea Chen about artist residencies and visioning for concert series. Chelsea Chen has held Artist-in-Residence positions at Emmanuel Presbyterian Church in Manhattan and Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church in Fr. Lauderdale, FL). She draws on her experiences there as well as in her career as a composer, concert artist, and church musician as she shares how churches can support the arts through their staffing and in the concerts they sponsor. We also discuss using organ in blended church services, and the music she has planned for h...
2018-09-1935 minMusic and the Church with Sarah Bereza
Music and the Church with Sarah BerezaCongregational Participation at Mass, with Mary Catherine LevriChurch services can be incredibly distracting places, especially for leaders—you’re in the choir, you’re reading the scriptures, you're leading prayers, you’re preaching the sermon. What does it mean for us participate with our hearts—not just our lips!—when we’re busy with mundane things like adjusting a microphone or remembering a last minute announcement?  Dr. Mary Catherine Levri, Music Director at the Atheneum of Ohio, brings wisdom to this topic and draws us to a heart of worship. Mary Catherine speaks from her personal faith and comes to this topic from her background in music and theology, in...
2018-09-1237 minMusic and the Church with Sarah Bereza
Music and the Church with Sarah BerezaGlobal Song and the Universal Church, with Marissa Glynias MooreIf you’re in a majority-white American church, singing global songs like “Siyahamba” brings up questions like — “Is singing this cultural appropriation or ethnotourism?” and "What is the relationship between global song and the universal Church?" In her research with music directors and church members in mainline Protestant churches, ethnomusicologist Dr. Marissa Glynias Moore, a Lecturer at Yale University, finds that by singing global songs, directors intend to express their beliefs about hospitality and what the universal Church is. For them, “the point of singing” global song “is to sing this music so much that it stops feeling Other.” Resources We Mentioned "Reamo l...
2018-09-0534 minMusic and the Church with Sarah Bereza
Music and the Church with Sarah BerezaDesign Your Summer in Church Music MinistryHow do you design your summer in church ministry? One of my favorite thinkers, Gretchen Rubin, talks about "designing your summer." It's a way of intentionally making the season distinct and special. In this episode, Crawford and I talk about what we do that's different in the summer—from the mundane "file all the choir music we haven't for several months" to the wonderful leisure to play repertoire we wouldn't normally have time for. Reset: put things away, take a vacation etc.Take Stock: what's working in your program? what could be improved or changed?Plan: nothing like a quiet su...
2018-05-3018 minMusic and the Church with Sarah Bereza
Music and the Church with Sarah BerezaHow To Get a Church Music JobYou're an organist, a choir director, or other musician. Here are the top 8 things to do to get a church music job you love. This spring I did a survey of 268 church musicians and people who have hired them. I learned a lot about what makes a great job applicant. In this week's episode, Crawford and I dig into 8 highlights: Word of mouth is one of the best ways to find church music jobs. To find out more about a church, just call or email the search committee chair or another person connected with the church like the pastor. Seriously...
2018-05-2335 minMusic and the Church with Sarah Bereza
Music and the Church with Sarah BerezaAnointed for Music Ministry in African American Churches, with Birgitta JohnsonFor the last few weeks, we’ve been talking about musical virtuosity. This week’s guest is Dr. Birgitta Johnson, Assistant Professor of Ethnomusicology and African American Studies at the University of South Carolina, and the President of the Southeast and Caribbean Chapter of the Society for Ethnomusicology. In this episode, Birgitta discusses being anointed for music ministry. In the African American churches that she’s studied as an ethnomusicologist, musical skill is important but not the be-all-end-all. Musicians should also be called to ministry. Here's the heart of what Birgitta is seeing between virtuosity and being anointed for music ministry...
2018-05-1746 minMusic and the Church with Sarah Bereza
Music and the Church with Sarah BerezaWhat IS Virtuosity? Skill in the Music of Guitarist Tony Melendez, with Dr. David VanderHammWhat is virtuosity? It isn't just about the sound itself, but who makes the sound and how they make it. Today's episode is the third in our series on virtuosity. In the last two episodes, Joshua Busman and I both considered whether virtuosity is or isn't acceptable—and why—in evangelical worship music and in fundamentalist Christianity. But today's guest, Dr. David VanderHamm, flips this question around. Instead of researching a church or denomination, and then sometimes focusing on virtuosity in that context, David starts with virtuosity. One particular examples of virtuosity that he has studied is the ministry of guit...
2018-05-0933 minMusic and the Church with Sarah Bereza
Music and the Church with Sarah BerezaShowing Off or Glorifying God? Musical Virtuosity in Fundamentalist Christianity, on Music and the Church Ep. 19Should you play or sing virtuosic music in church?  Many fundamentalist Christians don't think so. This week’s episode is the second in our series on musical virtuosity. Last week, Joshua Kalin Busman discussed how evangelical musicians might tone down the difficulty of their music—balancing their churches’ need for musical “amateurism” with the reality the “amateurish” mistakes would distract from musical worship. In a more conservative circle of evangelicalism, many fundamentalist Christian musicians experience a different kind of tension. On one hand, they want to follow the command, “Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might” (from Ecc. 9:10), an...
