Workshop Leaders
Dr. Daniel Aune has been the director of music and organist at Christ Lutheran Church in Baltimore since 2011. At Christ Church he oversees the entire music ministry, as well as the Hafenmusik: Music by the Harbor concert series. He is also the coordinator of organ studies and an adjunct faculty member at the Peabody Institute of The Johns Hopkins University. At Peabody he teaches organ literature, church music skills, organ for non-majors, and organ lessons. Daniel holds the Doctor of Musical Arts degree in organ performance from the Eastman School of Music, where he studied with David Higgs. Previous degrees at Eastman include a Master of Music degree in organ with David Higgs, a Master of Music degree in harpsichord with William Porter, and the Sacred Music Diploma. Additional studies included improvisation with William Porter and a doctoral minor in composition. He began his undergraduate studies with Peter Nygaard at Concordia College in Moorhead, MN, where he also had the privilege of singing in The Concordia Choir and studying choral conducting with René Clausen. Renewing his interest in improvisation, he studied with Vincent Warnier and Sophie-Véronique Cauchefer-Choplin during the month of June 2022 in Paris. Daniel has presented lectures and workshops at national conferences of the Association of Lutheran Church Musicians and the American Guild of Organists, as well as performing recitals and hymn festivals across the United States.
Dcn. Jennifer Baker-Trinity serves as Program Manager for Worship Resource Development, a shared position between the ELCA (Christian Community and Leadership) and Augsburg Fortress, an imprint of 1517 Media. In this position she attends to developing and teaching about resources that support the church’s worship. Jennifer completed her studies at Valparaiso University (B.M. Church Music) and the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia (MAR, STM). From 2017-2020, she served as co-Director of the Institute of Liturgical Studies at Valparaiso University. She has been active as a conference chair and regional president of ALCM and is on the advisory council for Lutheran Summer Music. She is also on the board of directors for the National Lutheran Choir and a member of the North American Academy of Liturgy, serving as convener for the Liturgical Language Seminar. Jennifer has served as a church musician in congregations in Illinois, Minnesota, and Pennsylvania and has been a writer for several devotional and worship resources. She lives in Shoreview, Minnesota, with her spouse and three children.
Kevin Barger is completing his term as president of ALCM this year. He is director of music ministry at Epiphany Lutheran Church (Richmond, Virginia) where he serves as organist, directs several choral and instrumental ensembles, and oversees live-streamed worship. He is also assistant accompanist for the Richmond Symphony Chorus. He has served as a workshop leader and instructor for various synodical events in Virginia as well as the former Leadership Program for Musicians. He recently served as a contributor to Sundays and Seasons.
Bruce Bengtson retired in 2018 after serving for more than 40 years as director of music at Luther Memorial Church (Madison, Wisconsin). Beginning organ study in Salem, Oregon, at age 11, he earned degrees in organ performance at Southern Methodist University and Valparaiso University, winning state and national competitions during his college years. Bruce has been featured in concerts in the United States, Mexico, Canada, and Europe. He continues to play services and concerts, accompany vocalists and instrumentalists, teach organ lessons, and is a member of ALCM, the Organ Historical Society, and the American Guild of Organists. He taught organ lessons at Lawrence University (Appleton, Wisconsin) during the 2019–20 academic year, and currently is organist and choir director for the Madison Cathedral Parish at its two buildings: Holy Redeemer and St. Patrick’s.
Dr. Jean Boehler serves as cantor at Redeemer Evangelical Lutheran Church (The Bronx, New York), a vibrant, diverse, and multigenerational parish. In addition, she is founder and director of Arts in Mission—NY, an outreach program of St. Mark’s Lutheran Church (Yonkers, New York) that brings people of all ages together to learn and utilize the creative arts in a nurturing Christian community of faith. Jean received degrees from Concordia University St. Paul (BA), Valparaiso University (MM), and the University of Wisconsin—Madison (DMA, organ performance), and is certified in Orff, Kodály, and Dalcroze pedagogy. As an educator, Jean has been blessed to teach students of all ages, including the babies and toddlers of Arts in Mission, private piano and organ students, and, most recently, a senior citizen handchime ensemble at a local community center. She has served as a workshop presenter and music director for regional and national conferences, and has contributed to Lutheran Service Book: Companion to the Hymns, as well as to ALCM publications CrossAccent and In Tempo.
