Each month ELCA Worship highlights resources and events from other organizations and institutions. These Lutheran and ecumenical partner organizations work alongside the ELCA to support worship leaders, worship planners, musicians, and all who care about the worship of the church.

Lutheran Summer Music Academy & Festival

Transforming and connecting lives through faith and music since 1981.

Lutheran Summer Music invites you to livestream over 30 inspiring concerts, recitals, and worship services throughout the entire month of July. Performances and services are shared by over 250 students, faculty, fellows, worship staff, and guest artists who come together to create a vibrant community of music-makers. Visit LSMacademy.org/2024 to explore the schedule and access the livestream and video archive. You won’t want to miss this!

Of special note, the Association of Lutheran Church Musicians (ALCM) will join this year’s LSM community and offer an intergenerational performance of J.S. Bach’s St. John Passion.

Resources from the Center for Church Music

The Center for Church Music is a place where one can tap into an expansive library of resources and perspectives on the music and art of the church, with a focus on a Lutheran context.

“Profiles in American Lutheran Church Music” presents video interviews with prominent ELCA church musicians Martin Seltz (interviewed by Rev. Craig Mueller) and Paul D. Weber (interviewed by Barry Bobb) have recently been posted to the website of the Center for Church Music.

Register for Augsburg Fortress Summer Music Clinics

Join clinicians David Cherwien and Mark Sedio for Augsburg Fortress’ free summer music clinics this summer in any of our five locations! Register here:

July 16-17 in St. Paul, Minn
July 19-20 in Columbia, S.C.
August 1-2 in Philadelphia, Pa.
August 5-6 in Columbus, Ohio
August 9-10 in Chicago, Ill.

Augsburg Fortress Events and Resources

Augsburg Fortress is an imprint of 1517 Media, the publishing ministry of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America

Love and Faithfulness: A Marriage Planning Handbook
Love and Faithfulness provides couples with brief explanations and the entire text of the Evangelical Lutheran Worship marriage service, as well as more recent supplemental resources. Twelve reflections encourage couples to plan the marriage service and prepare for married life together. Pastors will find this resource invaluable for working with those preparing for marriage. It encourages couples to have conversations about the marriage service, faith, and daily life within the context of worship and the church. A free, downloadable pastor’s guide is available.

 

Living the Promises of Baptism: 101 Ideas for Parents
Of all the gifts parents can pass on to their children, faith is the most precious. The heart of our role as Christian parents is sharing and living out that faith with the children God gives us. This small book is filled with concrete ideas for celebrating with your children the gifts of baptism in daily living. Meals, bedtime, play, seasons, milestones, transitions-all these occasions and more become opportunities for practicing faith.

 

Assembly Song Companion to All Creation Sings
Assembly Song Companion to All Creation Sings will be an essential reference resource for church musicians, pastors, and others who help plan assembly song. This accessible manual gives the context, origins, and character of the texts and tunes in All Creation Sings as well as practical guidance for musical leaders. It is especially useful when paired with the Hymnal Companion to ELW and the Musicians Guide to ELW.

 

Christ in Our Home
Christ in Our Home is a quarterly devotional resource that encourages readers to live out their faith daily. Each reflective reading is accompanied by a daily scripture reference and prayer for the day that follows the Revised Common Lectionary.

 

Music that Makes Community

Music that Makes Community (MMC) practices communal song-sharing that inspires deep spiritual connection, brave shared leadership, and sparks the possibility of transformation in our world.

Here are some upcoming in-person gatherings!

  • Saturday, July 13: Ana Hernandez, Monica Oneydika, Adam Michael Wood, and Executive Director Conie Borchardt will be leading a 1-Day Community Singing Workshop in Atlanta, Georgia right before The Hymn Society conference.
  • Stay tuned for registration to open for a Friday night Community SING and Saturday morning workshop in Northwest Synod of Wisconsin on October 11-12.
  • Many local practice groups and community sings are meeting monthly! Check out when Albuquerque, Chicago, Brownsburg (IN), Ellensburg (WA), Minneapolis-St. Paul, and more are meeting here!

Have you wondered about this gathering called Monday Morning Grounding?  Please read more about this virtual point of connection and reflection for clergy and musicians on our blog here.  The summer session starts June 10 and concludes July 22.  Join us! Register here for the Zoom link.

Please visit our website to discover the song resources on the A-Z list, do a deep dive into the blog post archive, check out what it takes to host a workshop, make a contribution to support this non-profit organization, or subscribe to our monthly newsletter.

May song accompany your gratitude and lament, your grief and your praise.

Association of Lutheran Church Musicians

ALCM nurtures and equips musicians to serve and lead the church’s song.

Ponder Anew: Serving and Leading the Church’s Song
July 22 – 25
Valparaiso University, Valparaiso, Ind.

Cannot be in Valparaiso for the conference? Registration for Live Streamed participation is available!