Members


From the president Now halfway into my fi rst year


as president of Th e Fellowship, I am astounded at how quickly this two- year term is passing and I am grate- ful for an organization such as Th e Fellowship. Th ough I grew up in Th e United


Methodist Church, my fi rst jobs were in other denominations. When I started my current position almost 20 years ago, I came back to Th e United Methodist Church and worked here for almost ten years before I learned about Th e Fellowship. Th anks to Dean McIntyre who hosted a musician’s retreat in Nashville, I was introduced to David Bone who talked about the upcoming convocation (St. Louis in 2007) and this organization I had never known before. I thought the event and the organization sounded interesting but little did I know the positive eff ect this would have on my ministry and my faith. Personal connection is impor-


tant and one of the fi rst Fellowship


members I met and continue to enjoy seeing at our events is Sandy Mast. Sandy was at that retreat in 2006 and told me all about Th e Fellowship and how important it is to her. It’s the relationships we have through our fellowship in Christ that are most special to me and I encour- age you to take time to share what you love about Th e Fellowship with some- one you know. Invite them to consider connecting with Th e Fellowship. I’m constantly encouraged by


those who are involved in the work of our organization. Th e board is working on many projects, a primary one being to fulfi ll the work of the resolution we adopted at the 2017 convocation. We want to be welcom-


ing and the development of a welcome statement is well underway. Th ere are many more leaders involved in design teams for Music and Worship Arts Week at Lake Junaluska and for our biennial convocations. Plan now to attend one or both of those events in the next two years. Th e themes of this year’s


WorshipArts editions are laying the groundwork for our time together in 2019 in Kansas City. I’m thankful for many who


give above and beyond, both in time and resources. Your support of the Annual Fund is crucial to our ability to balance budgets and to be able to continue to assist worship leaders in creating meaningful worship experi- ences that bring people into deeper relationships with God and each other. Our memberships provide only a portion of the funding necessary to do the work. Th anks to all of you for support-


ing Th e Fellowship through member- ship and beyond. Be the Fellowship! Shawn Gingrich


Fellowship family news


Jana Lynn Almeida and her husband, Gabriel, are both retired and now “snowbirds,” splitting their time between Bay View Association of Th e UMC in Petoskey, MI, and Sarasota, FL. In addition, Jana


Lynn recently completed Intentional Interim Ministry and Spiritual Direction training.


Mark Miller recently completed two new compositions for the Ivy Leagues. In Septem- ber, Yale premiered a newly commissioned hymn “From Th is Bright Hour” (words & music by M. Miller) for the college’s Open-


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ing Assembly, the fi rst new hymn sung at the service since 1838. In December, Harvard premiered a newly commis- sioned anthem “Hunger Carol” (words by Shirley Erena


played a key role in developing the ritual of Th e UMC. January-February 2018 • WorshipArts • www.UMFellowship.org


Murray, music by M. Miller) for their 108th Annual Christ- mas Carol Service.


Rev. Kennetha Bigham-Tsai, Lansing Dis- trict Superintendent of Th e Michigan Con- ference of Th e United Methodist Church, has been named as the new Chief Connectional Ministries Offi cer of the United Methodist


Connectional Table, eff ective January 22, 2018. She is a former member of the WorshipArts Editorial Committee.


Recently learned: Rev. Eugene Holmes, 83, died August 17, 2016. Gene was the fi rst chairperson of the Section on Worship of the former UM Board of Discipleship. Along with Don Saliers, Hoyt Hickman and others, he


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