Dr. Linda Borecki was a member of the first baccalaureate cohort and last faculty cohort at Concordia University Portland. She earned a graduate degree in sacred music in Westfalen, Germany, and a doctoral degree in theology from The Robert E. Webber Institute for Worship Studies. Linda has taught Lutheran worship at Lutheran institutions in the United States, India, Indonesia, Thailand, and Cambodia. Her area of concentration is ethnodoxology—the “peoples’ praise” in Christian worship, ancient and modern, Western and other cultures. She is also worship director at Christ the Vine Lutheran Church (Damascus, Oregon) and editor of ALCM’s In Tempo: A Practical Resource for Church Musicians.
Dr. Michael Burkhardt is artist-professor of organ at Eastern Michigan University, founder-artistic director of Hearts, Hands and Voices Worship and Fine Arts Program for Children in Southeast Michigan, and director of worship and music at St. John Lutheran Church (Farmington Hills, Michigan). From 2008–17 he served Holy Cross Lutheran Church (Livonia, Michigan) as music mentor and cantor, and from 2001–07 served on the faculty of Carthage College (Kenosha, Wisconsin) as director of choral activities, college organist, and artist-in-residence. A graduate of Carthage College, Michael earned a MM from Southern Methodist University and DMA from Arizona State University. He is known internationally for his innovative and inspiring hymn festivals and his creative and educational work with choirs and children. He has performed and led seminars for ALCM, the American Guild of Organists, the Hymn Society, the Presbyterian Association of Musicians, the Fellowship of United Methodists in Music and Worship Arts, and the American Choral Directors Association. Since 2003 Michael has made nine performance-teaching tours to South Korea and Singapore. His choral, organ, and instrumental works as well as his fine arts curriculums are published by MorningStar, Choristers Guild, E.C. Schirmer, Concordia Publishing House, Augsburg Fortress, GIA, and AGEHR.
The Rev. Patricia Ann Curtis Davenport assumed office as bishop of the Southeastern Pennsylvania Synod (ELCA) on August 1, 2018. Overwhelmingly elected by the synod assembly on May 5, 2018, she is the first African-American woman to be elected a bishop in the 3.8-million-member ELCA. She was recently elected vice-chair of the ELCA Conference of Bishops. She has served the national church in a variety of capacities, including as co-chair of the ELCA’s Guiding Coalition, as member of the Congregational Vitality and African Descent Strategy teams, and as secretary of the board of Lutheran Services in America. She is a lifetime member of the Philadelphia chapter of the African Descent Lutheran Association and is active with the Black Clergy of Philadelphia, Metropolitan Christian Council, and Christians United Against Addictions. She is the widow of Joel Davenport with three adult children: Joel, Shanena and Jamar; and seven grandchildren who are her heart’s delight: Joel III, Dominic, Chance, Cristian, Kayden, Justice, and Kaleb.
A native of Pennsylvania, the Rev. Dr. L. George Detweiler graduated from the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago (MDiv) and Princeton Theological Seminary (DMin). He has served pastorates in New York City, Connecticut, Maryland, Wisconsin, and Pennsylvania. He has been an intentional interim pastor for most of the last 15 years, and has had the pleasure of working with several distinguished church musicians. A devotee of Bach’s music, he has studied Bach’s church cantatas, recent Bach biographies, and other more technical works. As interim pastor of Holy Trinity (New York City) from 2015–16, he preached regularly at Bach Vespers.
