MUSIC MINISTRY
“Among the many signs and symbols used by the Church to celebrate its faith, music is of preeminent importance.”
--The US Conference of Catholic Bishops;
Music in Catholic Worship: §III, no. 23
If you are interested in singing or playing in a choir or ensemble, please contact Douglas Lynn (see contact information at right).
OUR MISSION STATEMENT
Music Ministry at the Church of St. Thomas More is…
God-centered
“Let us come before him with thanksgiving and extol him with music and song.”
—Psalm 95:2 (NIV)
Inclusive
Everyone in the parish will be made to feel welcome to participate in the music ministry.
Appropriate
Music presented as part of Mass will always be offered in support of the scripture appointed for the day or in support of the message of the homily. On other occasions, it will support the theme of or the reason for the gathering.
Eclectic
Our parish is comprised of people who represent many parts of the cultural, religious, and social spectra of our community. It therefore follows that our ministry must be varied in order to reach as many of these different backgrounds as possible. While we will not be able to reach everyone all the time, we will make every effort to touch most of the people as often as practically possible.
Varying musical approaches will be used: including the use of vocalists and instrumentalists available from within the parish as well as, on occasion, guest musicians from outside the parish who might be brought in to fulfill a specific need not available from within.
Varying musical styles and genres will be used: including music from different historical periods that we might both celebrate our music past and explore today’s creativity; and music from other cultures and countries and in other languages as befits the global nature of our church (non-English-language pieces will always be translated).
Loving
Choirs and other music ensembles are necessarily social entities, and as such they will provide a loving and supportive environment in which people involved in these groups might flourish spiritually and emotionally.
Educational
Each person involved with the ministry will continually be presented with the “tools of the trade” that they may become more able to understand the craft of music-making. This teaching will be both overt in the form of instructional moments during rehearsals and more subtle using other behind-the-scenes methods.
Ecumenical
Music provides the opportunity for churches to come together to celebrate our oneness in God in spite of ongoing and sometimes divisive differences. We will participate in musical activities that help to bridge this gap among Christian denominations whenever possible.
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