In this turbulent time, one thing we as church musicians can do is use music that gives congregants the chance to channel their feelings into community singing. We know the power of music to move and soothe us. What powerful songs have people used in the past? What songs are you leaning into today?
Hymn writers Adam Tice, Ana Hernández, and Hannah Brown will join Ruth Striegel for a Saturday Sharing about the work they do to bring light to our hurting world. Come and be a part of the conversation!
Saturday, March 22, 2025 at 10 am NM & El Paso / 9 am AZ on Zoom.
This event is free and open to all. Register to receive the Zoom link. Register to receive the Zoom link.
Read MoreIn this turbulent time, one thing we as church musicians can do is use music that gives congregants the chance to channel their feelings into community singing. We know the power of music to move and soothe us. What powerful songs have people used in the past? What songs are you leaning into today?
Hymn writers Adam Tice, Ana Hernández, and Hannah Brown will join Board Member Ruth Striegel for a Saturday Sharing about the work they do to bring light to our hurting world. Come and be a part of the conversation!
Read MoreJoin Ruth Striegel as she talks with Dan Damon about the impact that the late Ruth Duck has had on church hymnody. Ruth C. Duck was an ordained UCC minister, a theologian, a professor of worship, and is most widely known as a hymnwriter. The New Century Hymnal has 14 hymn texts that she either wrote or adapted. She died on December 26, 2024. (Obituary)
Daniel Charles Damon is an internationally published writer of hymn texts and tunes whose work appears in many current hymnals. He is Associate Editor of Hymnody for Hope Publishing Company, Carol Stream, Illinois. In 2016 he was named a Fellow of The Hymn Society in the United States and Canada. Dan worked extensively with Ruth for many years, setting her texts to music, editing her hymn collections, and championing her work. He is uniquely positioned to talk about her as a hymn-writer and a person.
Saturday Sharing is a free, one-hour conversation at 12 noon ET / 9 AM PT that is open to all. Register to receive the Zoom link.
Read More“Where Did You Get That Song? Resources for Congregational Song”
At their November Saturday Sharing, Ruth Striegel (First Congregational Albuquerque) talked about how to reach beyond the hymnal to find new songs to use with your congregation. You can see her list of resources and view the video recording of the conversation. Saturday Sharing will return in 2025.
Read MoreChoral, handbells, organ, an opening concert, plus yoga, alternative worship, antiracism, women composers, deep listening and more.
Read MoreRegister for Conference 2024.
July 10 – 13, 2024 in Greenwich, CT.
This is a chance to network with your colleagues in person, pick up some repertoire, sharpen skills and gain a perspective on various issues. Plus, enjoy some great entertainment! The presenters are outstanding. Put this event on your calendar if you haven’t yet and sign up.
Complete conference info.
Go straight to registration.
Read MoreFrom Ruth Striegel, Director of Music at First Congregational UCC Albuquerque:
UCC musicians and music lovers are invited to learn about and get involved in the UCC Musicians Association, a dedicated volunteer group whose mission is “to inspire, educate, and nurture those who minister through music and the arts.” Our excellent journal, Zoom Saturday Sharings, DEI statement, Epiphanies column, and much more are available on our website, https://uccma.wildapricot.org/. Our summer conference, A Place at the Table, will be held in Old Greenwich, Connecticut July 10-13. Early Bird pricing is available through April 15.
I’ve been an UCCMA member since 2017, and found it to be a wonderful resource and community for me in my work as music director at First Congregational Albuquerque. Please let your church musicians know about this group!
Ruth Striegel
Read MoreJULY 10 - 13, 2024
Old Greenwich, Connecticut
The national biennial gathering of the United Church of Christ Musicians Association (UCCMA), will take place July 10-13, 2024 at the First Congregational Church of Greenwich, Connecticut. Designed for church musicians, choral and handbell choir members and worship leaders, the three-day event includes workshops, plenary sessions, worship services, evening entertainment and networking opportunities. The stellar roster of presenters includes:
Tom Shelton, associate professor in choral activities at Westminster Choir College
Nathanial Gumbs, concert organist and director of chapel music at Yale
Ellen Dickinson, director of bell programs at Yale
Braxton Shelley, associate professor of music, sacred music and divinity at Yale
Janet Yieh, concert organist and specialist in women composers
The conference’s theme, “A place at the table,” inspired the planning for the entire conference experience. Our goal is to send participants home reenergized with lots of new resources and ideas to use in their local congregations.
This conference is open to all. Early Bird registration discount is available through April 15th. Scholarship help is available for first-time UCCMA conference attendees who wouldn’t be able to attend without some financial assistance.
Read MorePlease pass this along to your church musicians!
The UCC Musicians Association exists to support church musicians all over the UCC and beyond! This Saturday, March 16, they’re hosting their monthly Saturday Sharing Zoom event. The topic this month is “Doing More With Less,” and it addresses the changes in our music programs we’ve seen since the Covid pandemic. They want to know what other music programs have done to adapt, and share our experiences.
This is a free event which will be recorded. Check it out, along with recordings of previous Zooms, at the UCCMA website. While you’re there, take a look at their excellent journal, Worship, Music and Ministry.
Ruth Striegel, UCCMA board member and Music Director, First Congregational-Albuquerque
Read MoreThe UCCMA is a vibrant national grassroots organization of musicians and pastors who continually seek new ways to worship, connect and uplift people through music and the arts. Since the organization came into being in 1993, it has been committed to increasing its footprint in the lives of our UCC congregations throughout the denomination.
Read More