The Rev. Dr. Clayton Faulkner is editor of the ALCM journal CrossAccent and pastor of New Life Lutheran Church (Pearland, Texas). From 2011–22 he served as director of worship, music, and technology at Faith Lutheran Church (Bellaire, Texas). He holds degrees in music education (BME), worship (MA), a DWS from The Robert E. Webber Institute for Worship Studies, and an MDiv from Wartburg Theological Seminary. He is co-creator of the TUNE UP worship band gathering, an annual training event for worship musicians in Houston. He was a contributing author for Can We Talk? Engaging Worship and Culture, and has written several FAQ articles for the ELCA worship page.
Jay Fluellen is a Philadelphia-born musician known as a composer, college professor, educator, accompanist, pianist, singer, and organist/choir director. He has a DMA in music composition from Temple University along with his K-12 Pennsylvania state certification in music from Eastern University. Fluellen teaches music at Northeast High School in the Philadelphia school district. Since January 1997, he has been a co-minister of music, with Walt Blocker, at the historic African Episcopal Church of St. Thomas, Fr. Martini Shaw, rector. He is also an adjunct professor at Montgomery County Community College, where he teaches a piano class.
Julie Grindle is a lifelong church musician, accompanist and teacher, and holds degrees in organ and church music from Valparaiso University (BM) and Indiana University (MM). After serving Lutheran, Catholic, and Presbyterian congregations for 35 years, Julie is now assistant to the bishop for candidacy and mobility in the Upstate NY Synod (ELCA). She is the immediate past-president of the Association of Lutheran Church Musicians. In the past year she has written for Sundays and Seasons and Living Lutheran and is a former member of the Institute of Liturgical Studies advisory council. Julie is a frequent accompanist for area choral and instrumental students, and an active vocalist in the Central New York region. She currently lives in Baldwinsville, New York, with her husband, David. They have two sons in college, Will and Tom.
Andrew Heller is director of music/organist at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church (Ardmore, Pennsylvania), where he directs adult, youth, children’s and handbell choirs. He is also director of music at Main Line Reform Temple Beth Elohim (Wynnewood, Pennsylvania), where he works with two adult choirs. Heller is also active in the American Guild of Organists, where he serves as coordinator of the Philadelphia chapter’s Tuesday noon recital series.
Grace Hennig has served as organist, choir director, and worship leader in congregations in Illinois, Michigan, California, Wisconsin, and Minnesota over the past 30 years. She has also been a classroom teacher at the elementary and high school levels, and presently serves as professor of music at Martin Luther College in New Ulm, Minnesota. Hennig graduated from Bethany Lutheran College (AA), Dr. Martin Luther College (BS), Concordia University Chicago (MCM), and the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh (BA). Her hymn tunes and settings appear in Christian Worship Supplement (2008), Lift Up Your Hearts (2013), and Christian Worship: Hymnal and Christian Worship: Psalter (2021).
Dcn. Ryan K. Hostler is a graduate of the University of South Florida and Trinity Lutheran Seminary. Ryan serves as minister of music and worship for Our Savior Lutheran Church (Vero Beach, Florida) where he oversees and directs a dynamic and growing music program for all ages as well as coordinates and leads each liturgy. Ryan has also served on the board of ALCM, is published by Augsburg Fortress, and has served as music director for the ELCA churchwide assembly. His simple but profound calling is nurturing the song of the church.
Dr. Adam Lefever Hughes is director of music at St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church (Lancaster, Pennsylvania). Adam earned degrees from Valparaiso University, the Longy School of Music, and the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, and now resides in Willow Street, Pennsylvania, with his wife, Valerie, two children, Sam and Nick, and dog, Coda.
