Center for Church Music

“Giving Thanks for the Spirit’s Work among Us”

Come to us, creative Spirit, in our Father’s house;

   ev’ry human talent hallow, hidden skills arouse,

   that within your earthly temple, wise and simple, may rejoice.

Poet, painter, music-maker, all your treasures bring;

    craftsman, actor, graceful dancer, make your offering;

   join your hands in celebration: let creation shout and sing!

Word from God eternal springing, fill our minds, we pray;

   and in all artistic vision give integrity:

   may the flame within us burning kindle yearning day by day.

In all places and forever glory be expressed

   to the Son, with God the Father and the Spirit blessed:

   in our worship and our living keep us striving for the best.

                                                                                                                                                                                               [WOV #758]

      David Mowbray, b. 1938

       Copyright ©1979 Stainer and Bell Ltd. and  the Trustees for Methodist Church Purposes,

  admin. Hope Publishing Company

   It’s May: that time of year when Americans express appreciation for those who serve in extraordinary ways----teachers, nurses, first responders and others. (The LCMS recently set aside a Sunday for congregations to give thanks for their directors of parish music.)

   It’s the end of another season: Church musicians find this time of year a meet, right, and salutary moment to say thanks to all their volunteers, the singers and players, not to mention altar guild members and others who make art and music in service to the worship life of the congregation. We express heartfelt appreciation for their time, effort, sacrifice and commitment to “making it all work” and for their “partnership in the Gospel.” (Philippians 1:5-7)

   It’s the Day of Pentecost: a celebrative time to give thanks to God for the lavish, continuing gifts of the Holy Spirit among us. This is uniquely true for church musicians, for the Spirit is the “breath” (in Hebrew “ruach”) bringing all of our music making from symbol to sound.

 Praise we the Father and the Son

And Holy Spirit, with them One,

And may the Son on us bestow

The gifts that from the Spirit flow!

                   Amen.                                         [LSB 499:7]

Barry L. Bobb

Director, Center for Church Music

Resource Room

• Books, magazines, recordings, the Schalk American Lutheran Hymnal Collection (541 volumes) and the ever-expanding archives of the original manuscripts of great American Lutheran composers & hymn writers.
• Liturgical Choir Music Library

Digital Initiative

• All of the volumes in the hymnal collection can be perused online at www.hymnary.org or from this website. See "Hymnal Collection Index."
• Many of the original manuscripts are accessible online at the Center’s website (including Manz, Schalk, Hillert, Pelz, Thoms, Busarow, Bouman and others...) See "Composer Manuscript Indices".

Website

• Devotions, interviews, profiles, essays, forums, ideas, an arts registry

Print publications

• Books and monographs in the Shaping American Lutheran Church Music series available through Amazon and Fortress Press

Encouragement of the next generation

• Hillert Award in Student Composition---open to any undergrad or graduate student at a Lutheran university or seminary in the United States
• Schalk Scholars
  • Creates awareness and access to current research in the areas of music and the arts
  • Provides stipends for research as well as publication and venues for presentations for these emerging scholars
  • Arts Registry
  • Contact information and samples from composers, visual artists, writers, designers, media artists.