2018-05-0224 minMusic and the Church with Sarah Bereza
Music and the Church with Sarah BerezaVirtuosity, Amateurism, and Amateurishness in Evangelical Worship MusicMusical virtuosity in church services. Is it showing off? Giving God your best? Christians often come to opposite conclusions. Today's podcast episode is the first in a series about virtuosity. We're kicking off the series by talking with Dr. Joshua Kalin Busman, an Associate Professor at the University of North Carolina—Pembroke. He researches "music in religious communities, liturgical theology, mass-media, and identity politics in American popular music," with a particular focus on Evangelical worship music.  Joshua Busman studies white Evangelical megachurches where virtuosity gets seen as showing off and taking attention away from God. In fact, Josh says that in t...
2018-04-2526 minMusic and the Church with Sarah Bereza
Music and the Church with Sarah BerezaBritish Methodist Hymnody, with Martin V. ClarkeFor many Christians, the Methodist tradition is one of their most important sources of hymnody. Dr. Martin V. Clarke's new book British Methodist Hymnody explores the roots of this rich repertoire as well as the distinctive features of Methodist worship today. Dr. Martin V. Clarke (faculty page, Twitter) is Lecturer in Music at The Open University and author of the new book British Methodist Hymnody: Theology, Heritage, and Experience. Martin covers five main areas in our conversation: How Methodists leaders have used hymnody that doesn't line up with their theological viewpointsAltered hymn lyrics, including Charles Wesley'sHow Methodist leaders have determined whe...
2018-04-1825 minMusic and the Church with Sarah Bereza
Music and the Church with Sarah Bereza10 Ways to Play Music for Fun (and why you should), with Ashley DanyewProfessional musicians often associate "playing for fun" with being a kid, an amateur—being somone who isn't serious about the music they make. But playing music for fun has huge benefits, besides the obvious: it's fun. It's not that playing music for fun has to have other benefits. But its easier to make time for playing around, when you know there are benefits besides having fun. Today's guest is musician and educator Dr. Ashley Danyew. She says that "playing for your own enjoyment and for the sake of the music itself really feed the rest of the work we do as mus...
2018-04-1142 minMusic and the Church with Sarah Bereza
Music and the Church with Sarah BerezaThe Alexander Technique for Organists, Choir Directors, and Other Church MusiciansWe use our bodies every day to make music—but we usually forget about our physical health until something goes wrong. Certified Alexander Technique instructor Ted Gibboney, D.M.A., shares how the Alexander Technique can help church musicians, as well as other people experiencing tension in their bodies. Ted was working full-time as the music director of a large church when he got a pain in his neck, literally. That discomfort—and the loss of control of his limbs—led him to healing through the Alexander Technique. Because of the difference it made in his life, he decided to pursue...
2018-03-1422 minMusic and the Church with Sarah Bereza
Music and the Church with Sarah BerezaHow to Be a Positively Swell Substitute Organist (with a subbing checklist)Do you work as a substitute organist or hire them? This episode is for you! Crawford, Catie Moyer, and I have many (many!) strategies for subbing and hiring subs. Because we have so much to share, we decided to make this post a how-to. If you scroll down, you'll find detailed strategies, questions to ask about the nitty-gritties of each church's habits, and a checklist of things to ask when subbing at an unfamiliar church. About Catie Moyer Catie and I have known each other since elementary school, and we actually took organ lessons from the same teachers in high...
2018-03-0751 minMusic and the Church with Sarah Bereza
Music and the Church with Sarah BerezaGaither Homecomings, with Ryan P. HarperRyan P. Harper discusses his new book, The Gaithers and Southern Gospel: Homecoming in the Twenty-First Century.  Bill and Gloria Gaither are known for their many hymns like “Because He Lives” “He Touched Me” and “The Family of God.” Between them, they’ve won 6 Grammys. Harper’s book focuses on their Homecomings: in 1991, it seemed like Bill’s work as a singer was winding down and they recorded a “Homecoming” video as a kind of goodbye. But that Homecoming recording ended up launching a whole second career for them.  We discuss the "quiet power" of lyricist Gloria Gaither, the belief behind the Gaithers' inc...
2018-02-2839 minMusic and the Church with Sarah Bereza
Music and the Church with Sarah BerezaMusic in the Early Church (spoiler: instruments are bad)Let's Think about Music in the Early Church: What did leaders in the early church have to say about music? Perhaps surprisingly, their general view of music is relatively low. And when they did praise music, they usually qualified their statements. Crawford and I cover the four main areas that the Church Fathers and other early church leaders address when they talk about music: musical metaphor, the academic discipline of music (ars musica), pagan music (instruments=bad!), and good/Christian uses of music in Eucharistic services, agape meals and other social settings, and private devotional life. Listener Question: Kirsten wonders ho...