Born and raised in Canton, Ohio, Michael Joy has lived in Philadelphia since 1974. He received a BM (theory and composition) from Baldwin-Wallace University and has studied handbells with Donald Allured and handbell composition with Arnold Sherman. Michael has been directing handbell choirs in churches since 1978 and in schools since 1983. He recently retired from The Shipley School (Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania) where he taught for 21 years and developed the handbell program there. For the last 46 years Michael has been music director at First Presbyterian Church (Ambler, Pennsylvania). With Sandra Eithun, he is the co-author of Pathways to Musical Ringing, a reproducible series from Choristers Guild. Michael is a published composer and has taught at area festivals and national seminars of the Handbell Musicians of America and at gatherings of the International Handbell Symposium.
Ryan Kelly is professor of music and Associate Director of Choral Activities at West Chester University of Pennsylvania. An experienced liturgist and church musician, he also is Director of Music and Organist at Proclamation Presbyterian Church in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania. His D.M.A. in choral conducting is from Michigan State University. He is an active lecturer and clinician with numerous appearances at national, regional, and state conferences of the National Association for Music Education, the American Choral Directors Association, and the American Guild of Organists. His publications include performance editions and compositions with Augsburg Fortress, Boosey & Hawkes, Carus-Verlag, G. Schirmer, Mark Foster, MorningStar Music, MusicSpoke, and Shaw Music; articles in Choral Journal; and the books Handel’s Messiah: Warm-Ups for Successful Performance (Hal Leonard, 2016) and Calls to Worship, Invocations, and Benedictions (P&R, 2022).
Dcn. Linda Kempke retired in 2012 from her role as Kantor at Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd (Brooklyn, Ohio). Linda earned degrees from Baldwin-Wallace University (BME, organ and education), Trinity Lutheran Seminary (MTS), and studied historical performance at the Oberlin College Conservatory. In retirement, Linda has served as an interim parish musician, as a substitute musician, and plays occasional noontime recitals. Linda has served in leadership positions in ALCM and in the Cleveland Chapter of the American Guild of Organists. She is a charter member of ALCM, a member of the Organ Historical Society and the American Bach Society, and serves on the advisory board of the Center for Church Music at Concordia University Chicago for which she also edits the newsletter. She has served as musician at ALCM conferences and the Institute of Liturgical Studies at Valparaiso University.
Among his varied interests, Dale Loepp is a tax specialist at H&R Block and enjoys helping people understand the complexities of tax law and the ways in which the tax code touches on so many aspects of life. Dale is a Certified Public Accountant and is a member of the Tax Section of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants.
Donald R. Meineke maintains an active career as a recitalist, lecturer, conductor, and singer performing with local, national, and international ensembles. He presently serves as director of music and organist for the historic Church of the Holy Trinity (Episcopal) on Rittenhouse Square in Philadelphia, and is co-founder and artistic director of Ensemble VIII based in Austin, Texas. He previously served as Cantor of The Evangelical Lutheran Church of the Holy Trinity (New York City) where he led the twice Grammy®-nominated Bach Choir and Players in the internationally renowned Bach Vespers at Holy Trinity series. His direction of the 2017 album Samuel Capricornus: The Jubilus Bernhardi Collection, a collaboration of Trinity’s Bach Choir with the string ensemble ACRONYM, received critical acclaim. Meineke served as a choirmaster for Maestro Helmuth Rilling for many years, preparing choirs across Europe and South America for performances of the major choral and orchestral works by Bach, Mozart, and others.
Dr. Mark Miller is associate professor of church music, director of chapel, and composer-in-residence at Drew University (Madison, New Jersey) and is lecturer in sacred music at Yale University. He is also minister of music at Christ Church (UCC) in Summit, New Jersey. A lifelong United Methodist and renowned composer of sacred music, Mark’s hymns and anthems are sung by communities of faith throughout the country and are published by Choristers Guild, Hinshaw, Hal Leonard, Abingdon Press, Santa Barbara Music Publishing, and others. He spends a portion of each year traveling the country, lecturing, preaching, and presenting concerts focused on creating community and advocating for social justice. Understanding that everyone is a child of God and that music can help heal the world, he adheres to Cornel West’s belief that “justice is what love looks like in public.” In addition to engagements throughout the United States, he has led choirs and performed in Sweden, South Africa, Austria, Russia, and the Baltic states. He resides in Plainfield, New Jersey, with his husband of 25 years, Michael Murden, their two wonderful teenage children, Alyse and Keith, and Oscar the cat. At home, you can find him cooking meals, taking out the garbage, playing Frisbee, reading books, watching movies, and dreaming about getting back to the Vineyard.
