Music, Children, and the Future of our Faith: Cultivating ownership in younger generations through songs that shape religious identity

Music is one of the church’s most powerful tools for the transmitting and sustaining of faith. Wherever religious song has been revitalized, a resurgence in adherence is seldom far away. How can music play a role in passing Christianity to the next generation in your congregation? How can singing incorporate the youngest members of your congregation into a communal culture that will shape and sustain who they are as believers? This session explores the importance of and strategies for teaching hymns to children, and the role it can play in a comprehensive congregational music program. Historical perspective will be considered and a practical approach outlined that can be adapted to the specific culture and concerns of your congregation.

Miguel Ruiz is the Director of Parish Music and Music Teacher at Messiah Lutheran Church and Classical Academy in Keller, Texas. He serves as the organist, director of choirs and handbells, and teaches music from preschool through eighth grade. He earned a Master of Choral Music Education from Westminster Choir College, and the Director of Parish Music certification through Concordia University, St. Paul. He enjoys learning about the history of Lutheran sacred music, and conducted his graduate research on the history of choral pedagogy in Lutheran schools. When not musicking, he helps his wife Ei chase five young singers around their Fort Worth home.

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Cost for members: $10
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Cost for non-members: $20
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Registration closes Friday, September 13 @ noon.