#063: Recruiting and Retaining Volunteer Ministers (with Patti Such)

Patti Such

I once heard someone describe working with volunteer ministers in parishes as “concentric circles of challenge.” The first challenge is to find a way to engage potential volunteers. But, once you’ve found a way to break through, you’re met with the challenge of training them. Once you’ve found a way to navigate the difficulties of formation, you’re met with the challenge of scheduling them, and then of retaining them, and so forth. 

Today, we’re journeying head-on into these concentric circles to explore what works, and what doesn’t, when it comes to engaging, recruiting, and retaining parish volunteer ministers. To help us out, we’ll speak with Patti Such, who will offer a host of information to help frame our views and approaches toward volunteer recruitment and management. We’ll also hear from a recent blog post written by Diana Macalintal in this week’s “Ministry Moment.”

SHOW NOTES

To learn more about Patti, Rotunda Software, and the Ministry Scheduler Pro program, visit www.ministryschedulerpro.com. You can try the program for free for 30 days!

You can read Diana Macalintal’s blog post, “Why You Should Rethink the Choir’s Summer Break” on the Liturgy.Life website.

The recordings of “A New Commandment” (The Collegeville Composers Group) is published by Liturgical Press. “Discipleship Medley” (arr. Paul Tate) is published by GIA Publications. “Ubi Caritas” (Laurence Rosania) is published by OCP.

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.

#062: Engaging Emerging Leaders (with Dr. Bob McCarty)

Dr. Bob McCarty

Over the last few years, NPM has undertaken a variety of new initiatives to serve the needs of the singing and praying church. Throughout the next few months, I’ll be bringing you conversations that highlight these programs and give updates as to their progress and development.

Today, we’re focusing on the topic of emerging leaders. As pastoral ministers, we are called to help identify and develop the gifts of lots of people in lots of ways: cantors, accompanists, lectors, ministers of hospitality, and more. Yet, we are often stymied by the challenge of succession planning. We ask ourselves: Who will come after us? Who will continue this work already begun? Where are the next generation of leaders?

To help us explore these questions and the challenges we face in answering them, we’re joined once again by Dr. Bob McCarty. We’ll also remember the late Rachel Held Evans in today’s Ministry Moment.

SHOW NOTES

To join Dr. Bob McCarty, Dr. Jeannie Downey-Vanover, and Michael Ruzicki for the second NPM Emerging Leaders Institute this summer at the national convention in Raleigh, North Carolina, visit the 2019 NPM convention website. 

To learn more about the project, "Going, Going, Gone: The Dynamics of Disaffiliation in Young Catholics," from St. Mary's Press, visit their Catholic research website. There you will find an executive summary of the research project, featured stories, audio and video features, and more. You can also purchase a copy of the study here.  

You can read Rachel Held Evans’ blog post, “New Songs,” on her website.

The recordings of “Heart of a Shepherd” (Rory Cooney with verses by Joseph Gelineau) and “A Shepherd’s Medley” (arr. Paul Tate) are published by GIA Publications. “The Lord is My Shepherd/El Señor es mi Pastor” (Mary Frances Reza) is published by OCP. “I Shall See” is published by Hampton Roads Music Group.

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.

#061: Navigating the "Culture Wars" (with Dan Schutte)

Dan Schutte

If you are someone who uses social media, it doesn’t take long to discover that the so-called liturgical “culture wars” are alive and well. Post after post on page after page reveal the ugly and unhelpful reality of the conflict. Authentic, thoughtful conversation and dialogue rarely happen, which is both unfortunate and unproductive. What is left, at least on social media and in the blogosphere, is often hyperbole, entrenchment, and judgement. So, what is a pastoral musician to do? How do we navigate these conflicts and make sense of them? How do we see through the judgement, and how do we take steps forward in our pastoral ministry?

Today, we’ll hear a special workshop presentation from Dan Schutte. Offered at the 2018 NPM convention in Baltimore, Dan presented a workshop titled “Honoring Our Musical Diversity: Navigating the Culture Wars.” In this session, Dan led participants through an exploration of ways to integrate a variety of genres, including chant, contemporary, and traditional hymnody, to celebrate the richness of our sacred music heritage in the liturgy.

We will be back with new, original interviews next week.

SHOW NOTES

To find out more information about the 2019 NPM National Convention in Raleigh, North Carolina, visit the NPM website. You can view preliminary schedules, speaker and event information, and more. Register today!

For more information about Dan Schutte, visit his composer page at OCP. You can also visit his personal website: www.danschutte.com.

The recordings of “This Joyful Eastertide” (VREUCHTEN, arr. Richard Hillert) and “Ye Sons and Daughters” (O FILII ET FILIAE, arr. Josh Blakesley) are published by OCP.

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.