Mark Mummert is cantor at Trinity Lutheran Church (Worcester, Massachusetts). Prior to moving to Massachusetts in 2016, he was the 2015 distinguished visiting cantor at the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Gettysburg. He served as director of worship at Christ the King Lutheran Church (Houston, Texas) from 2008–15 and as seminary musician at the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia from 1990–2008. Mark is a composer of the first musical setting of holy communion in Evangelical Lutheran Worship. Augsburg Fortress publishes his numerous psalm settings and other compositions for the liturgy. Mark served on the board of ALCM and has been a featured presenter and musician at many of ALCM’s biennial and regional conferences.
The Rev. Mark Oldenburg taught worship at Gettysburg Seminary and United Lutheran Seminary (ULS) from 1986 until his retirement in 2019. Along with published hymn texts and sermons, he is the author of articles related to the church year, spirituality, and worship among American Lutherans, as well as co-author of The Historical Dictionary of Lutheranism. A graduate of Gettysburg College and Philadelphia Seminary, he received his PhD from Drew University, where he studied under Erik Routley. A lifetime member of ALCM, he also chairs Music, Gettysburg!, a free concert series hosted by ULS and supported by the community.
Anne Krentz Organ serves as director of music ministries at St. Luke’s Lutheran Church (Park Ridge, Illinois). Her responsibilities include worship planning, service playing, and direction of the choral and instrumental music program which includes adult, youth, and children’s choirs, a handbell choir, and a variety of instrumental ensembles. She holds degrees from Valparaiso University, the University of Illinois, and Concordia University Chicago. Her choral, handbell, organ, and piano compositions are published by Abingdon Press, Augsburg Fortress, Choristers Guild, Concordia Publishing House, Hope Publishing Company, and MorningStar Music Publishers. Anne is a past-president of ALCM.
Omaldo Perez is a church musician whose interests range from early baroque practices to improvisation to musical diversity in today’s church. He has helped lead music for synod gatherings and has been a guest musician for several ELCA events. In addition, he has contributed to Sundays and Seasons, publications of ALCM, and serves in advisory roles for both the Institute of Liturgical Studies and ALCM.
The Rev. Nancy M. Raabe is pastor of Grace Lutheran Church (Hatfield, Pennsylvania). Nancy studied music at Pomona College, and theology at both Trinity Lutheran Seminary and Wartburg Theological Seminary. Prior to her current call, she served as pastor for congregations in Beloit and Marshall, Wisconsin, and as music minister (keyboard, choir, and handbells) at congregations in Wisconsin and Ohio. Nancy is founding editor of ALCM’s In Tempo. Nancy has written a series of piano arrangements of hymn tunes, along with a number of organ, choral, and liturgical settings. She published a critical biography of Carl Schalk and three volumes of One-Minute Devotions for Church Musicians. Nancy has been the Reformation Day preacher for the Bach Cantata Vespers at Grace Lutheran Church (River Forest, Illinois), a featured speaker at the Lectures in Church Music at Concordia University Chicago, and a presenter and featured composer at the Institute of Liturgical Studies.
Peter C. Reske is senior editor of music/worship at Concordia Publishing House (CPH) where he has served since 2004. He holds degrees in English literature from Marquette University and in musicology from The Pennsylvania State University. In addition to his ongoing role overseeing music publications for CPH, he was the editor of Lutheran Service Book (2006) and its attendant resources, editor of The Hymns of Martin Luther (2016), and editorial advisor for One and All Rejoice (2020). With Joseph Herl and Jon D. Vieker, he was co-editor of Lutheran Service Book: Companion to the Hymns (2019).
