#040: Giving Thanks

Here in the United States, we are gearing up for another holiday week. I don’t know about all of you, but, for myriad reasons, Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. I enjoy the food, the counting of blessings, the time spent with family and friends, the pause, the reflection. 

But, while my enthusiasm for Thanksgiving has not waned over the years, the simplicity of my understanding has. I recognize that Thanksgiving can stir a complex and sometimes conflicting sense of emotion. Not all celebrations are peaceful. Not all tallies of blessings seem to be as long. Not all family gatherings are akin to Norman Rockwell. 

In a particular way this year, I think of the challenges we face in our Church, our communities, country, and our world. Scandal. Division. Violence. Natural disasters. Illness. War. Anger. Apathy. 

So, today, in the midst of the messiness of life, we are pausing to give thanks. To do so, we’ll hear from the writings of four voices, each helping explore what it means to be grateful. I’m hoping you’ll find this to be a sort of mini-retreat, and so I’ve interspersed music selections between each reading. If you can’t listen to the entire episode at once, listen to a portion each day. I hope you are able to find time this week to let these words and melodies sink in, challenging and affirming, and, in a special way, feeding and forming. 

SHOW NOTES

You can find like to the works you heard read in today’s episode by clicking on the name of the author: Abraham Lincoln, Fr. Romano Guardini, Pope Francis, Sr. Joan Chittister, OSB, and Br. David Steindl-Rast, OSB.

The music you heard in today’s episode: “Come You Thankful People Come” (arr. Alonso), piano improvisation on “Simple Gifts,” “We Plow the Fields and Scatter,” “Thanks Be to Thee,” (Handel), “O God You Search Me” (Farrell), “Earth and All Stars,” and “Give Us Peace” (Roberts).

Visit NPM's digital resource library, referenced at the end of the episode. 

All content of this podcast is property of the National Association of Pastoral Musicians or its content suppliers and is protected by United States and international copyright laws. For information about the podcast and its use, please contact us.

#039: Formation and Connection, Delivered to Your Doorstep (with Kathy Felong)

Kathy Felong

This past year, NPM offered its forty-first convention. For more than four decades, NPM has been gathering, forming, and celebrating pastoral musicians in national and regional conventions offered across the country. For just as long – in fact, for a little longer – NPM has offered formation, celebration, and connection through the publication of Pastoral Music magazine. 

Today, we’re talking about the NPM magazine as it transitions to a new editorial staff. We’ll discuss the following questions: Why, when we so often hear that print media is dying, does NPM continue to offer a magazine? What impact does NPM hope the magazine will have on the practice of its members? What can we expect to find in the new issue when it lands in our mailboxes in a few weeks? And more. To explore these questions, we’ll speak with Kathy Felong, the new editor of NPM’s magazine. We’ll also hear an excerpt from Pope Francis’ message on World Communications Day 2018 in this week’s Ministry Moment.

SHOW NOTES

The newest issue of Pastoral Music will be arriving in mailboxes around Thanksgiving Day. Members of NPM automatically receive a copy. If you aren’t a member yet, sign up today!

For more information about Beyond Strumming, visit GIA Publications.

The music you heard in today’s episode: “Find Us Ready” (Booth), “Piano Improvisation on ‘Break Bread Together’” (Koopmann), and “Give Us Peace” (Roberts).

Visit NPM's digital resource library, referenced at the end of the episode. 

All content of this podcast is property of the National Association of Pastoral Musicians or its content suppliers and is protected by United States and international copyright laws. For information about the podcast and its use, please contact us.

#038: Instrumental Invitation (with Zack Stachowski)

Zack Stachowski

You’ve heard us mention repeatedly the importance of invitation in our work as pastoral ministers. It’s a challenging topic, partly because we need to learn how to do it (though we’ve got a pretty good idea). Mostly, it’s difficult because invitation is often an exercise in vulnerability. We’ve got to relearn, retrain, risk failure, and so forth. 

Today, we’re digging deeper into the topic of invitation to speak specifically about instrumentalists. Why do we invite instrumentalists differently than we do singers? What can we do to better extend welcome to the members of our community who have instrumental skills to offer? We’ll speak with composer and teacher Zack Stachowski, who will issue a special Christmas season challenge. We’ll also hear from the writings of Fr. Matthew Kelty in this week’s Ministry Moment.

SHOW NOTES

You can find out more about Zack Stachowski and his work by visiting the home pages for the One Call Institute and the Open Your Hymnal podcast.

For more information about Give Us This Day, visit Liturgical Press.

The music you heard in today’s episode: “Behold the Lamb” (Willett), and “Give Us Peace” (Roberts).

Visit NPM's digital resource library, referenced at the end of the episode. 

All content of this podcast is property of the National Association of Pastoral Musicians or its content suppliers and is protected by United States and international copyright laws. For information about the podcast and its use, please contact us.