This episode of Ministry Monday is brought to you by CLEF – Catholic Liturgical Ensemble Formation.

CLEF offers in-person and online resources for ensemble musicians, including the annual CLEF Summer Program. Join us July 26-31, 2026 in Ohio for an immersive week of music, prayer, and community specifically designed for ensemble musicians. Experience vocal and instrumental ensemble sessions, clinic day breakouts, private coaching, and more. Visit clef.life for details.

Pastoral ministry seeks to include all those who feel called to offer their talents for praise and service to the Church. Music is a unique ministry in that, while we want all to join us, those who participate must have some sort of experience in music. It doesn’t necessarily need to be professional experience - singing in the shower can count as experience for a new potential choir member, and a simple handbell workshop can familiarize a music minister with starting in the handbell choir. But when it comes to instrumental ensembles, how do we make sure that all those who join us with their instruments in hand feel rooted in an ensemble and confident to work within it?

Today we speak to Luke Rosen about just that. Since 2019, Luke Rosen has served as the Director of Choral Music at Evergreen Local Schools, where he has taught middle school and high school choir, music theory, songwriting, and voice class. For 15 years before that, he served as Director of Choral and Liturgical Music at St. John’s Jesuit High School. In addition Luke is a published composer with multiple companies, including ECS, Santa Barbara Music Publishing, OCP, Liturgical Press, and GIA/WLP. Today we speak from compositional, directorial, and ministerial viewpoints, all focused on arranging for the unexpected. It’s a great conversation as we approach Holy Week.

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Bio: Luke Rosen

Luke D. Rosen received his BM in Choral Music Education and his MM in Choral Conducting Performance at Bowling Green State University, where he was also a composition student. Since 2019, he has served as the Director of Choral Music at Evergreen Local Schools, where he has taught middle school and high school choir, music theory, songwriting, and voice class. For 15 years before that, he served as Director of Choral and Liturgical Music at St. John’s Jesuit High School. He was Director of Music Ministry at Corpus Christi University Parish at the University of Toledo for 23 years before moving to the same position at All Saints Catholic Church in Rossford in 2022. He has served as Artistic Director and Conductor of the Perrysburg Chorale since 2023. Over the last 20 years, he has music directed and conducted dozens of musicals for local companies. In addition to choral conducting, he is a published composer with multiple companies, including ECS, Santa Barbara Music Publishing, OCP, Liturgical Press, and GIA/WLP. Premieres of his compositions have been given by the Tower Brass Quintet, Singing Men of Ohio (Ohio University), BGSU, Toledo School of the Arts, and many other schools and churches. He has scored incidental music for productions at both The Croswell Opera House and the Toledo Repertoire Theatre, and has written a full musical, Common Grounds.

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