Vincent M. Ryan has been minister of music at Advent Lutheran Church (Harleysville, Pennsylvania) since 1997. He accompanies a wide variety of soloists and choirs, including the Gospel Choir of Wittenberg, Germany. He regularly collaborates with flautist Melissa Freilich in the duo Doppelflöte. Ryan holds a BA (piano) and MA (organ) from Indiana University of Pennsylvania. He is a published composer, and has created or arranged over 300 works for various ensembles. He is a champion of outreach for the pipe organ to children and adults alike, and has authored several published articles regarding the participation of children in worship.
John Sall is dedicated to bringing people together through music in order to experience the fullness of our shared humanity and the presence of God. From 2001–19 John was a regular guest of the ELCA worship staff for churchwide assemblies and other national events as a percussionist. He serves Abington Presbyterian Church near Philadelphia as director of music ministries, leading youth and adult choirs, the Abington Symphony Orchestra, congregational music, and the Music at Abington concert series. He has published percussion performance suggestions in With One Voice and for the Kenyan Folk Songs in Anton Armstrong’s earthsongs series. A graduate of St. Olaf College, John majored in church music and organ under John Ferguson while performing in the St. Olaf Choir, Band, and Orchestra. His early musical interest was fostered through the Lutheran Summer Music program and church, school, and private music study in Holdrege, Nebraska. He later studied choral conducting with Alan Harler, completing a MM degree at Temple University which honored him with the Elaine Brown Tribute Award for “relating music to broader issues of community-building and human expression.” John recently completed a term on the national executive board of the Presbyterian Association of Musicians, was a member of the planning team for the 2021 worship conference at Montreat, and a guest presenter for the 2022 St. Olaf Conference on Worship, Theology and Arts. He makes a home with his wife, Ruth, and their three daughters in Abington, Pennsylvania.
Dr. Thomas Schmidt was cantor at Saint Peter’s Lutheran Church (New York City) for 25 years before his retirement in 2015. There he conducted liturgical performances of many masses with orchestra, including an annual performance of Bach’s St. Matthew Passion on Good Friday, and composed numerous liturgical works. He holds an undergraduate degree in church music from Valparaiso University, and graduate degrees in piano from the University of Wisconsin and Yale University. For 25 years he performed and recorded as pianist with the Arden Trio. He was assistant conductor of the Gregg Smith Singers and conductor of the Bronx Concert Singers and the Long Island Symphonic Choral Association. In his earlier years he was professor of music at Concordia College (Bronxville, New York). After 50 years in New York City he and his wife, Kathy, retired to Chicago in 2018 and enjoy traveling throughout the country and visiting their two daughters and three grandchildren in the northwest.
