The Call to Sing at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church October 26, 2021 By Collegeville Institute Leave a Comment Music can deepen and broaden our experience of joy and grief. In this episode, Ann Schrooten speaks about her calling to serve through music, and how that vocation transformed during the pandemic and following George Floyd’s murder near her church in Minneapolis, MN. She describes how the cries for justice in her community led her to ask a new question about leading music in her church. Holy Trinity is one of thirteen congregations taking part in Collegeville Institute’s Communities of Calling Initiative. The Communities of Calling Initiative is a five-year program that grants congregations funds to design a new project or enhance existing ministries that help Christians discover and deepen their sense of God’s calling in their lives. Topics and resources discussed in this episode: Communities of Calling Initiative (CCI) Holy Trinity Lutheran Church’s CCI Learnings & Activities A theology of play Holy Trinity’s response to the murder of George Floyd Micah 6:8 Bios Ann Schrooten has been a staff musician at Holy Trinity since 1996. She directs the Children’s Choir, the Cantate! Youth Ensemble, and the Gloria Ringer Handbell Ensemble. She holds a Bachelor of Music Degree in Vocal Music Performance from St. Olaf College and a Master of Music Degree in Choral Conducting from the University of Minnesota. She lives in Little Canada, MN with her wife and son. Ellie Roscher is a writer, theology teacher, and host of the Unlikely Conversations podcast. She is a board member at the Collegeville Institute and the author of 12 Tiny Things, Play Like a Girl, and How Coffee Saved My Life. Ellie holds an MFA in Writing from Sarah Lawrence College and an MA in Theology from Luther Seminary. She lives in Minneapolis with her spouse and sons. Follow Ellie on social media at @ellieroscher [Twitter, Instagram, Facebook]. Matthew Ian Fleming edited the audio for this podcast. You can find Matthew on Instagram at @matthewianfleming and his other podcasts at www.alterguild.org. Discussion questions Ann describes how her call to create music has been “nurtured all along the way.” Do you have a calling that has been nurtured throughout your life? Who are the important people who nurtured your call? Ann speaks of the beauty of watching the callings of young people grow over time – like flowers opening in a garden. Are there young people in your life who you’ve accompanied as they discovered or discerned their vocations? What is that experience like for you? How does music affect the communal callings of your congregation? In what ways has music impacted your experience of worship during the pandemic in particular? What kind of music does your congregation need to hear right now? Holy Trinity responded as a congregational community to the needs of their neighborhood in the wake of the murder of George Floyd. How does your congregation interact with your neighbors? Has there been a time when your congregation was called to respond to a crisis in your area? Next Steps Check out resources to explore calling in your congregation on the Communities of Calling Initiative website. Watch this video that tells the story of Holy Trinity’s call to stand with their neighborhood community in the wake of George Floyd’s murder. Miss the last episode? Listen to practical theologian Dr. Patrick Reyes discuss his new book, The Purpose Gap: Empowering Communities of Color to Find Meaning and Thrive. Patrick explores how we can understand God’s calling when not everyone has access to the same networks, resources, or opportunities. Follow the work of the Collegeville Institute on social media at @collegevilleins [Twitter, Instagram, Facebook] and subscribe to our email newsletter Like this post? Subscribe to have new posts sent to you by email the same day they are posted.
