World Music to Celebrate World Communion Sunday

On Saturday, September 19,  at Albright United Methodist Church, I held a workshop for Music Directors and Church Musicians, who want to add some “world spice” to World Communion Sunday worship and throughout the year.

In the first section – Play the Parts – I taught different rhythms on various African, Afro-Latin, Asian, and Native American percussion instruments.

During the second section – Sing the Songs – rhythms learned in the first part were incorporated into popular and new repertoire.

Two of my new settings of popular World Communion Sunday hymns were also featured: a Latin American setting of “The Church’s One Foundation,” and a new Asian/Western fusion setting of “In Christ There is No East or West” which incorporates gongs and the well-known Burleigh setting.  Both settings are congregation friendly!  I’m excited that both of these settings will be used in Good Shepherd Lutheran Church on 9/27/15, and at least one of these at Bethel-Bethany United Church of Christ on World Communion Sunday, 10/6/15.

This workshop was different from many of my others, in that it was specifically designed for music leaders.  In another words, not only did I teach, but I taught how to teach.  I am grateful that the event was well received!