Born in Chicago and the son of a Lutheran pastor, Andrew Senn experienced music as an important part of his childhood. Piano lessons began at age 6 but his focus switched to the organ when he was 12, studying with William Alyesworth. Several years later, he was accepted on a full merit scholarship to the Curtis Institute of Music (Philadelphia) where he studied with John Weaver. Upon his graduation in 2000, he was offered a combined position of organ and choral scholar at Truro Cathedral (Cornwall, England) where he worked under Andrew Nethsingha. He has enjoyed further organ coachings with Martin Jean, Kimberly Marshall, and David Schrader. Andrew was a finalist in improvisation in the 2013 Luxembourg International Organ Competition. Andrew has been director of music at The First Presbyterian Church (Philadelphia) since August 2006 where he oversees a professional choir, introduced a volunteer choir, as well as a prestigious concert series that includes programs of solo instruments, chamber recitals, and choral concerts with orchestra. Notable programs have included Bach’s B-minor mass and St. John Passion, Duruflé’s Requiem, and Poulenc’s Concerto for Organ, Timpani, and Strings. Bach cantatas with orchestra are frequently offered during Sunday worship services. Since 2011, Andrew also has served as organist and pianist at Reform Congregation Keneseth Israel (Elkins Park, Pennsylvania). Known for commanding and colorful performances, Andrew has been featured as a recitalist across the United States and Europe. American venues have included The Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine and St. Thomas Church (New York City); St. Philip’s Cathedral and Peachtree Road United Methodist Church (Atlanta); and Old West Church (Boston). European performances have taken place at Evangelische Saalkirche and Evangelischen Johannesgemeinde in Germany as well as Christchurch Priory, St. Paul’s Cathedral, and Westminster Abbey in England. As a student at Curtis, he also was an assistant organist of the Wanamaker organ in Philadelphia where he performed over 2,000 recitals. His debut recording of works by Reubke, Willan, and Vierne on the ProOrgano label have been acclaimed for their “rare combination of authentic interpretation and personal flair.”
The Rev. Dr. Frank C. Senn is a retired ELCA pastor (since 2013) and an affiliate professor in liturgical studies at Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary (since 2008). He has a BA (music) from Hartwick College, MDiv from the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago, and PhD (liturgical studies) from the University of Notre Dame. He has served congregations in South Bend, Indiana; Louisville, Kentucky; Chicago; Lincolnshire, Illinois; and Evanston, Illinois. He was assistant professor of liturgy at the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago (1978–81) and has taught courses at the University of Chicago Divinity School; Notre Dame; Concordia University Chicago; Nashotah House; Trinity Theological College in Singapore; Satya Wacana Christian University in Indonesia (Central Java); Carey Theological College in Vancouver; Trinity Episcopal School for Ministry (Ambridge, Pennsylvania); and the Reformed Theological Seminary in Jakarta. He has also lectured in Sweden, Iceland, and Oxford. Dr. Senn has been president of The Liturgical Conference and the North American Academy of Liturgy, as well as senior of the Society of the Holy Trinity. He is the author of fifteen books and hundreds of journal articles, reviews, and chapters. Among his publications are Christian Worship and its Cultural Setting (1983); Chrstian Liturgy: Catholic and Evangelical (1997); The People’s Work: A Social History of the Liturgy (2006), Introduction to Christian Liturgy (2012); and Embodied Liturgy: Lessons in Christian Ritual (2016). He received the Christus Rex award from the Institute of Liturgical Studies in 2017 “for his contributions to worship renewal and liturgical scholarship.”
Tom T. Shelton, Jr. is a native of Greensboro, North Carolina and a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, where he earned BME and MM degrees in choral conducting. He is associate professor of sacred music at Westminster Choir College, and serves as chair of the Choral Studies, Music Education and Sacred Music department. In addition, he is director of children’s and youth choirs at Princeton United Methodist Church and conducts the “Semi-Tones” ensembles with the Princeton Girlchoir Organization.
Mr. Shelton has a passion for music education in all areas: church, school and community. He taught middle school choral music in Winston-Salem/Forsyth County, North Carolina for 18 years. He is an active member of the American Choral Directors Association, having served as national president (2017-2019 and in other leadership positions.
Mr. Shelton has conducted choral festivals and honor choirs and presented workshops throughout the United States as well as Hong Kong. He has served as an adjudicator for the Penabur International Choral Festival (Jakarta, Indonesia); the Rovdo International Choral Festival (Belarus); and worked on several projects with the “Soul Sounds Academy” (Sri Lanka). Mr. Shelton is the series director for the Music for Young Voices Series with GIA Publications as well as a music editor with Hinshaw Music. He has over 60 compositions published by Choristers Guild, Colla Voce Music, G. Schirmer, Galaxy, GIA Publications, Growing in Grace Curriculum, Heritage Music Press, Hinshaw Music Company, Musicspoke.com, Santa Barbara Music Press, and Walton Music.
