Authors: Tammy-Jo Mortensen

Music is often described as an “international language” that can break down barriers. Does it, or does it divide us sometimes? The music that we prepare for church is created by composers from all over the world, and so a church musician might consider the various aspects of the word...

LEARNING It seems all I am doing these days is learning—about new technology and new procedures; about politics, science, mechanics, and engineering; and especially, as a white woman, about the Black Lives Matter movement and Indigenous Peoples here and around the world. Will all of this learning make me a...

Indigenous Composers National Indigenous History Month is in June, and if you wish to focus on Indigenous hymns and compositions by Indigenous song-makers or song-creators in June and throughout the year, here are some resources below. Recently, in sessions she led for the newly formed Bridge Choral Collective, Sherryl Sewepagaham...

Privilege. That word is so loaded with meaning these days. The Oxford English Dictionary defines the word several ways, including these: first, “A special right, advantage, or immunity granted or available only to a particular person or group,” and second, “Something regarded as a special honour.” I think our role...

Emotions. We know that music is a conduit for emotions; it can both express and arouse them, including feelings of joy, sorrow, fear, trust, and sometimes even anger. The psalms—songs themselves—are categorized by type, and several types are based on emotions: lament, adoration, and thanksgiving. Music, and the emotion that...

Summertime… Fewer rehearsals, more unscheduled time, holidays, time for creativity. Summer is always a great time to do some planning for the next year for your choir, instrumental ensembles, or handbell choir. So how do you pick music? How do you plan with your ministry team? How much do you...

Psalms are an important component of reading scripture in worship. There are many ways to use the psalms set to music. In Christine Gladu’s article “The Psalms: Jesus’ Prayer Book” (Gathering Lent/Easter 2020), she summarized much of the history of psalms, so please refer to that article for background. Here...

Do you use music to facilitate confession throughout the year? Or do you only use congregational music for confession during Lent? Is confession an opportunity to incorporate new music into your context? It seems to me that there are several ways to include music in this portion of the liturgy...