Deacon Jennifer Baker-Trinity serves as Program Director for Resource Development, a shared position between the Office of the Presiding Bishop (ELCA) and Augsburg Fortress. In this position, she attends to developing and teaching about resources that support the church’s worship. Jennifer completed her studies at Valparaiso University (BM, church music) and the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia (MAR, STM). She has served as a church musician for congregations in Illinois, Minnesota, and Pennsylvania. Jennifer also currently serves as Co-Director of the Institute of Liturgical Studies at Valparaiso University and is a member of the North American Academy of Liturgy. She has served in ALCM in a number of capacities including conference chair and regional president. She lives in Shoreview, Minnesota, with her spouse and three children.
Dr. Jean Boehler serves as Cantor at Redeemer Evangelical Lutheran Church, a vibrant, diverse, and multigenerational parish in The Bronx, New York. In addition, she is College Organist at Concordia College New York, and is founder and director of Arts in Mission—NY, an outreach program of St. Mark’s Lutheran Church in Yonkers, New York (where her husband serves as pastor) 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. Mark Miller is Associate Professor of Church Music, Director of Chapel, and Composer-in-Residence at Drew University in Madison, New Jersey, and is Lecturer in Sacred Music at Yale University. He is also the Minister of Music of 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 visiting more than 100 venues in over twenty-five 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.
Rev. Dr. Dien Ashley Taylor serves as Pastor at Redeemer Evangelical Lutheran Church in The Bronx, New York. He holds degrees from Concordia College in Bronxville, New York, Concordia Seminary in St. Louis, and Fordham University (PhD, religious education). His interests include religion, theology, liturgy, music, history, art, writing, literature, psychology, philosophy, sociology, astronomy, catechesis, and education. 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. 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.