The Rev. Dr. Dien Ashley Taylor serves as Pastor of Redeemer Evangelical Lutheran Church (The Bronx, New York). He holds degrees from Concordia College in Bronxville, New York (BA), Concordia Seminary in St. Louis (MDiv), and Fordham University (PhD). He is the first vice president of the LCMS Atlantic District and is the vice chairman of the LCMS Board for National Mission. He has lectured and presented in Lutheran, Christian, ecumenical, and civic contexts, and has taught religion for students from nursery school through the college level—all this in addition to being a parish musician and music leader in multiple contexts. He has assisted congregations in parish and school revitalization efforts, increasing opportunities for children, youth, adults and seniors to learn for the sake of serving others in need.
Tom Trenney has been minister of music to First-Plymouth Church (Lincoln, Nebraska) since 2009, where he directs choirs, preaches sermons, and accompanies the congregation on the Schoenstein organ. In 2019, he became associate professor of music and director of choirs at Nebraska Wesleyan University. Tom’s choirs have been honored to perform for state, regional, and national conventions of the American Choral Directors Association, and they have been award-winners of the American Prize for Choral Performance.
A graduate of the Cleveland Institute of Music and the Eastman School of Music, Tom plays hymn festivals and leads choral festivals around the country. As an organist, he was awarded first prize and the audience prize in the AGO’s National Competition in Organ Improvisation. Tom is grateful for the inspiration of his teachers and mentors, especially Anton Armstrong, David Davidson, Craig Hella Johnson, (Mister) Fred Rogers, William Weinert, Anne Wilson and Todd Wilson. His choral compositions are published by Augsburg Fortress, Beckenhorst Press, Choristers Guild, E.C. Schirmer/Galaxy, Morningstar, Musicspoke, Pavane, and G. Schirmer.
Paul Vasile serves as executive director of Music That Makes Community and is passionate about modeling and sharing leadership practices that sustain the musical and spiritual life of communities. He mentors and supports an ecumenical network of song leaders across North America who are committed to oral tradition (“paperless”) song leadership practices. Committed to expansive, imaginative, and hospitable experiences of music making wherever he goes, Paul’s leadership builds trust, invites spaces of creativity, vulnerability, and play, and supports practices of reflection and holistic learning. Recognized as a multitalented musician and liturgist, he is committed to building, renewing, and reshaping faith communities through the ways they worship and sing together.
Dcn. John Weit serves as Executive for Worship in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. This work includes curating worship resources for use in the ELCA, teaching about worship throughout the church, planning worship for ELCA events like churchwide assembly, and collaborating with bishops, the presiding bishop, and churchwide colleagues on worship matters. Prior to his call to the churchwide organization, John served as musician for congregations in Pennsylvania and most recently as cantor to Trinity Lutheran Church in Worcester, Mass. John earned a Master of Arts in religion with a concentration in liturgy and music from The Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia. As part of his work with the ELCA, John works closely with the ALCM board.
Rev. Dr. Timothy J. Wengert is emeritus professor of Church History at the United Lutheran Seminary (Philadelphia). A parish pastor for seven years in Minnesota and Wisconsin with a doctorate from Duke University, he taught on Philadelphia’s faculty from 1989-2013. He has researched the Reformation, was co-editor of the English edition of The Book of Concord (Fortress, 2000) and translated Luther’s Small Catechism, used throughout the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. In addition to books on Philip Melanchthon and Martin Luther, he co-edited The Annotated Luther, the Dictionary of Luther and the Lutheran Traditions, and authored both Reading the Bible with Martin Luther (Baker, 2013) and Word of Life: Introducing Lutheran Hermeneutics (Fortress, 2019). His most recent publication is a commentary on the Augsburg Confession: The Augsburg Confession: Renewing Lutheran Faith and Practice (Fortress, 2020).