2018-02-2142 minMusic and the Church with Sarah Bereza
Music and the Church with Sarah BerezaMusical Training for Priests and Other Topics in Orthodox Church Music, with Harrison RussinInterview: We discuss the musical training of ministerial students with Harrison Russin, Lecturer in Liturgical Music and Dean's Fellow at St. Vladimir's Orthodox Theological Seminary (Yonkers, NY). He also shares his experience directing a choir in non-metrical chants; surveys the (many!) kinds of Orthodox music heard in churches across the U.S.; and explains why some Orthodox churches have organs, but most don't. Try This at Church: Use timbre to change your liturgical colors. Picking up on last week's episode about using music to set Lent apart as a special season of the year, Stephen writes that he changes his mu...
2018-02-1428 minMusic and the Church with Sarah Bereza
Music and the Church with Sarah BerezaMusic in Lent8 ways to set apart Lent as a special season of the year: omit prelude/postlude musicchange to a simpler musical styleuse simple a cappella musicuse a setting of the service music that is reserved for penitential seasons. In churches that don't use service music (such as a Gloria), sing the same hymn every week of Lent, such as during the offertory or at communion.at the beginning of choir rehearsals, lead the choir in a Lenten prayer or a short devotionalexplore hymn themes outside of the "Lent" section of the hymnal (but watch out for sneaky Alleluias!)if you use pr...
2018-02-0725 minMusic and the Church with Sarah Bereza
Music and the Church with Sarah BerezaThe Hillsong Movement Examined, Part 2In this bonus episode of Music and the Church, Dr. Tanya Riches continues discussing The Hillsong Movement Examined: You Call Me Out Upon the Waters, a new collection of essays that she and Dr. Tom Wagner co-edited. Earlier in Episode 8, Tanya talked about Hillsong’s music, how women lead worship in the church, and how she and Tom approached Hillsong as scholars working on the inside and outside of the church. Enjoying this podcast episode? Click here to find other Music and the Church episodes, or subscribe to the show wherever you listen to podcasts. Today, she's giving an overview of...
2018-01-3128 minMusic and the Church with Sarah Bereza
Music and the Church with Sarah BerezaEleven Essentials for a Choir Rehearsal SpaceChoir rooms need a lot more than chairs and a piano to function well for musicians—they need storage for anthems, places for information (like a white board), and most important of all: a flat surface for cookies. Listen for 11 choir rehearsal space essentials, plus two bonus ideas. Enjoying this podcast episode? Click here to find other Music and the Church episodes, or subscribe to the show wherever you listen to podcasts. Resources Check out the Ep. 6 show notes to see the cubby shelves at Crawford's parish!
2018-01-2424 minMusic and the Church with Sarah Bereza
Music and the Church with Sarah BerezaThe Hillsong Movement Examined, with Tanya RichesTheologian and musician Tanya Riches discusses the new book, The Hillsong Movement Examined: You Call Me Out Upon the Waters, which she co-edited with Tom Wagner. This collection of 15 essays is the first scholarly book about Hillsong Church, a Pentecostal church with roots in Sydney, Australia. In our interview, Tanya discusses music at the church, as well as her essay in the collection, which deals with women's leadership in the church. Try This At Church: We follow up on last week’s suggestion to play from a binder of an entire service’s music (instead of swapping out books throughout a ser...
2018-01-1734 minMusic and the Church with Sarah Bereza
Music and the Church with Sarah BerezaSocial Media for Church Musicians, with David SindenWhy use social media? Because it's is a way to share your and your church's ministry with others, especially people in your congregation. Today's interview is with David Sinden, the Organist & Director of Music at St. Peter's Episcopal Church in St. Louis, Missouri, and co-host of the podcast All Things Rite and Musical. Speaking of social media, you can follow David on Twitter. Enjoying this podcast episode? Click here to find other Music and the Church episodes, or subscribe to the show wherever you listen to podcasts. What platforms can be useful for church musicians? A personal or church website, Twi...
2018-01-1028 minMusic and the Church with Sarah Bereza
Music and the Church with Sarah BerezaMusic Organization SystemsShould you organize your music alphabetically or by acquisition number? If you keep a spreadsheet, what categories should you use? Crawford and I discuss the pros and cons of various organization systems. Enjoying this podcast episode? Click here to find other Music and the Church episodes, or subscribe to the show wherever you listen to podcasts. Resources we mention: the cubby-style shelving unit that Crawford bought to store choir member's binders and booksanthem collections published by Oxford University Press
2017-12-0626 minMusic and the Church with Sarah Bereza
Music and the Church with Sarah BerezaBringing a Researcher's Mindset to Music Ministry, with Carrie Allen TiptonInterview: Dr. Carrie Allen Tipton is a musicologist who hosts the podcast Notes on Bach, sponsored by the Bach Society Houston. Notes on Bach is a monthly series of interviews with scholars and musicians who work with Baroque music and issues around music like theology. Today, we discuss the benefits of bringing a researcher's mindset to the ministry of church music. Enjoying this podcast episode? Click here to find other Music and the Church episodes, or subscribe to the show wherever you listen to podcasts. Try This At Church: If your church serves alcohol at functions (like a Christmas choir par...
2017-11-2845 min