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Building Excellent Worship and Music
July 21, 2019 @ 7:00 pm - July 22, 2019 @ 4:00 pm UTC-6
Due to unforeseen scheduling changes for Cathedral staff, the workshop planned for July 21-22 in Spokane is being postponed. Watch for a new date at St. John’s Cathedral.
"Singing is the most human, most companionable of the arts. It joins us together in the whole realm of sound, forging a group identity where there were only individuals and making a communicative statement that far transcends what any one of us could do alone. It is a paradigm of union with the Creator. It is what the words talk about. We need to sing well.” - Alice Parker
This workshop will offer sessions for clergy, organists, choir directors, and congregational leaders, incorporating panel discussions and an exploration of the latest resources for worship planning. Commencing with a hymn festival on Sunday evening, the day-long workshop will be framed by sung prayer services.
Click here to see the detailed schedule. See the bottom of this page to register.
Presenters:
Dr. Kroeker came to Dallas from the University of Notre Dame where she held a faculty research position in church music. She is the author of The Sounds of Our Offerings: Achieving Excellence in Church Music, Alban Press, 2011, is editor of Music in Christian Worship, Liturgical Press, 2005, and has published numerous articles on church music.
Dr. Kroeker is trained as a performing pianist and pedagogue, spending most of her career as a college professor and administrator. Born and raised in the General Conference Mennonite Church, she has served as organist and/or choir director in Presbyterian, Episcopal, Catholic, Lutheran and Methodist congregations, concurrent with her academic appointments. Dr. Kroeker has spent the last 15 years studying foundational issues for effective music in worship. In this process, she has received grants from the Lilly Endowment, Louisville Institute, Wabash Center, Indiana Arts Commission, the University of Notre Dame, the Lilly Library at Indiana University, and private donors to fund research and to convene conferences, workshops, and focus groups of university/seminary faculty, church musicians, pastors and laypersons. Dr. Kroeker oversees program development and strategic planning for CMI.
The Very Rev. Heather VanDeventer serves as Dean of St. John's Cathedral. Heather most recently served as Associate Rector at Christ Church in Alexandria, Virginia. Heather has led adult faith formation and pastoral care; overseen children’s and youth ministries; been the clergy liaison for hospitality, newcomer welcome, and two stewardship campaigns; participated in two strategic planning efforts; and had a full share in presiding at worship and preaching.
Heather previously served at Episcopal High School in Alexandria and St. Augustine’s Episcopal Church in Wilmette, Illinois. She is a graduate of Yale University and Seabury-Western Theological Seminary.
She is married to the Rev. Dr. David Gortner, and they have two school-age children. Having lived in the Midwest, West Coast, and East Coast, they are excited to come to and explore the Inland Northwest and participate in the Episcopal branch of the Jesus movement in Spokane.
Dr. Tim Westerhaus, Music Director at St John's Cathedral, also serves as the Director of Choirs and Vocal Studies at Gonzaga University, where he has been on faculty since 2010. He is music director of Music Ministry Alive, a sacred music institute for young adults, and he serves as Northwest chair of University Repertoire & Standards for the American Choral Directors Association.
Tim completed his doctorate in choral conducting at Boston University. He holds a bachelor’s degree in liturgical music from the University of Saint Thomas and a master's degree in choral conducting from Boston University. In addition to conducting and educating, Tim performs as a tenor with the Oregon Bach Festival and as a pianist and continuo keyboardist.
A native of Minnesota, Tim is an avid runner and enjoys the natural beauty of the Northwest. He joined the Cathedral staff October 2014.
Dr. John Bodinger, Organist, most recently has been the Director of Music at Manito Presbyterian Church and is an adjunct professor at Whitworth University. He joined the Cathedral staff in October 2014. John earned his Doctor of Musical Arts at the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, New York. He is an active member of the Spokane AGO. John and his wife are the parents of three school-age children.