Today’s episode of Ministry Monday is sponsored by the 2022 Winter Colloquium, taking place February 14-16 in Nashville, Tennessee. NPM Presents Open Hearts and Minds: Intercultural Mystagogia for Pastoral Leaders, a 3-day event focusing on looking through the lens of interculturalism. How can we best celebrate our differences to create unity in diversity through the experience of community of prayer?
Learn more about the Winter Colloquium at npm.org.

This week is the last week in our Advent series of episodes. We know that you have endured countless rehearsals, questions from your choir members about what time to show up for Midnight Mass, a few run-ins with sick volunteers, and maybe fighting a cold yourself. You’ve had concerts and prayer services, reconciliation services and extra staff meetings…the list goes on. This week’s episode is meant to give you a moment of reprieve before the big week ahead.

Today I speak to Laura Araujo, a classically trained vocalist and founder of the Maps Institute, an organization dedicated to mindfulness and intention for all. Laura helps us ask, “how can we stop and find moments of rest amidst the chaos that lies ahead this week?” Allow me to give you a spoiler: Laura’s advice just takes minutes of your day, and can have a world of benefits.

Now is a great time to take advantage of ONE LICENSE's Single-Use and Event Licenses for the holiday season. If you plan to use copyrighted music in your worship services, a Single-Use or Event License can be a great fit - especially for those who do not already participate in an Annual License. These licenses can also be bundled with the Podcast / Streaming License to connect with your congregation during Advent, Christmas, and beyond! Learn more about your licensing options at www.onelicense.net.

The next episode in Ministry Monday’s Advent series features part two of my conversation with Dr. Benjamin Cornelius-Bates, Professor of Musicianship at Duquesne University. Last week Dr. Cornelius-Bates shared some basic tips on how to improvise on traditional and contemporary Advent hymn tunes this Advent and Christmas season. If you haven’t listened to it, I strongly encourage you to! This week we pick up where we left off and see how we can develop his improvisation tips into more complex ways of sparking creativity in the liturgy.

This episode of Ministry Monday is brought to you by Ministry Scheduler Pro. Manage your volunteers, accommodate service preferences, and create fair ministry schedules, all from your laptop, tablet or phone. Learn more and start your free 30-day trial at MinistrySchedulerPro.com.

The next episode in Ministry Monday’s Advent series features a conversation with Dr. Benjamin Cornelius-Bates, Professor of Musicianship at Duquesne University. Dr. Cornelius-Bates shares tips on how to improvise on traditional and contemporary Advent hymn tunes this Advent and Christmas season. Ben’s tips are practical for well beyond the Advent season, but I hope that they spark some creativity during a trying time like Advent for the pastoral musician.